Bloody Mary Seafood Cocktail

Apr 07, 2026

Bloody Mary Seafood Cocktail

Bring bold flavor and Derby Day drama to your table with this Bloody Mary Seafood Cocktail platter. Designed for the ultimate Kentucky Derby watch party, this festive spread features chilled jumbo shrimp, snow crab claws, olives, and lemon wedges served over crushed ice with a punchy horseradish cocktail sauce at the center. Curated by New York Times bestselling author Caroline Chambers in partnership with CAFÉ™ Appliances, this Churchill Downs-inspired seafood platter delivers Southern sophistication with a spirited Bloody Mary twist.

Tips from Caroline

Think of this as a Bloody Mary… but in seafood platter form. A punchy cocktail sauce with horseradish, lemon, and hot sauce sits in the center while chilled shrimp, crab claws, olives, and lemon wedges pile high over crushed ice. It’s festive, dramatic, and perfect for Derby Day or any gathering where people want something snacky and a little fancy.

If you can’t find crab claws but still want a little crab on the platter, grab some lump crab meat instead. Stir it with a little cream cheese and a sprinkle of celery salt, then spoon it into celery sticks and cut them into bite-size pieces -- a very good little stand-in.

Serves 10 | Prep time: ~20 minutes

Tools:

• Small mixing bowl
• Large serving platter
• Small serving bowl
• Small skewers or toothpicks

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ketchup
• 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
• 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 pound cooked jumbo shrimp, chilled and peeled
• 1 pound of snow crab claws
• 1/2 cup cocktail olives
• 2 lemons, cut into wedges
• Crushed ice, for serving

Method:

1. In a small bowl, stir together 1 cup ketchup, 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, juice of half a lemon, 1 teaspoon hot sauce, 1/4 teaspoon celery salt, and a few cracks of black pepper. Taste and add more horseradish, hot sauce, or lemon juice if you like things punchier, ketchup if you want is more mild. Transfer the sauce to a small serving bowl.

2. Slide the 1/2 cup cocktail olives onto small skewers or toothpicks.

3. Fill a large serving platter with crushed ice. Arrange the 1 pound chilled shrimp over the ice, then tuck the crab-filled celery sticks around the platter. Place the bowl of cocktail sauce in the center.

4. Scatter the olive skewers and lemon wedges around the platter and serve immediately.

Shop Caroline's Kitchen with CAFÉ Appliances

CAFÉ curates customizable appliances that lets you reflect your personal style. Derby at Home Ambassador Caroline Chamber’s kitchen complements her everyday life, whether cooking, spending time with her family, or hosting a party. Shop Caroline’s CAFÉ kitchen.

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