Prawn Cocktail Sauce (Marie Rose)

How to make Marie Rose sauce for prawn cocktail: A classic seafood dish of shelled prawns (shrimp) arranged on a bed of crisp lettuce, served with a wedge of lemon for squeezing.

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*Post updated October 2025

Perfect last-minute starter course for Christmas dinner or Thanksgiving.

You can even make mini ones - good for party food!

The prawn cocktail was a highly popular starter dish in the 1970s and 1980s, and it remains a popular choice today.

It might be old-fashioned, but I absolutely love prawn cocktail. Then again, is there much I don’t enjoy when it comes to food? Probably not! 

What’s the difference between prawn cocktail sauce and Marie Rose sauce?

Prawn cocktail sauce, also known as Marie Rose Sauce or seafood sauce, is simple and easy to make. However, Thousand Island dressing stands out for its inclusion of finely chopped capers and gherkins.

Just mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl - no cooking required!

Cocktail sauce ingredients

• mayonnaise - I use Hellmann's mayonnaise

• tomato ketchup

• Worcestershire sauce

• Tabasco sauce

• sweet smoked paprika 

• fresh lemon juice

• freshly ground black pepper

• cooked prawns (shrimp)

• iceberg lettuce

• lemon wedges

Place some prawns on top of the lettuce. No need to worry about precise measurements - just taste as you go and adjust by adding a little more of whatever feels right.

The quantities in my recipe are just a guide, so feel free to make as much or as little as you like.

How long does prawn cocktail sauce keep? 

You can prepare your prawn cocktail ahead of time, as the sauce will stay fresh in the fridge for 2-3 days if stored in an airtight container.

However, to make it in advance, keep the prawns separate from the sauce and mix them together just before serving.

By the way, prawn cocktail tastes surprisingly good when served on top of a jacket potato!

Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe card below!

prawn cocktail sauce recipe, Marie Rose sauce, shrimp cocktail sauce,

Starter,

British

Yield: 2

Author: Jan Bennett

Prawn Cocktail Sauce (Marie Rose)

Back to the 60's, 70's and 80's, good old prawn (shrimp) cocktail!

Prep time: 5 MinTotal time: 5 Min

Ingredients

For the sauce

• 4 heaped tablespoons of Hellmann's mayonnaise
• 2 heaped tablespoons of Heinz tomato ketchup
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce - or to taste
• dash of Tabasco sauce - or to taste
• fresh lemon juice - to taste
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• freshly ground black pepper

To serve

• 2 handfuls of cooked prawns (shrimp)
• baby sweet gem leaves - or shredded iceberg lettuce
• lemon wedges
• paprika - to sprinkle over before serving
• freshly ground black pepper - to sprinkle over before serving

Instructions

1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the sauce ingredients. The sauce should be vibrant in colour and have a nice, tangy flavour.
2. Taste it as you may want to add a little more Worcestershire sauce, ketchup or tabasco sauce.
3. Serve the sauce on top of the lettuce and prawns, sprinkling with a little more black pepper. Add a wedge of lemon on the side for squeezing over.

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