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Classic Prawn Cocktail
Classic Prawn Cocktail

Classic Prawn Cocktail

with Marie-Rose Sauce and Baby Gem Lettuce

Recipe Development Team
Recipe Development TeamPublished on October 01, 2025

This year, we’ve made it easy to choose the festive dishes you want, at a time to suit you. This Classic Prawn Cocktail is an iconic starter to enjoy before dinner has been served, with juicy king prawns smothered in Marie-Rose sauce. Pair with a main, add sides to fill the table and select a d dessert to finish off your festive feast this Christmas!

Allergens:
Egg
Mustard
Crustaceans

The quantities provided above are averages only.

Produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.

Total10 minutes
Active 15 minutes
DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

serving amount

64 grams

Mayonnaise

(Contains: Egg, Mustard)

1 unit(s)

Baby Gem Lettuce

1 sachet(s)

Smoked Paprika

225 grams

King Prawns

(Contains: Crustaceans)

1 unit(s)

Lemon

Not included in your delivery

½ tsp

Tomato Ketchup

½ tsp

Sugar for the Sauce

1 tbsp

Olive Oil for the Dressing

½ tsp

Sugar for the Dressing

Nutritional information

Energy (kJ)976 kJ
Energy (kcal)233 kcal
Fat13.5 g
of which saturates1.5 g
Carbohydrate7.9 g
of which sugars5.7 g
Dietary Fibre2.9 g
Protein14.9 g
Salt2.1 g
Always refer to the product label for the most accurate ingredient and allergen information.

Utensils

Pan
Zester
Medium Bowl
Large Bowl

Instructions

Cook the Prawns
1

To do the night before (if you're prepping in advance):

a) Drain the prawns. Heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat.

b) Once hot, add the prawns. Season with salt and pepper and stir-fry for 4-5 mins.

c) Once cooked, remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool while you prep the rest of the recipe. IMPORTANT: Wash your hands and equipment after handling raw prawns. The prawns are cooked when pink on the outside and opaque in the middle.

Make the Marie-Rose Sauce
2

To do the night before (if you're prepping in advance):

a) While the prawns cook, zest and quarter the lemon. Juice half the lemon into a large bowl. Set aside the remaining 2 wedges of lemon for the end. To the bowl of lemon juice, add the olive oil and sugar for the dressing, then season with salt and pepper.

b) In a medium bowl, combine the mayo, ketchup and sugar for the sauce (see pantry for both amounts). Add a pinch of lemon zest, a pinch of smoked paprika (add more if you prefer) and half a tsp of lemon juice from the large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

c) Once the prawns are cooked, add them to the Marie-Rose sauce and mix to coat.

d) Trim the baby gem, halve lengthways, then thinly slice.

If you're doing the prep the night before, once the prawns are cool, cover and refrigerate overnight. Put the lettuce in a container, cover with a damp piece of clean kitchen roll and then cover and refrigerate overnight. Cover and refrigerate the dressing too.

Finish and Serve
3

To do on the day of eating (if you're prepping in advance)

a) Add the lettuce to the lemon dressing and toss to coat.

b) Divide the dressed lettuce between your serving glasses, then top with the prawns.

c) Sprinkle over a pinch of lemon zest and a pinch of smoked paprika. To finish, serve with the remaining lemon wedges on the side of the glass, for squeezing over.

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