Marie Rose Sauce for Prawn Cocktail

There's something about Marie Rose Sauce that just makes seafood so much more delicious.

It could be the tangy lemon and tomato flavours or the subtle spiciness of the Worcestershire sauce.

Maybe you're planning a romantic dinner for two, or you're looking for a delicious dip for a party.

Whatever it is, this easy-to-make sauce seafood sauce is the perfect finishing touch for any occasion. It adds a touch of elegance, and it's sure to please everyone's taste buds.

Read the blog post for more in-depth information or jump to what you want to know.

Jump to:

• History
• How to Make Marie Rose Sauce
• Ingredients
• Alcohol
• Vegan and Vegetarian Options
• Instructions
• Serving Suggestions
• 📖 Step by Step Recipe
• Storage instructions
• More Dipping Sauce Recipes
• 💬 Reviews

History

Marie Rose Sauce is a popular British condiment made from a base of mayonnaise and ketchup.

This same base sauce as used in an American Thousand Island dressing but without the pickle relish.

Also similar to Russian dressing, which is a spicier version.

It's not clear where the name originated, something to do with the British Warship called the Mary Rose.

But it is most commonly used as the classic prawn cocktail sauce made famous by Fanny Craddock, a popular TV chef in the 1960s.

How to Make Marie Rose Sauce

Our recipe for Marie Rose Sauce is easy to make and adds delicious flavour to seafood. It can be tailored to your taste and is perfect for any occasion.

I will go into detail about ingredients and substitutions. But, if you are in a hurry, you can jump straight to the recipe below.

Marie Rose Recipe Card

Ingredients

Our recipe for Marie Rose Sauce is easy to make and adds delicious flavour to seafood. It can be tailored to your taste or diet with the ingredients you use.

Mayonnaise

This is the main ingredient, so we recommend using a good quality mayonnaise for the best results. A nice thick full-fat mayonnaise is best!

For a low-fat option, choose a lighter that light mayonnaise. When following the slimming world diet, I do this to make a low-syn Marie rose sauce.

Tomato Ketchup

Tomato ketchup adds a delicious tangy flavour to the seafood cocktail sauce. If you don't like it to vinegary, you can use tomato puree instead.

Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is key for giving the sauce a zesty flavour. You can use bottled lemon juice if you don't have fresh lemons.

Worcestershire Sauce

Worcestershire sauce is a type of fermented condiment made in the UK. It adds a lovely savoury depth of flavour to the cocktail sauce.

Paprika or Cayenne

To adjust the taste of Marie Rose Sauce, add paprika for a sweet spice or cayenne pepper for a spicy finish.

This will give the sauce a new flavour that will enhance the seafood dishes it is served with. Experiment with different chilli powders or spices to find the perfect flavour for your palate.

Add a pinch on top when serving for a pretty presentation!

Tabasco

You could use Tabasco sauce or hot sauce to add extra heat instead of cayenne pepper.

Salt & Black Pepper

Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Alcohol

The addition of alcohol to the sauce makes it more flavourful and enjoyable on festive occasions like Christmas!

The most popular addition is Cognac, Brandy or Sherry, all will give your dish an extra something special! You will only need to add a drop or two!

Vegan and Vegetarian Options

This Marie Rose Sauce recipe can be suitable for Vegan and Vegetarian diets by making a couple of substitutes.

Firstly, use a Vegan Mayonnaise and replace the Worcestershire sauce with a vegan-friendly substitute like Henderson's Relish or soy sauce for a similar result.

Instructions

So, you want to make some Marie Rose Sauce of your own? It's easier than you think! All you need is a few simple ingredients and a bit of imagination.

First, mix together the mayonnaise and ketchup. If you want a pinker sauce, you can add more ketchup it will also make it more vinegary.

Add lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce and season to taste with salt and black pepper.

If you want to add a bit of spice, stir in your choice depending on the spice level, from mild to spicy! Chose from paprika, cayenne pepper, tabasco sauce or hot sauce.

And that's it! Your delicious Marie Rose Sauce is ready to serve.

Serving Suggestions

The most common use for this pink seafood sauce is in prawn cocktails, but I have so many other great serving suggestions!

Makes a great dipping sauce for vegetable crudites (cucumber, celery and carrot batons), crabsticks or crisps. The kids love to dip air fryer chips in it.

Serve on blinis with smoked salmon pate.

Seen served here next to our large seafood platter, including a dressed crab, langoustine, prawns, smoked salmon, mackerel and caviar. You may want to check out the seafood boil sauce and tartare sauce too.

Of course, it is not limited to seafood; use the creamy sauce as a salad dressing or a chicken burger sauce.

What to Serve Marie Rose Sauce with?

Here are a few of our seafood recipes that pair well with our easy marie rose sauce recipe.

📖 Step by Step Recipe

Storage instructions

Store Marie Rose Sauce in an airtight container. It will keep for up to 2-3 days in the fridge.

Mayonnaise-based sauces do not freeze well as separation occurs.

More Dipping Sauce Recipes

Here are more dipping sauce recipes.

Thanks for reading our recipe for Marie Rose Sauce! We hope you enjoy making it at home.

Please let us know in the comments below if you have any questions or feedback. We love hearing from our readers!