Tomato Prawn Pasta

As I type this in the middle of April, today we’ve had the first ‘whiff’ of Spring/Summer, so it’s time to whip out one of my favourite meals to make as the weather gets warmer. Follow me…

Prawn Pasta (aka Shrimp Pasta)

For this recipe we’ll be using fresh king prawns. I typically just grab some from the supermarket, which already come shelled and deveined.

Preparing the prawns

There are two important steps to prepping the prawns before you cook them:

Cooking the prawns

Prawns cook very quickly, so we’re going to pan-fry them in a nice hot pan. They won’t take long, and they’ll carry on cooking slightly as they rest and when they’re added back into the pan. Try to avoid them curling up into an ‘O’ shape as this typically means they’re overcooked. A tight(ish) ‘C’ shape with some colour on each side is what you’re aiming for. Process shots: pat prawns dry (photo 1), season (photo 2), fry both sides in pan then remove (photos 3&4).

Tomato and Prawn Pasta

There are not too many ingredients in the sauce, but each one plays an important role in building flavour. Here’s what you’ll need:

Butter – Adds richness to the sauce and is used to fry the garlic and chilli flakes. Garlic – Garlic + prawns = heaven. Chilli – Adds a gentle warmth to the sauce. Wine – Adds a very subtle background flavour. I love using Rosé! Tomatoes – I use baby plum tomatoes, but you could use cherry tomatoes. Basil – A final hit of flavour that binds all the above ingredients together. Must be fresh!

Sauce consistency

This isn’t a saucy pasta, but the butter, tomato juice and wine come together to create a lovely light, glossy sauce. It’ll be a little watery at first, but as you toss the pasta the excess starchy water will help bind and thicken the sauce. Process shots: melt butter (photo 1), fry chilli flakes and garlic (photo 2), reduce wine (photo 3), fry tomatoes (photo 4), toss in pasta (photo 5), toss in basil and prawns (photo 6).

Can I use frozen prawns?

Yes – you’ll just need to thaw them beforehand.

What kind of pasta should I use?

I love using tagliatelle, but any long-cut pasta will do the trick.

Can this be reheated?

This is best made fresh. Prawns do not reheat well! It does come together very quickly though 😇

Serving Tomato Prawn Pasta

I love plating up with some extra basil and chilli flakes, alongside some fresh grated parmesan. You could add some Garlic Bread if you fancy too. Serve up hot right away! For the sister recipe to this dish check out my Creamy Prawn Linguine. Also check out my Garlic Butter Prawn Orzo! Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this tomato prawn pasta shall we?!