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British prawn cocktail

Classic British prawn cocktail recipe

By Tom · Updated

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  • Serves 4
  • About 20 min
  • Easy

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The recipe

British prawn cocktail

British prawn cocktail. Ready in about 20 minutes, serves 4.

  • Serves 4
  • 10 min prep
  • 10 min cooking
  • Easy

Times and difficulty are our estimates from the method, not stopwatch figures.

Scale
4 servings
Measurements

Ingredients

Marie Rose sauce

Prawn cocktail

Tick things off as you go — they stay ticked if you close the page.

A dotted underline means the amount has been rounded to something you can measure.

Method

  1. Step 1

    Make the Marie Rose Sauce by combining all ingredients in a bowl and mixing until fully combined. Adjust seasoning to your taste.

  2. Step 2

    Place the prawns (275 g) into a mixing bowl and cover with half of the sauce. Mix until the prawns are fully coated.

  3. Step 3

    Prepare your lettuce (1 head) and wash the leaves under cold water. Chop/shred the larger leaves into thin strips and keep the smaller leaves whole for decoration.

  4. Step 4

    Cut your chosen bread into slices and place it onto a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt flakes. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C Fan for around 10 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.

  5. Step 5

    To serve, place the shredded lettuce (1 head) into the bottom of a bowl and place the small leaves down one side. Place a portion of the prawn mixture into the centre and add the croutons to the side along with a lemon wedge. Spoon a little more sauce over the prawns (275 g) and sprinkle with cayenne pepper (½ tsp) or paprika.

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Questions people ask

How long does british prawn cocktail take?

About 20 min from start to finish, of which 10 min is prep and 10 min is cooking. That figure is worked out from the method rather than timed with a stopwatch, so give yourself a little more the first time.

How many does it serve, and can I change that?

As written it serves 4. Use the scale control on the recipe card to change it: every quantity in the ingredients and inside the method steps updates with it. Seasoning, and anything measured in pinches or splashes, is deliberately left alone.

Can I see the ingredients in ounces and pints?

Yes. The metric and imperial switch on the recipe card converts every quantity, rounded to amounts you can actually weigh or measure rather than to four decimal places. Your choice is remembered for every recipe on the site.