SeafoodEasy

Prawn Cocktail

Name: Prawn Cocktail
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 500 g Medium prawns; 0.5 White onion; 0.25 bunch Fresh coriander; 1 pack Salted crackers; 100 ml Lime juice; 250 ml Tomato juice; 1 tsp Salt; 200 ml Ketchup; 2 tbsp Hot sauce; 1 Avocado

4.0(1 rating)

30 min (20 prep + 10 cook) Easy 4 servings Costas de Mexico

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 4 Feb 2026 · Updated: 22 Jun 2026

Prawns in a chilled tomato and ketchup broth with lime, onion and avocado.

Servings

Custom:

💰 Estimated cost: £17.89

£4.47 per person

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Ingredients

500 g Medium prawns(Camaron in Mexico)£13.86find
0.5 White onion(Cebolla in Mexico)£0.33find
Buy: 1 malla
0.3 bunch Fresh coriander(Cilantro in Mexico)£0.26find
Buy: 1 bunch
1 pack Salted crackers(Galletas saladas in Mexico)find
100 ml Lime juice(Limon in Mexico)£0.26find
250 ml Tomato juice(Jugo de tomate in Mexico)£0.64find
1 tsp Salt(Sal in Mexico)£0.01find
200 ml Ketchup(Catsup in Mexico)£0.52find
2 tbsp Hot sauce(Salsa Valentina in Mexico)£0.80find
1 Avocado(Aguacate in Mexico)£1.25find

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About this recipe

The prawn cocktail Mexican-style is a classic beach dish. Cooked prawns are served in a chilled tomato broth with ketchup, lime juice, hot sauce, onion, coriander and avocado. Presented in glasses or sundae cups with salted crackers, it is perfect for a sweltering day.

History & Origin

Prawn cocktail is a classic of Mexican beaches and coastlines that became popular in the mid-twentieth century in the Pacific ports, especially Acapulco, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta. Although its name suggests American influence through the use of ketchup, the Mexican version is distinguished by incorporating lime juice, hot sauce, coriander and avocado - ingredients deeply rooted in the local gastronomy. It is served in tall glass cups or plastic tumblers at the street stalls and seafood carts that are iconic features of the Mexican urban landscape. The cocktail is considered a popular remedy for hangovers, known as 'vuelve a la vida' (return to life) when it includes oysters, octopus and other seafood. It is a Sunday tradition for many Mexican families to enjoy it as a lunch by the sea.

Estimated cost

£17.89

Total cost

£4.47

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

308

Calories

31g

Protein

30g

Carbohydrates

14g

Fat

Fibre

978mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Boil the prawns in a pot of water with salt and a few sprigs of coriander for 3-4 minutes until pink and firm. Do not overcook them. Drain and leave to cool.
💡 You can add a bay leaf and a few slices of onion to the cooking water for extra flavour.
2
Once cool, cut the prawns into 2 cm pieces if they are large, or leave them whole if they are medium-sized.
3
Finely chop the onion and coriander, and cut the avocado into cubes. Set the avocado aside separately.
4
In a large bowl, mix the ketchup, lime juice, tomato juice, hot sauce and salt. Stir well until combined.
5
Add the prawns, the chopped onion and the coriander to the cocktail base. Mix and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
💡 The cocktail tastes best well chilled. Make it ahead and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
6
Sirve en copas o vasos altos. Corona with cubes de avocado, some gotas de salsa spicy extra y mas coriander. Acompana with galletas saladas o tostadas.

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Edmond Bojalil

Founder, Recetas Mexas

Mexican from Puebla, IT professional and foodie. Author of 1000+ authentic Mexican recipes adapted for home kitchens worldwide. Based in Madrid since 2018.