Martha Stewart's 4-Ingredient Cocktail Sauce Might Be Better Than The Shrimp

As one of the OG influencers to define aspirational home entertaining, Martha Stewart has invested a lifetime in setting the bar for modern luxe. Whether it is how to set the perfect tablescape or curate enviable appetizers, Stewart is your gal. As with most of her advice, the devil, as they say, is in the details, and her simple to execute, but quick to wow cocktail sauce is a case in point.

Part of the beauty of Stewart's addictive cocktail sauce is that it doesn't require cooking and is made with just a few simple ingredients: fresh horseradish root, ketchup, lemon juice, and salt. Its presence on a platter practically begs for sitcom-worthy shrimp hoarding, and its flavor profile is so fresh and zesty that you'll marvel how even popular store-bought cocktail sauces bear the same name. It's a bit like a Michelin-starred chef's tricked-out gold-dusted caviar-topped burger being in the same category as a gas station-adjacent fast-food burger. The ingredients, care, and technique are just galaxies apart.

Martha Stewart's cocktail sauce is anchored by freshly grated horseradish root, which has a noticeably strong and bright tang. She also mentions doctoring the mixture with hot sauce to your liking (or a touch of sugar if you like things sweet) and then letting it meld in the fridge. This does mean you have to prepare it in advance, but it is easy to throw together the day before your gathering. When it comes time to serve, try one of Martha's old-school hosting tips and ditch the paper or plastic in favor of a glass or enamel bowls for your shrimp display. Lastly, take the time to arrange it artfully, perhaps with the shrimp tails draping off the edge of the vessel and your cocktail sauce nestled in the center.

Stewart is somewhat of a poster child for using what you have, but doing it with panache. You are never going to turn up at her house and find a bag of potato chips dumped in a bowl (she never serves snacks). Instead, what you may find are potato chips (homemade, of course) topped with sour cream and caviar. While boiled shrimp are not an awe-inspiring hors d'ouevre on their own, adding this freshly-made condiment, you are sure to leave a lasting impression on your guests. Just be ready to serve it on repeat. And if you happen to have any leftover cocktail sauce, consider adding it to your scrambled eggs, using it as a sandwich spread, or making a fabulous bloody Mary.