This creamy prawn pasta is so quick and easy to make and loaded with incredible flavour. Plump prawns in a garlic and pepper creamy sauce - it's truly epic!
2tablespoonsfinely grated parmesan cheese (grated with a microplane)
1tablespoonfinely chopped parsley
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
Saute pan or deep skillet
Large saucepan
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Add the pasta and cook according to packet instructions or until just al dente.
Place a jug under a strainer in your sink and pour the pasta into the strainer so that the jug collects some of the pasta water. Set both aside.
Meanwhile, add the olive oil and butter to a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Let the butter melt, then add the prawns and cook for 1-2 minutes each side until opaque and just cooked through. Set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic, pepper and chilli flakes to the pan and cook for 1 minute.
Add the cream and ⅓ cup of the pasta water to the pan, stir and let it come to a simmer. See notes below about pasta water.
Add the parmesan and give it a good stir to melt in.
Finally, add the cooked pasta, cooked prawns and parsley. Stir well to coat with the sauce and make sure it’s all hot through.
Add more pasta water if required to loosen it if required. The sauce will thicken as it starts to cool, so keep some pasta water on hand if you need to loosen it up when serving.
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Notes
Tablespoons: I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (equal to 4 teaspoons). Check yours before measuring.
Prawn weight: 500g is the weight of the already peeled prawns. I like to use prawns with the shells on and shell them myself as they have a far better texture than the pre-shelled variety from the local supermarket. In this case, purchase about 1.2kg of prawns in their shells so you have enough.
Why buy prawns in shells? Freezing raw prawns (as most of them are) out of their shells, tends to ruin the cell structure and instead of being rewarded with a meaty texture, you get a crunchy texture once cooked. If frozen in their shells, this problem is averted.
Chilli flakes: You can replace the chilli flakes with more pepper or simply leave them out.
Parmesan with prawns, even in Italy, is a thing. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. The same way prawns go beautifully with umami laden meats like chorizo and bacon, then go beautifully with umami laden parmesan.
Pasta water is a magical ingredient. The starch in it from the pasta adds thickness and silkiness to your pasta sauces. It’s also great for loosening your sauce and, if you’ve seasoned it properly, it adds seasoning to your sauces too.
How to season pasta water: Pasta water should be heavily seasoned - about 1 tablespoon per 3 litres/quarts and 500g (~1lb) of pasta. The pasta doesn't absorb all the salt, don't worry.
Nutrition details are approximate only - scroll below the recipe to find the full nutritional information.
MORE PASTA RECIPES!
Calories: 667kcal
Author: Marie Roffey
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Have you tried this recipe?Don't forget to leave a rating and comment below and let me know how it was! I love hearing from you. Nutrition information is approximate and derived from an online calculator. The brands you use may cause variations.