Classic Prawn Cocktail – Easy, Delicious & Impressive
This prawn cocktail is a classic starter that has stood the test of time — it’s fresh, simple, and always feels a little special. This version is easy to prepare, requires no cooking, and can be assembled ahead of time, making it perfect for entertaining, especially at Christmas.
I’ve kept it simple and traditional with crisp cos lettuce, sweet tomatoes, avocado and a homemade prawn cocktail sauce. You can easily make it your own if you wish. For an extra little kick, a spoonful of my homemade chilli jam stirred through the sauce is absolutely delicious.
Classic Prawn Cocktail – Easy, Delicious & Impressive
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6 prawn cocktails
A retro classic that never goes out of style, this classic prawn cocktail recipe is fresh and elegant, and perfect for entertaining — especially at Christmas. There’s no cooking involved, just a little prep, and you can assemble everything ahead of time.I’ve kept this version simple and traditional, with cos lettuce, sweet tomatoes, avocado and a lovely homemade prawn cocktail sauce. It makes a wonderful starter or entrée, and you can easily make it your own with additions like mango or red onion if you like.
Ingredients
Prawns & Salad
- 1 kg cooked prawns (see notes below)
- 1 cos lettuce (Romaine), washed and very well dried
- 1 punnet grape or cherry tomatoes
- 1 ripe avocado
- Lemon juice for avocado
- Small handful flat-leaf parsley finely chopped (optional)
- Lemon wedges to serve
Cocktail Sauce – Full Quantity
- This makes more than you’ll need — perfect for serving extra at the table.
- 50 ml cream
- 100 ml tomato ketchup
- 350 ml whole-egg mayonnaise homemade or store-bought
- 1 – 2 tsps lemon juice to taste
- ½ – 2 tsps Worcestershire sauce to taste
- Tabasco sauce or a pinch of cayenne pepper optional
Half quantity
- 25 ml cream
- 50 ml tomato ketchup
- 175 ml mayonnaise
- ½ – 1 tsp lemon juice to taste
- ½ – 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce to taste
- Tabasco sauce or a pinch of cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
Prepare the prawns
- Peel the prawns and remove the tails and heads. Remove the vein by gently pulling it out from the back.
- Refrigerate the peeled prawns while you prepare the other ingredients.
Prepare the vegetables
- Cos lettuce: Trim off the ends and shred. You’ll need enough to fill at least half of each glass or bowl.
- Tomatoes: Cut into quarters or halves so they’re bite-sized.
- Avocado: Dice just before serving. Toss gently with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent browning.
- Finely chop the parsley, if using.
Make the cocktail sauce
- In a bowl, whisk together the cream, tomato ketchup and mayonnaise.
- Season with lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce to taste.
- Add a few drops of Tabasco or a pinch of cayenne if you like a little kick.
- Adjust seasoning — the sauce should be creamy, tangy and well balanced.
- Refrigerate until needed.
Assemble the prawn cocktails
- You can use martini glasses, small bowls, tumbler-style glasses, wine glasses or any attractive serving vessels.
- Place shredded cos lettuce into each glass so it comes up at least halfway.
- Add a small layer of tomatoes.
- Spoon over some avocado.
- Reserve one good-looking prawn per serve for garnish.
- Pile the remaining prawns generously on top. If any are very large, cut them in half so they’re easy to eat with a fork.
- Spoon a little cocktail sauce over the prawns, allowing the layers underneath to remain visible.
- Garnish with the reserved prawn and a light sprinkle of parsley.
To serve
- Serve with lemon wedges and extra cocktail sauce on the table so guests can add more if they wish. For best results, the prawn cocktails are nicest served very well chilled — once assembled, refrigerate for about 1 hour before serving so everything is properly cold and refreshing.
Video
Notes
Cooking raw prawns (optional) If starting with raw, shell-on prawns, bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil. Add the prawns and cook for 2–3 minutes, just until they turn pink and opaque. Drain immediately and refresh briefly under cold water to stop the cooking. While still warm, peel the prawns and remove the vein, then refrigerate until completely cold before using. Prawns Use any prawns you enjoy. Fresh cooked prawns are ideal if available, but good-quality frozen prawns work very well too. If using frozen prawns, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before using. Mayonnaise & ketchup Use a good-quality mayonnaise you really like, as it forms the base of the cocktail sauce. Homemade mayonnaise works beautifully if you make your own. Likewise, choose your favourite tomato ketchup — its flavour really comes through in the finished sauce. Lettuce Cos lettuce (Romaine) works particularly well because it stays crisp and holds its shape. Make sure it’s washed and dried thoroughly so the cocktail doesn’t become watery. Make-ahead The cocktails can be assembled (without the sauce and parsley) up to 3 hours ahead, covered and refrigerated. Add the sauce and garnish just before serving for the freshest presentation. Serving Serve with lemon wedges and extra cocktail sauce on the table so guests can add more if they wish.
