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Prawn Cocktail

Name: Prawn Cocktail
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 12 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 200 g cooked peeled prawns; 120 g iceberg lettuce; 1 small lemon; 1/4 tsp paprika; 80 g mayonnaise; 30 g tomato ketchup; 10 g prepared horseradish; 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 1/8 tsp fine sea salt; 1/8 tsp black pepper; 2 lemon wedges; a pinch paprika

This classic Prawn Cocktail is cool, crisp, and richly sauced, with sweet prawns piled over finely shredded iceberg lettuce. The Marie Rose sauce is creamy, tangy, and lightly spicy from horseradish, finished with lemon and paprika for a bright, old-school starter.

12 min

2 servings

265 kcal

British

Ingredients

Prawn base

200 gcooked peeled prawns
120 giceberg lettuce
1 smalllemon
1/4 tsppaprika

Marie Rose sauce

80 gmayonnaise
30 gtomato ketchup
10 gprepared horseradish
1 tspWorcestershire sauce
1 tbsplemon juice
1/8 tspfine sea salt
1/8 tspblack pepper

To finish

2lemon wedges
a pinchpaprika

Instructions

1
Pat the cooked peeled prawns dry with kitchen paper so the sauce will cling properly. Finely shred the iceberg lettuce and divide it between 2 chilled serving glasses or small plates. Cut the lemon and squeeze out 1 tablespoon juice.
2
In a bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, tomato ketchup, prepared horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, fine sea salt, black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon paprika until smooth and evenly pink. Taste and adjust with a few extra drops of lemon if you want it sharper.
3
Add the prawns to the Marie Rose sauce and fold gently until evenly coated. Avoid overmixing so the prawns stay whole and juicy.
4
Spoon the dressed prawns over the shredded lettuce. Dust lightly with a pinch of paprika and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.

Nutrition per serving

265 kcal

Calories

19g

Protein

Carbs

18g

Fat

Fiber

Notes

•For the best texture, use well-drained cold-water prawns and dry them before dressing.
•Chilling the serving glasses or plates for 5 minutes makes the dish feel more classic, but it is optional if you need to stay within 15 minutes.
•If you prefer a slightly sweeter old-school version, add 1/2 teaspoon extra ketchup; for more heat, increase the horseradish slightly.

Background

Prawn Cocktail became a British restaurant and dinner-party classic in the 1960s and 1970s, often served as a smart but easy starter. Its signature Marie Rose sauce, a creamy tomato-spiked dressing, helped define the dish's nostalgic retro appeal and it remains a pub and brasserie favourite today.

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