If you’re anything like me and adore dishes that are simple yet absolutely bursting with flavor, you’re in for a real treat. Today, I’m excited to share my Classic Prawn Cocktail with Rose Marie Sauce Recipe—a nostalgic, timeless starter that never fails to impress. This recipe is a beautiful celebration of fresh prawns smothered in a tangy, creamy pink sauce, perfect for summer evenings or festive occasions. Trust me, once you try making this at home, you’ll wonder why you ever settled for anything less!

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Effortlessly Elegant: This prawn cocktail looks and tastes fancy but comes together in just minutes.
Classic Rose Marie Sauce: The secret pink sauce packs a tangy kick that balances the sweetness of prawns beautifully.
Versatile and Customizable: Whether you want it spicy or mild, peeled or whole prawns, this recipe adapts easily.
Great for Entertaining: Serve it up in fun glasses or lettuce cups – always a hit at parties.

The image shows a white glass bowl filled with layers of light green shredded lettuce at the bottom, topped with several large pink shrimp evenly placed on top. The shrimp are covered with a creamy light pink sauce that has small green herb pieces sprinkled over it. A thin yellow lemon slice leans on the side of the bowl. The bowl sits on a white marbled surface with a blurred background that includes a glass of clear liquid. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients You’ll Need

These simple ingredients come together to create a recipe that’s fresh, creamy, and just a little bit zesty. Quality mayonnaise is your best friend here; it really makes the Rose Marie Sauce shine.

Medium fresh cooked or raw prawns with shell and heads on: If choosing whole prawns, peeling them yourself keeps them freshest and lets you leave a few whole for garnish.
Fresh cooked peeled prawns: Perfect for saving prep time, and usually already deveined, which is a nice bonus.
Iceberg lettuce: Finely sliced to add a crisp, cool bed for the prawns to rest on, offering great texture contrast.
Lemon wedges: A spritz of lemon juice lifts the flavors perfectly just before serving.
Freshly chopped parsley (optional): Adds a fresh, herbal note if you’re feeling fancy.
Mayonnaise (preferably whole egg): The creamy base of the Rose Marie Sauce; whole egg mayo gives it amazing richness.
Ketchup or tomato sauce: Adds sweetness and colour to the sauce—choose your favourite.
Worcestershire sauce: Brings umami depth and a slight tanginess.
Freshly grated horseradish: Or substitute with jarred horseradish or a bit of wasabi for zing.
Tabasco sauce: Just a dash to give the sauce a subtle heat.
Cayenne pepper: Adds colour and a gentle warmth, but you can adjust to your preferred spice level.

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Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Variations

I love how adaptable this Classic Prawn Cocktail with Rose Marie Sauce Recipe is. Once you get the basics down, feel free to tweak it to suit your mood or ingredients on hand—you’ll find it’s forgiving and always tasty!

Spicy Kick: I sometimes add a little extra horseradish or tabasco if I’m craving heat; it really wakes up the sauce.
Avocado Addition: My family goes crazy when I toss in some diced avocado for creaminess and a fresh flavour boost.
Lemon Zest: Adding a touch of lemon zest to the sauce brightens things up beautifully.
Different Seafood: Swap prawns for cooked lobster or crab meat for a decadent twist.

How to Make Classic Prawn Cocktail with Rose Marie Sauce Recipe

Step 1: Prepare Your Prawns

If you’re using whole prawns with shells and heads on, start by removing the heads and peeling the prawns. I like to leave a few whole for a pretty presentation—just makes the dish look extra special. For medium-sized cooked peeled prawns, you don’t need to worry about deveining; it’s tricky and honestly doesn’t impact the taste much with this dish, especially because the sauce is so flavorful.

Step 2: Whisk Together the Rose Marie Sauce

In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, ketchup (or tomato sauce), Worcestershire sauce, freshly grated horseradish, a dash of Tabasco, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Stir everything well until you get a smooth, pink-hued sauce that has just the right tang and kick. This sauce is the heart of your prawn cocktail, so taste it and adjust the heat or seasoning as you like.

Step 3: Toss Prawns in the Sauce

Gently fold your prepared prawns into the sauce, making sure every prawn gets a nice coating but isn’t swimming in it. This keeps the prawns juicy without being overpowering. I find tossing by hand works best to keep the prawns intact.

Step 4: Assemble and Serve

Place a small handful of finely sliced iceberg lettuce in your serving dishes. Martini glasses are a fun, classic way to present, but you can also use small bowls or even lettuce cups for a fresh touch. Spoon the sauced prawns on top, garnish with lemon wedges, and sprinkle with chopped parsley if you like. A squeeze of lemon just before eating ties everything together beautifully.

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Pro Tips for Making Classic Prawn Cocktail with Rose Marie Sauce Recipe

Use Whole Egg Mayonnaise: I discovered this makes all the difference—regular mayo doesn’t give that rich, velvety texture you want in Rose Marie Sauce.
Go Easy on Deveining: Medium-sized prawns often don’t need deveining for this recipe; save yourself time unless you’re working with large prawns.
Balance Your Heat: Add tabasco and horseradish gradually—you can always add more, but it’s tough to cool down once it’s too spicy.
Serve Immediately: Prawns soaked too long in sauce can become mushy; toss just before serving for best texture.

How to Serve Classic Prawn Cocktail with Rose Marie Sauce Recipe

The image shows a shrimp salad served in different clear and white containers on a white marbled surface. In the foreground, there is a white bowl filled with leafy greens topped with several pink shrimp, next to a green lettuce leaf holding four pink shrimp with some small green herbs on top. Nearby are two whole red shrimp and a small lit candle in a silver holder. Behind this, there are two small white bowls and a clear glass filled with a mix of chopped lettuce and pink shrimp garnished with a slice of yellow lemon on the rim. Scattered around are multiple thin lemon slices and wedges. In the background, a clear glass with a pale drink and a straw is visible, with a blurry white cloth and warm yellow lights adding a soft glow. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Garnishes

I love a simple touch of fresh parsley and bright lemon wedges for garnish — they add color and a fresh aroma that really complement the creamy sauce. Sometimes I throw in a few whole prawns on top for that classic, elegant look, especially if I’m entertaining.

Side Dishes

Since this is a light starter, I like pairing it with crusty artisan bread or crisp rye crackers. On warmer days, a chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc or a crisp Pinot Grigio makes a great match that lets the freshness of the prawns shine.

Creative Ways to Present

Serving your prawn cocktail in classic martini glasses is always a crowd-pleaser, but I’ve also tried little individual glass jars or even using endive leaves as edible cups for a fun finger-food twist at parties. Presentation really elevates this simple dish!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

If you happen to have leftovers, store the sauced prawns separately from the lettuce in an airtight container in the fridge. This prevents the lettuce from wilting and keeps the prawns tasting fresh. Use within 1-2 days for best quality.

Freezing

Freezing isn’t ideal for this recipe because the mayo-based sauce can separate, and prawns might become rubbery. I usually recommend enjoying this dish fresh whenever possible.

Reheating

This prawn cocktail is best served cold or at room temperature, so reheating isn’t necessary. If your prawns are chilled, simply let them sit out for a few minutes before serving to take the chill off.

FAQs

Can I use frozen prawns for this Classic Prawn Cocktail with Rose Marie Sauce Recipe?

Absolutely! Just make sure to fully thaw them in the refrigerator beforehand and pat dry to avoid diluting the sauce. Fresh is ideal, but frozen prawns work well and make the process easier.
What can I substitute if I don’t have Worcestershire sauce?

If Worcestershire sauce isn’t available, a splash of soy sauce mixed with a tiny pinch of sugar can mimic its sweet-savory umami flavor pretty well.
Is there a vegetarian version of the Classic Prawn Cocktail with Rose Marie Sauce Recipe?

While the dish centers on prawns, you could try substituting cooked artichoke hearts or hearts of palm with the same rose Marie sauce for a similar texture and flavor profile.
How long can I keep the prepared prawn cocktail before serving?

For best taste and texture, toss the prawns in sauce just before serving. If prepping in advance, keep components separate and combine within an hour or two.

Final Thoughts

Sharing this Classic Prawn Cocktail with Rose Marie Sauce Recipe has reminded me why I love simple, classic dishes so much—they bring people together with little fuss but lots of flavor. It’s a dish I keep coming back to, whether for casual summer lunches or festive dinners where I want starters that wow with minimal effort. Give it a go, and I bet you’ll find it becoming a quick favorite in your home too. Here’s to easy elegance on a plate!