Prawn Cocktail Lettuce Cups
Why this recipe works
- Ready quickly: Using cooked, peeled prawns keeps the recipe fully no-cook and ready in minutes.
- Fresh, tangy sauce: Greek yoghurt and lemon lighten the mayonnaise-based sauce while tomato purée adds the familiar Marie Rose-style note.
- Creamy meets crisp: Tender prawns and a smooth sauce contrast with the cool crunch of butterhead lettuce.
Get the most out of this recipe
Make-ahead tips
- Keep the lettuce separate: Store the prawn mixture and lettuce leaves separately so the cups stay crisp.
- Assemble just before serving: Spoon the prawns into the lettuce only when ready to eat, as filled leaves soften quickly.
- Best eaten fresh: The prawn mixture can be chilled briefly, but the texture and flavour are best on the day it is made.
Ingredient notes
- Use well-chilled prawns: Choose cooked, peeled prawns that are properly chilled and within their use-by date.
- Choose flexible lettuce leaves: Butterhead lettuce works well because the leaves are tender, cupped and easy to fold around the filling.
- Adjust the lemon to taste: Add a little more lemon juice if you prefer a sharper, fresher sauce.
Common mistakes
- Wet lettuce: Dry the leaves thoroughly before filling; excess water dilutes the sauce and softens the cups.
- Rough mixing: Fold the prawns through the sauce gently so they stay intact and evenly coated.
- Leaving assembled cups too long: Avoid storing filled lettuce cups, as the leaves lose their structure quickly once in contact with the sauce.
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Ingredients
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the greek yogurt, mayonnaise, the juice of the lemon, tomato purée and black pepper until smooth. Finely snip the fresh chives and stir most of them into the sauce, reserving a little to finish.
- Add the cooked prawns and fold gently until evenly coated. Taste and add a little more lemon juice if you want it sharper.
- Separate the butterhead lettuce into cups and pat dry if needed. Spoon the prawn cocktail into the lettuce cups, then scatter over the reserved chives and a final pinch of black pepper. Serve chilled.
Recipe notes
Tips
- For the crispest lettuce cups, rinse the leaves in cold water, then dry thoroughly before filling.
- If serving later, keep the sauce-coated prawns and the lettuce leaves separate, then assemble just before eating.
- If you are pregnant, elderly, or immunocompromised, use pasteurised mayonnaise and ensure the prawns are well chilled and within their use-by date.
Substitutions
- Replace Greek yogurt with whole milk yogurt for a looser, slightly tangier sauce.
- Replace mayonnaise with avocado-oil mayonnaise for a lighter flavour.
- Replace fresh chives with fresh dill for a more classic seafood-herb note.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 1 days
- Store the prawn mixture in an airtight container in the fridge and keep the lettuce separate. Assemble just before serving; once filled, the lettuce will soften quickly.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 2 plates
- Total time: 10min (10min active)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cuisine: British
-
Allergens:
Crustaceans Eggs Milk
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