This prawn and chorizo pasta is rich flavours in an incredibly easy to make dinner. All made in one pan with very little effort, this is a weeknight dinner winner!
800glarge raw king prawns in shells, shelled and deveined (notes)(1.8lb) (notes 2)
¼cupfinely grated parmesan cheese, packed
2big handfuls baby spinach(100g / 3.5oz)
parsley / lemon wedges to serve, if desired
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
large skillet or non-stick frying pan
wooden spatula
Instructions
Over medium-high heat, in a large non-stick pan (or a skillet with a dash of olive oil), add chorizo and tomatoes and cook 6-7 minutes until the liquid has almost evaporated and you can see some bits caramelising. Stir it every so often so it doesn't catch.
Add stock, water, vinegar, tomato paste, half the salt and chilli flakes (if using). Mix well.
Increase heat to high bring to a boil.
Add the pasta and cook, stirring a couple of times throughout, until the pasta is just al dente (around 10-12 minutes). Make sure it still has some bite as it will still cook for another few minutes from here (notes 5).
Turn the heat down to medium. Add all the prawns and cover. Cook 3-5 minutes or until the prawns are opaque and just cooked through.
Add the parmesan and spinach. Mix well and let the spinach wilt for just a minute. Taste and add more salt If needed. Mix well then serve immediately.
You can add a little chopped parsley or lemon juice when you serve to give it a fresh zing.
Tablespoons: I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (equal to 4 teaspoons).
Which prawns? Prawns / shrimp are best purchased with the shell on and removed yourself – it affects the texture greatly.
Prawns / shrimp weigh about twice as much with the head and shell on so, if buying peeled prawns, you'll want about 400g.
Consistency: Add a dash more water if the sauce is too thick.
Timing: The timing is very important in this recipe so you don't end up with stodgy pasta - you want it to be just al dente before adding the prawns. If the pasta is already soft it’ll be far too soft and mushy by the time you’ve added the rest. It should be just a little less cooked than you’d like to eat.
Chicken stock / broth: If using low sodium chicken stock you may require a touch more salt at the end.
Chorizo: It may be in the title, but you can certainly replace the chorizo with bacon.
Don’t feel like prawns? You could swap them for chopped rotisserie chicken and make a chicken and chorizo pasta. Crab works really well too. Add either option at the same time you’d add the prawns in the recipe.
Pasta: I use fusilli pasta (a short spiral shaped pasta) but you can use most shapes, even linguine or spaghetti.
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.