These Cantonese ketchup prawns have to be one of my favourite childhood dishes of all time, and it is a regular favourite on our family dinner table. Ketchup prawns (茄汁蝦), also known as Chinese ketchup shrimp, are a nostalgic Cantonese home-cooked dish featuring shell-on prawns stir-fried in a sweet, savoury and tangy tomato-based sauce. Unlike restaurant-style sweet and sour dishes, the sauce is lighter and lets the natural sweetness of the prawns shine through. It’s ridiculously easy and quick to cook, but the flavours are incredible and addictive, having us all fighting for the last piece.
Why You’d Love This Cantonese Ketchup Prawns Recipe
It’s tangy and savoury, laced with an addictive touch of sweetness – what’s there not to love?! It’s a dish that gets your hands dirty and leaves you happily licking off every single drop of sauce on your fingers. The recipe takes about 15 minutes to make, perfectly ideal for a quick lunch or easy weeknight dinner. Simply serve it with some Jasmine rice and stir-fried vegetables, and that’s one wholesome meal sorted.
What Are Cantonese Ketchup Prawns?
Cantonese ketchup prawns (茄汁蝦), or Chinese ketchup shrimp, are a classic Chinese home-style dish of prawns stir-fried in a savoury tomato ketchup-based sauce. While ketchup might not be the first ingredient that comes to mind when you think of Chinese cooking, it’s commonly used in Hong Kong and Cantonese home cooking. Its combination of sweetness, acidity and tomato flavour makes it an easy base for quick stir-fry sauces (e.g. Tomato & Egg Stir-Fry).
My version keeps things simple with ketchup, light soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. The result is tangy, savoury and subtly sweet rather than an overly sugary sweet-and-sour sauce.
How to Make Ketchup Prawns at Home
Ingredients for Cantonese Ketchup Prawns
- Tiger Prawns / Shrimps – large shell-on tiger prawns are my preferred choice. Keeping the shells on helps protect the meat from overcooking while adding more prawn flavour to the sauce. Frozen prawns work perfectly well – just thaw and pat them thoroughly dry before cooking.
- Ketchup – the star of the sauce! Regular tomato ketchup gives the dish its characteristic sweet and tangy flavour. There’s no need for additional sugar in this recipe.
- Garlic – adds aromatic savouriness and balances the sweetness of the ketchup.
- Spring Onions – separate the white & green parts. Cook the whites with the garlic and save the greens for finishing the dish.
- Light Soy Sauce – adds saltiness and umami without overpowering the ketchup.
- Worcestershire Sauce – your secret ingredient for umami and extra savoury depth
- White Pepper & Salt – for seasoning
How to Cook Ketchup Prawns
1. Sear the prawns
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large pan or wok. Sear the prawns for 2–3 minutes on each side until the shells turn orange and lightly golden.
Remove them from the pan and set aside. The prawns do not need to be fully cooked yet at this stage.
2. Sauté the aromatics
Reduce to medium heat and cook the garlic and white parts of the spring onions until fragrant.
3. Cook the ketchup
Add the ketchup and stir until it begins to bubble. Briefly cooking the ketchup helps concentrate its tomato flavour.
4. Toss everything together
Return the prawns to the pan and add the light soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Toss until the prawns are cooked through and coated in the glossy sauce.
5. Finish and serve
Season with white pepper and salt to taste, then toss through the green parts of the spring onions. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.
Recipe Tips for the Best Ketchup Prawns
- Shell-on prawns are the way to go for this recipe. The shells release aromatic compounds that intensify the prawn flavour.
- I like to keep the prawn heads on because that’s where the best flavours are. It’s where all the prawn essence is concentrated, releasing this extra umami and aroma to the dish when cooked.
- When handling whole prawns, always rinse and trim them. There are some sharp bits, such as the spike on the head and antennae, that need trimming off with kitchen scissors. Personally, I like to trim off the legs as well.
- Pat the prawns really dry before searing. Excess moisture encourages steaming rather than searing and can cause the hot oil to spit.
- Don’t fully cook the prawns during the first sear. They’ll go back into the pan with the sauce, so remove them once they’re mostly cooked to avoid rubbery prawns.
- Let the ketchup bubble before returning the prawns. Give it a brief moment in the hot pan before adding everything else. You want a glossy sauce that clings to the shells rather than a watery ketchup coating.
How to Serve Ketchup Prawns
Just like many Chinese dishes, simply serve the ketchup prawns with a bowl of Jasmine rice. Ketchup prawns are often part of the many dishes served in family-style dinner spreads. Everyone would be served a bowl of Jasmine rice, with all the dishes placed at the centre of the table. A typical dinner spread would also include stir-fried vegetables and meat.
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Common FAQs
Cantonese Ketchup Prawns (Chinese Ketchup Shrimp)
Ingredients
- 1-2 tbsp Cooking Oil
- 12 Tiger Prawns (about 250g) rinsed & trimmed
- 3 cloves Garlic
- ⅓ cup Ketchup
- 1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- ½ tsp White Pepper
- Salt to taste
- 1-2 Spring Onion (separate white and green parts) cut the white part into chunks and finely chop the green part for garnish
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan over medium-high heat.1-2 tbsp Cooking Oil
- Sear tiger prawns for 2-3 minutes on each side until they turn orange & golden in colour. Remove from the pan and set aside. The prawns do not have to be fully cooked at this stage.12 Tiger Prawns (about 250g)
- Slightly reduce the heat to medium and add more oil if needed. Saute garlic and the white parts of the spring onion until fragrant.3 cloves Garlic
- Stir in ketchup and, once it starts bubbling, toss in the tiger prawns.⅓ cup Ketchup
- Add light soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Stir-fry for a few minutes.1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce, 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- Season with white pepper & salt, then toss in the remaining spring onions (the finely chopped green parts).½ tsp White Pepper, Salt, 1-2 Spring Onion (separate white and green parts)
- Serve immediately with Jasmine rice.
Notes
- Shell-on prawns are the way to go for this recipe. The shells release aromatic compounds that intensify the prawn flavour.
- I like to keep the prawn heads on because that’s where the best flavours are. It’s where all the prawn essence is concentrated, releasing this extra umami and aroma to the dish when cooked.
- When handling whole prawns, always rinse and trim them. There are some sharp bits, such as the spike on the head and antennae, that need trimming off with kitchen scissors. Personally, I like to trim off the legs as well.
- Pat the prawns really dry before searing. Excess moisture encourages steaming rather than searing and can cause the hot oil to spit.
- Don’t fully cook the prawns during the first sear. They’ll go back into the pan with the sauce, so remove them once they’re mostly cooked to avoid rubbery prawns.
- Let the ketchup bubble before returning the prawns. Give it a brief moment in the hot pan before adding everything else. You want a glossy sauce that clings to the shells rather than a watery ketchup coating.
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Made these tonight. Only had prawns that were headless but they were still very good! Served with stir fried vegetables and rice. Very good simple and quick meal. Thanks
Hi Cathy, so glad you enjoyed it! That sounds like an easy but delightful meal 😋