Here are four seafood sauce recipes for the prawn platter. Cocktail sauce, aioli, a lemony dill one and a sweet chilli lime. Each one’s about 5 minutes with a bowl and a spoon.
Put out two or three and let everyone dunk. They all keep in the fridge, so you can make them the day before and not think about it again.
Table of Contents
Which sauce goes with what
| Sauce | Best with | Keeps in the fridge |
|---|---|---|
| Cocktail sauce | Cold cooked prawns, prawn cocktails | 3 days |
| Garlic aioli | Prawns, fish, chips, calamari | 3 days |
| Lemon and dill | Smoked salmon, prawns, fish | 3 days |
| Sweet chilli lime | Prawns, oysters, rice paper rolls | 1 week |
Each makes enough for a platter of about 1 kg of prawns.
Classic cocktail sauce
The pink one. It’s also called Marie Rose sauce and it’s been on Aussie prawn platters forever.
- 1/2 cup good mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- A few drops of Tabasco, if you like a bit of kick
Stir it all together and taste. Too sweet? More lemon. Too sharp? Little bit more mayo.
Garlic aioli
- 1/2 cup whole egg mayonnaise
- 1 small clove garlic, crushed really fine
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
Mix it up and leave it in the fridge for 30 minutes. The garlic gets stronger as it sits, so go easy to start with. You can always add more.
Lemon and dill sauce
- 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yoghurt
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- Zest of half a lemon and 2 teaspoons juice
- 1 teaspoon small capers, chopped
- Salt and pepper
This one’s lighter and fresher than the mayo ones. Really good with smoked salmon too.
Sweet chilli lime dipping sauce
- 1/3 cup sweet chilli sauce
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon chopped coriander
No mayo, so it’s the one to go for on a really hot day. Add the coriander just before serving so it stays green.
Want hot prawns instead? Our garlic prawns come with their own lemon garlic butter.
Fixing a sauce
- Too thick: stir in a teaspoon of water or lemon juice.
- Too runny: add more mayo, sour cream or yoghurt.
- Garlic too strong: stir in more mayo to dilute it.
- Flat: nearly always needs salt or lemon. Try a pinch of salt first.
Making them ahead
Make the creamy sauces up to 3 days ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. The sweet chilli one is fine for a week. Give them all a good stir before serving.
On a hot day, don’t leave mayo-based sauces out for more than about 2 hours. Sit the bowls on ice, or put out small amounts and top them up from the fridge.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the classic seafood sauce for prawns?
Cocktail sauce, also called Marie Rose sauce. It’s mayonnaise mixed with tomato sauce, Worcestershire and lemon juice.
Can I make these seafood sauce recipes ahead?
Yes. The creamy sauces keep for up to 3 days in the fridge, and the sweet chilli lime sauce keeps for a week.
What sauce goes with oysters?
Sweet chilli lime is great with oysters. A simple squeeze of lemon or a little cocktail sauce also works.
Can I use Greek yoghurt instead of mayonnaise?
Yes, in any of the creamy sauces. It’s tangier and lighter, so you may need a pinch more salt.
How long can seafood sauce sit out?
Mayo-based sauces shouldn’t sit out for more than about 2 hours, or less on a hot day. Keep them on ice.
Pick two of these seafood sauce recipes, make them the day before, and your prawn platter is sorted.
Cheers,
Ella x
