Easy Prawn co*cktail Recipe (2024)

This quick and super easy prawn co*cktail recipe is perfect for a last minute starter for Christmas dinner, party food or a simple jacket potato topper!

This prawn co*cktail recipe is so simple, it make a great easy recipe for kids to make themselves from start to finish!

Easy Prawn co*cktail Recipe (1)

We're enjoying the summer holidays at the moment, so things have been a little quiet here on the blog recently, but today I'm sharing a really simple recipe that Small Child has made for us several times now.

This easy prawn co*cktail recipe makes a quick and easy summer meal, either served on lettuce leaves as a yummy starter or snack, or as a healthy topper for bakedpotatoes - one of our favourite family meals at the moment!

As I was reminded when hundreds of you started descending on the site for this recipe on Christmas Day a few years ago, this prawn co*cktail makes a perfect starter for Christmas dinner too! The simple Marie Rose sauce is made from easy-to-find store-cupboard ingredients, so if you're looking for a last-minute prawn co*cktail recipe, this is the one for you!

This recipe is part of my 'Easy Recipes for Kids' series, so includes a free child friendly recipe sheet at the end of the post for you to download and print - maybe your own 'small child' might like to give it a try?

Easy Prawn co*cktail Recipe (2)

Super Easy Prawn co*cktail

Ingredients:

  • 75g light mayonaise
  • 20g ketchup
  • dash Worcestershire sauce
  • 200g cooked prawns
  • sprinkle paprika
  • lemon slices

Method:

Measure out themayonnaise, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce and mix them together in a bowl.

Add the prawns and mix with the sauce until completely coated.

To serve, place spoonfuls of the prawn co*cktail mixture ontosmall lettuce leaves or use as a healthybakedpotato topping.

Sprinkle over a little paprika and serve with fresh lemon slices on the side.

Easy Prawn co*cktail Recipe (3)

Top Tips for Making Prawn co*cktail

Are the prawns in prawn co*cktail cooked?

The prawns in a prawn co*cktail should always be cooked. You can cook your own in advance (be sure to cool completely before serving) or buy ready-cooked to save yourself some time.

What's the difference between Thousand Island and Marie Rose Sauce?

Thousand Island Dressing and Marie Rose Sauce are actually the same thing - a sauce made primarily from a mixture of ketchup and mayonnaise, traditionally mixed with cooked prawns to make a prawn co*cktail.

How do you defrost frozen prawns for prawn co*cktail?

Forgot to take your prawns out of the freezer? Don't panic, they're really easy to defrost quickly and safely!

Tip the frozen prawns out of the bag into a large bowl, cover with cold water and drain. Repeat this a couple of times, then cover with cold water again and leave for 10-15 minutes.

Once defrosted, drain again and roughly pat dry with kitchen paper.

How long does prawn co*cktail keep?

If you'd like to get ahead and make your prawn co*cktail in advance, the sauce will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. If making in advance, keep the prawns separate from the sauce and mix them together just before serving.

What do you serve prawn co*cktail in?

When serving as a starter, it's traditional to serve your prawn co*cktail in a glass bowl. If you don't have glass bowls, sundae glasses, glass tumblers, co*cktail glasses or large wine glasses would work just as well, or you can bypass the serving dish altogether and serve on lettuce leaves as I have for this recipe!

What do you serve with prawn co*cktail?

It's traditional to serve prawn co*cktail on a bed of shredded lettuce. If you want to jazz it up a bit, you can add extras to your salad with sliced veggies such as cucumber, avocado, spring onion or radish. Add a wedge of lemon if wanted, and serve with small slices of brown bread or sourdough bread on the side.

Easy Prawn co*cktail Recipe (4)

As I mentioned above, I have created a free printable recipe sheet for this recipe so thatyour child can have a go at following the recipe themselves. Click on the picture below to download the PDF file.

Looking for more easy Christmas dinner recipes? Try Turkey in a Bag from My Fussy Eater or a Festive Roast Leg of Lamb from Charlotte's Lively Kitchen.

For veg on the side I've come up with some great easy Baby Friendly Side Dishes for Christmas Dinner - so the whole family can enjoy it together, or how about some ?

Easy Prawn co*cktail Recipe (6)

For pudding you can't beat my Gran's Christmas Pudding Recipe, some Easy Mince Pie Puffs or my fun Mini Christmas Cakes - baked in tin cans!

Easy Prawn co*cktail Recipe (7)

If you’d like more child friendly recipes like this one, be sure to check out the rest ofmy easy recipes for kids section, and why not pop over and follow my Cooking with Kids Pinterest board too!

Grace

Easy Prawn co*cktail Recipe (8)

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Easy Prawn co*cktail

Quick and super easy prawn co*cktail recipe - perfect for a last minute starter for Christmas dinner, party food or a simple jacket potato topper!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Total Time10 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Lunch

Cuisine: British, Christmas

Servings: 4 people

Author: Grace Hall

Ingredients

  • 75 g light mayonaise
  • 20 g ketchup
  • dash Worcestershire sauce
  • 200 g cooked prawns
  • sprinkle paprika
  • lemon slices

Instructions

  • Measure out themayonnaise, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce and mix them together in a bowl.

  • Add the prawns and mixuntil completely coated, then cover and pop in the fridge until ready to serve.

  • To serve, place spoonfuls of the prawn co*cktail mixture ontosmall lettuce leaves or use as a healthybakedpotato topping.

  • Sprinkle over a little paprika and serve with fresh lemon slices on the side.

Love this simple recipe? Why not save it to Pinterest so you can easily find it again!

Easy Prawn co*cktail Recipe (9)

Easy Prawn co*cktail Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is prawn co*cktail sauce made of? ›

Prawn co*cktails are served with a Prawn co*cktail Sauce (also known as Marie Rose Sauce) which is made of mayonnaise, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce, with optional horseradish.

What is prawn co*cktail seasoning made of? ›

Prawn co*cktail Seasoning contains: Flavouring, Sugar, Glucose, Salt, Acid (Citric Acid), Potassium Chloride, Dried Yeast, Dried Onion, Tomato Extract, Colour (Paprika Extract), Sweetener (Sucralose).

Is seafood sauce the same as Marie Rose sauce? ›

Marie Rose sauce (known in some areas as co*cktail sauce or seafood sauce) is a British condiment often made from a blend of tomatoes, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and black pepper. A simpler version can be made by merely mixing tomato ketchup with mayonnaise.

What do Americans call prawn co*cktail? ›

Prawn co*cktail, also known as shrimp co*cktail, is a seafood dish consisting of shelled, cooked prawns in a Marie Rose sauce or co*cktail sauce, served in a glass. It was the most popular hors d'œuvre in Great Britain, as well as in the United States, from the 1960s to the late 1980s.

Can you buy prawn co*cktail sauce? ›

Colman's Prawn co*cktail Sauce 2.25L

Refine your prawn co*cktail with this tasty sauce and enjoy the taste of a perfect seafood dish. Colman's Prawn co*cktail Sauce is, lactose free and vegetarian. It perfects your plate naturally, as it contains no added MSG, no added artificial colours and no artificial flavourings.

What brings out the Flavour of prawns? ›

These savory little crustaceans taste best with seasoning that complements their unique umami flavor. The top three spice blends for shrimp are garlic butter, Old Bay Seasoning, and blackened seasoning, and they are easy to make at home!

Is seafood sauce the same as prawn co*cktail sauce? ›

co*cktail sauce, also known as seafood sauce, is one of several types of cold or room temperature sauces often served as part of a dish referred to as a seafood co*cktail or as a condiment with other seafoods.

Is shrimp co*cktail the same as prawn co*cktail? ›

Shrimp co*cktail in England is different than in North America. In England it's called Prawn co*cktail and they use a different sauce, among other things.

What is a good substitute for shrimp co*cktail sauce? ›

Five 2-Ingredient Sauces for Shrimp co*cktail
  • Curried Yogurt Sauce. This is a simple blend: start with 1/4 cup of plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 teaspoon of curry powder, and lots of salt to bring out the flavors, then adjust as needed. ...
  • Sriracha Mayonnaise Sauce. ...
  • Ketchup-Mustard Sauce. ...
  • Avocado Hot Sauce. ...
  • Sour Cream-Chipotle Sauce.
May 1, 2019

Is hoisin sauce a seafood sauce? ›

The word "Hoisin" is Cantonese and translates to 'seafood sauce', although it contains no seafood. It was created by a chef as a dip to accompany seafood at a local food stall. It was so unique and tasty, that people refer to the sauce as "seafood sauce" and the name stuck with the sauce.

What is pink lady sauce? ›

Pink Sauce is a pink dipping sauce created by TikTok user Veronica Shaw, better known by her screen name, Chef Pii. Food safety and labeling concerns caused the Food and Drug Administration to stop the production and online sale of Pink Sauce.

Why do you put baking soda in prawns? ›

Alkaline baking soda slightly alters the pH of the shrimp, making them as plump and succulent as lobster and resistant to overcooking. The brine also causes the meat to pull away from the shells while cooking, so you get all the great flavor of shell-on shrimp without the hassle.

Can you put frozen prawns straight into a sauce? ›

Yes, you need to defrost them and pat them dry. I defrost them & dry with kitchen roll, then cook for about 3 minutes. As you say, the sauce will be a lot runnier if you cook from frozen.

What is ketchup and mayo mixed together called? ›

Fry sauce is a condiment often served with French fries or tostones (twice-fried plantain slices) in many places in the world. It is usually a combination of one part tomato ketchup and two parts mayonnaise.

What is the orange liquid from prawn? ›

The answer is simple: That orange paste is roe, a fancy word for eggs. And yes, you can eat it. “Roe is considered a special ingredient when cooking,” says Gill Boyd, culinary arts chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education.

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