How to Make Marie Rose Cocktail Sauce for Parties!

This Easy Marie Rose Cocktail Sauce recipe makes a creamy sauce full of tanginess and savory flavor. It is perfect for serving with shrimp for a classic shrimp cocktail or with other types of seafood as part of an appetizer. It is even delicious with other types of protein such as meatballs or chicken. Making this cocktail sauce recipe is very quick and easy.

It starts with making homemade mayonnaise by beating egg yolks with vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and oil until the mixture is thick and creamy. Then, to make a cocktail sauce, some of the mayonnaise gets mixed with ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and Cognac until combined. The sauce is then served on top of bread cutouts with cooked shrimp on top for an easy appetizer or hors d’oeuvre.

What is Marie Rose Cocktail Sauce?

Cocktail sauce likely originated in the United States in the 19th century, and was often served with shrimp or oysters.

Cocktail sauces can vary, but usually, they include mayonnaise, tomato sauce or ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, and lemon juice. However, in North America, cocktail sauces usually don’t include any mayonnaise at all; instead, they are usually simply chili sauce or ketchup that have been mixed with horseradish, and possibly some lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce.

Pro Tips

• If you are concerned about using raw egg yolks in your mayonnaise, you can pasteurize them before you use them in this recipe.
• If you prefer not to use vegetable oil in your homemade mayonnaise, avocado oil or grapeseed oil would work as they are both neutral tasting.
• Feel free to adjust the flavoring ingredients as needed to meet your tastes.
• Any type of mustard will work in this cocktail sauce recipe, but something like Dijon is particularly good for its complex and spicy flavor.
• If you don’t have Cognac on hand, brandy would be a good substitute.

Is Thousand Island Dressing The Same as Marie Rose Sauce?

No, they are not the same thing! Marie Rose sauce, originating from British cuisine, is a simple blend of mayonnaise, ketchup, and lemon juice, with occasional additions like Worcestershire sauce or brandy, resulting in a mild, tangy flavor that pairs perfectly with seafood. Thousand Island dressing, on the other hand, hails from the United States and features a more complex mix of mayonnaise, ketchup, vinegar, and sweet pickle relish, often including extras like finely chopped onions or hard-boiled eggs. This gives it a sweeter, chunkier, and more layered taste, making it a favorite for salads and sandwiches.

What to Serve with Cocktail Sauce?

This cocktail sauce can be served on bread with shrimp on top for a simple appetizer. However, it is also great served in a glass rimmed with cooked shrimp for a shrimp cocktail or served alongside meatballs or fried foods such as spring rolls or chicken wings as a dipping sauce.

Should You Use Homemade Mayonnaise in Cocktail Sauce?

No, you don’t have to if you don’t want to. Rather than making your own mayonnaise to form the base of this cocktail sauce, you can simply replace the homemade mayonnaise with your favorite brand of store-bought mayonnaise.

Is Cocktail Sauce Healthy?

This cocktail sauce includes a combination of fat, lemon juice, and other flavoring ingredients that can all be part of a healthy diet. While it is heavy on mayonnaise, it is made with real ingredients that you can easily pronounce.

How to Store Cocktail Sauce

This cocktail sauce should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge until you are ready to use it. It should stay fresh for up to 6 days.

How to Make Cocktail Sauce

Step 1: For the mayonnaise, in a bowl, beat the egg yolks with the vinegar, lemon juice, and salt until combined.

Step 2: Continue beating the mixture while drizzling in the oil until the mixture is thick and creamy.

Step 3: In a bowl, whisk 260 g of the prepared mayonnaise with ketchup, mustard, cognac, and Worcestershire sauce until combined.

Step 4: Serve the sauce in a bowl and enjoy!

Step 5: If desired, you can cut sandwich bread into shapes, spread cocktail sauce on them, and top them with cooked shrimp for a quick hors d’oeuvres as well.