Spicy Prawn Rolls
Toasted finger rolls filled with King prawns, spicy Marie Rose cocktail sauce, crunchy shredded lettuce and chopped chives.
If you’re a big fan of a prawn cocktail like me, then you’re going to love these spicy prawn rolls! These are essentially a prawn cocktail sandwich with a hit of spice from cayenne pepper and they’re inspired by a lobster roll, so are served in a buttered and toasted finger roll with celery, shredded lettuce and a sprinkle of finely sliced chives.
For these rolls, we’ve used pre cooked King prawns for convenience but have given the option to make your own rolls and cocktail sauce if you like. Spicy prawn rolls are a great lunch dish to serve in the summer, are super easy to prepare and take very little time to make. They’re the perfect sandwich for seafood lovers!
For more sandwiches, salads, scotch eggs & more, take a look at our ever growing collection of lunch recipes. There’s loads to choose from!
Spicy Prawn Roll Components
These spicy prawn rolls are inspired by a lobster roll and are filled with shredded lettuce, King prawns and a homemade spicy cocktail sauce. I made the rolls & Marie Rose sauce from scratch and used pre cooked prawns from the supermarket. They’ll be just as good with good quality shop bought rolls and a pre made seafood sauce, if you’re short on time.
Toasted Finger Rolls
I used my homemade hot dog buns for these prawn rolls and they’re the perfect size for these sandwiches! You can get a good amount of filling in them but they’re not too big. With that being said though, you can easily use a good shop bought roll or swap them out for a brioche or burger bun instead.
For these rolls, we’re prepping them like you would when you make a lobster roll. This means splitting them down the middle, trimming the sides slightly then spreading butter onto the sides & toasting them in a frying pan. You get crisp, toasted bread on the outside with a soft & fluffy crumb on the inside.
Spicy Prawn Filling (Marie Rose Sauce)
Marie Rose sauce is the sauce that’s used to make a classic prawn cocktail but we’ve added a subtle kick of spice by adding in some cayenne pepper. This is a mayo based seafood sauce that’s flavoured with tomato ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, pickle juice, lemon, smoked paprika, celery salt and a splash of brandy (that’s optional).
Once you’ve made the spicy cocktail sauce, add in diced gherkins, celery & chopped capers for some added crunch then stir in cooked King prawns just before serving. If you wanted even more spice, you could stir in a generous amount of sriracha hot sauce as well.
How To Assemble Prawn Rolls
As mentioned above, we are prepping the hot dog rolls like you would if you were making a lobster roll. To do this, split each bun down the middle with a knife then cut a small amount of bread from the sides of the rolls, to make a flat surface & expose the crumb. Next, spread a good amount of softened butter onto each side & toast them in a frying pan until golden brown.
Once the buns have all been toasted, add a handful of shredded lettuce into the bottom of each one. Mix the prawns into the cocktail sauce then spoon a good amount into each bun. Top the prawns with a sprinkling of finely sliced chives & a dusting of smoked paprika. These prawn rolls are best served immediately, as the mayo will start to soak into the bread if they sit.
A Note On Prawns
When you buy cooked & peeled prawns, it’s important to double check for any remaining shell! Make sure to give each prawn a good look over then remove any pieces of shell before using. You can remove pieces of prawn shell by peeling them off with your fingers.
More Lunch Recipes To Try
- Leftover Roast Beef Sandwiches
- 3 Meat, Pesto & Burrata Focaccia Sandwich
- Everything Bagel Puff Pastry Tomato Tart
- Everything Bagel Salad With A Cream Cheese Schmear
- Tuna & Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad
- Watermelon, Honey Glazed Halloumi & Za’atar Salad
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Spicy Prawn Rolls
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 200 g Cooked King Prawns (Peeled)
Marie Rose Sauce
- 100 g Mayonnaise
- 50 g Tomato Ketchup
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 tsp Gherkin Juice (From A Jar Of Gherkins)
- 1 tsp Brandy (Optional)
- ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
- ¼ tsp Smoked Paprika
- ¼ tsp Celery Salt
- 2 Gherkins
- 1 Stick Of Celery
- 1 tsp Capers
- 20 g Chives
To Serve
- 5 Hot Dog Buns
- 2 Heads Little Gem Lettuce (Washed & Finely Shredded)
- 20 g Butter (Softened)
Instructions
Marie Rose Sauce
- In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, lemon, Worcestershire sauce, gherkin juice, brandy (if using), cayenne, paprika & celery salt. Season with table salt & freshly cracked black pepper then set aside.
- Finely dice the gherkins & celery and roughly chop the capers then add to the sauce. Finely cut the chives & add half to the sauce as well (reserve the rest to sprinkle over the finished rolls).
- Finally, check that no shell has been left on the prawns then mix them through the cocktail sauce.
Prawn Sandwiches
- Start by trimming each bun so that both sides are flat then cut straight down the middle, almost all the way through. Brush the flat sides with the softened butter then toast in a frying pan over a medium heat.
- Once toasted, add a handful of shredded lettuce to each bun, followed by a spoonful or two of prawns then a dusting of smoke paprika & a sprinkling of chives. Serve immediately.
Notes
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