The ultimate prawn cocktail
- Published: 29 Apr 20
- Updated: 18 Mar 24
The British version of the prawn cocktail has been in and out of fashion ever since the 1960s. It’s the small details that make all the difference; here’s our ultimate prawn cocktail recipe with just the right amount of oomph.
Fancy something else? Check out our lime and basil prawn cocktail salad.
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Serves 4 -
Hands on time 20 min
Nutrition
- Calories
- 350kcals
- Fat
- 28.3g (2.1g saturated)
- Protein
- 18g
- Carbohydrates
- 4.8g (4.8g sugars)
- Fibre
- 0.6g
- Salt
- 1.7g
delicious. tips
The mayo: classic recipes for marie rose sauce call for homemade mayonnaise, but these days you can buy good quality stuff. We used Stokes Real Mayonnaise, available in larger supermarkets.
The ketchup: you might not think of yourself as a red sauce person but it’s essential here – the tangy sweetness blends with the creamy mayo to perfection.
Cayenne pepper over Tabasco: Tabasco is fantastic in many settings (particularly tomato salsa), but the cayenne here adds a smoky rather than
fruity heat that cuts through the creaminess of the mayonnaise perfectly.
The prawns: you need to buy the best quality. We used a mixture of the tiny North Atlantic prawns and meatier tiger/king prawns to add textural interest, but you can choose whatever prawns you like – just avoid the watery ones in plastic packs, and check they’re sustainable.Make the sauce up to a day ahead and keep covered in the fridge. Stir the prawns into the sauce to serve
The forerunner of the prawn cocktail – with a punchier sauce – was invented in California in the 19th century. Later during Prohibition, the redundant cocktail glasses were put to use as a fancy receptacle for the popular dish.