When I was in grade school, I took nearly everything literally. I assumed soda bread was made with soda, and I steered clear of shrimp cocktail completely. That’s for adults, right? 

Both are honest mistakes, but it was quite the revelation to learn around age 10 that soda bread earns its name from its leavening agent: baking soda. And that shrimp cocktail? It’s spirit-free—until now, when I came across a one-ingredient upgrade to make cocktail sauce truly shine.

The history of shrimp cocktail is a fascinating one—and may have originally included alcohol. According to food history lore, the concept actually started as oyster cocktail in the 1860s, when a California gold miner visited a San Francisco bar for a glass of whiskey and spread of oysters. The oysters came served with hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce to doctor up as desired. With a little whiskey left in the glass, he allegedly dumped a garnished oyster or two into his cup and downed it all.

The Chicago Tribune reported that a San Francisco resident (perhaps someone who was seated near that miner) then taught this trick to fellow diners at New York’s steakhouse Delmonico’s, and the tradition spread from there, eventually shape-shifting to include shrimp.

Others debunk this theory, and say shrimp cocktail has roots right here in the South, as part of Cajun cuisine. Those in this camp confirm that it’s called a “cocktail” because that term has been used for more than a century to describe small, usually chilled, snacks. During Prohibition, when cocktail glasses weren’t being used for alcohol, hosts got creative and began serving these chilled dishes inside the showy stemmed cups.

As for the iconic red dipping sauce, it’s usually credited to British celebrity chef Fanny Craddock circa 1960, although that fact has been disputed, too.

While we might not be certain about the exact origins of the dish or who to credit for its “invention,” shrimp cocktail itself is quite simple. It involves boiling or poaching shrimp, then chilling them, to serve alongside a zippy horseradish-tomato sauce. 

Besides horseradish, tomato-forward cocktail sauce is usually spiked with lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. But after scrolling on social media recently, I landed on a brilliant trick that will make this easy appetizer even more worthy of its name: add tequila to cocktail sauce. (Nope, not whiskey this time, despite how the recipe may have originated. Although that sounds worth a try, too!)

Soon after I spotted this idea in an Instagram video, I couldn’t resist trying it myself and can confirm it’s worth a shot. (Sorry!)

Blanco tequila naturally offers some earthy and vegetal notes. In tandem with the bright citrus juice, savory Worcestershire, and spicy hot sauce and horseradish, the finished product tastes like the cocktail sauce you know and love—just with the volume turned up. 

Mastering how to make tequila cocktail sauce is simple: For each cup of homemade or store-bought cocktail sauce, stir in 2 tablespoons of tequila.

To up the Tex-Mex energy, if you’re going the DIY route, consider using lime juice instead of lemon for tequila-lime cocktail sauce. Add a margarita and you’ll definitely spend happy hour in good spirits.

If you prefer an alcohol-free option, you can score similar results with an N/A alternative like Almave Blanco or Seedlip Notas de Agave.

Of course, you can pair this tequila cocktail sauce with grilled or chilled shrimp. But it would also be incredible…