Creamy Garlic Prawns are your favourite garlic prawns… PLUS a creamy garlic sauce! Few simple little tricks to make a sauce that’s a cut above your basic recipes – deglaze the pan with a little white wine, a splash of chicken stock and sprinkle of parmesan. Because plump prawns demand the BEST sauce!
Creamy Garlic Prawns
Plump juicy prawns marinated in garlic then seared in butter, finished with a splash of dry white wine and a squeeze of lemon juice is my go-to way to make prawns. That’s this recipe here – Garlic Prawns. A classic that will never go out of style.
Then there’s this version – Garlic Prawns PLUS a creamy garlicky sauce. It’s the jacked up version, a more indulgent one for those nights when you want/need something to impress, and extra sauce to smother your starchy side of choice so you can lavish every single drop of that sauce!
What you need for Creamy Garlic Prawns
This recipe might call for a few ingredients that others don’t – namely wine, parmesan and chicken stock. But these are the 3 things that gives the sauce extra depth of flavour so it stacks up to great restaurants. So don’t skip them!
Prawns / shrimp – use good quality frozen, thawed, or peel your own (you’ll need 1kg /2lb whole prawns). I used to be a total prawn snob and never used pre peeled frozen ones, but nowadays you can get really good quality ones from the fish markets and good fish mongers;
White wine – age old trick used by chefs to add extra complexity into sauces by deglazing pans (ie add wine into hot pan after searing meat/prawns to dissolve the precious gold bits stuck to the base of the pan into the sauce = free flavour!). Use any white wine that’s no too fruity (like some Rieslings can be) or too woody (like some Chardonnays). I use Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris, I buy discount bottles for cooking purposes. I keep them for weeks/months in the fridge!
Chicken or vegetable stock/broth – as with the wine, this adds an extra depth of flavour to the sauce. Use low sodium so you can be sure your sauce won’t end up too salty;
Parmesan – in addition to wine and stock/broth, this is the 3rd power ingredient that makes this creamy garlic sauce extra good. Parmesan is a well known source of umami which is the technical term for “savoury” flavour, and in this recipe it also serves the double purposes of thickening the creamy sauce (instead of using even more cream);
Cream – thickened / heavy cream is best because it’s thicker than pure cream which means it needs less reducing to thicken. And full fat is better / thicker than light cream, but this recipe works a treat with low fat too (as well as evaporated milk); and
Garlic – because we’re making a Creamy GARLIC Sauce for the prawns! Some garlic is used to marinate the prawns, some to add flavour into the sauce.
How to make Creamy Garlic Prawns
Marinate prawns – just a brief 20 minute marinade for the prawns to infuse them with some garlic flavour. Because prawn flesh is so tender, it doesn’t need anymore than that;
Sear prawns – cook these on medium heat, then remove. Cook in batches to make it easier to control the process so you don’t accidentally overcook them. Nobody likes rubbery overcooked prawns!
Sauce garlic & deglaze pan – cook some garlic in a little butter in the same pan (this gets really good garlic flavour into the sauce) then add the wine;
Reduce wine – simmer rapidly on high heat until the wine is reduced down and you no longer smell the harsh “winey” smell;
Finish sauce – add the stock and reduce that down too, before adding cream. I do this before the cream because it’s faster to reduce it first by itself before adding the cream. Then once the cream is added, it only takes 2 minutes or so to reduce and thicken;
Return prawns into sauce to reheat them gently and bring it all together, then it’s ready to be served!
Here’s a close up photo of the sauce so you can see the thickness. Though actually, it’s a bit thicker than ideal – the sauce had cooled a bit by the time I took that photo.
What to serve with Creamy Garlic Prawns
Serving on a starchy bed worthy of soaking in that creamy sauce is essential. The best is mashed potatoes – to fully optimise the eating experience of every drop of sauce.
Also good with:
rice – try it with this Seasoned Rice, though plain white rice or brown rice will be just fine too;
creamy Mashed Sweet Potato (someone please remind me to publish the recipe, I have had it waiting to go for months!);
Creamy Cauliflower Mash (low-carb life essential – and it’s MUCH tastier than you think!);
soft white rolls for mopping plates clean (use this No Yeast Sandwich Bread if you have no yeast or no time to wait for dough to rise)
If you want this over pasta, best to use this Creamy Garlic Prawn Pasta recipe instead (you need to toss pasta with sauce to get the creamy sauce to stick to the pasta).
Also on the very edge of the above photo, you spy greenery which is essential to round out the meal. On that occasion, it was a handful of mixed leafy greens tossed with my Basic Salad Dressing but you could get a little fancier and use a French Vinaigrette or Italian Dressing, or a simple Balsamic Dressing.
Otherwise, browse through Vegetable Sides and pick a dish based on whatever veg you’ve got. There will be new veggie side dishes added regularly to increase the selection! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Creamy Garlic Prawns (Shrimp)
Ingredients
Garlic marinated prawns:
- 500g / 1lb peeled prawns/shrimp , large/jumbo best (Note 1)
- 1 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
Cooking prawns:
- 15g / 1 tbsp unsalted butter
Creamy garlic sauce:
- 2 garlic clove , finely minced
- 15g / 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup dry white wine (or more chicken stock) (Note 2)
- 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock/broth , low sodium
- 1 cup heavy/thickened cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan , finely grated (grate your own, Note 3)
- 2 tbsp parsley , finely chopped
Instructions
Marinate Prawns:
- Place prawns, garlic, oil and pepper in a bowl. Toss to coat, set aside 20 minutes if time permits (no longer).
- Stir through salt just prior to cooking.
Cook prawns:
- Melt 15g / 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add half the prawns and cook for 1 minute on each side, then remove.
- Repeat with remaining prawns (you shouldn't need more butter), then remove. Scrape out excess remaining garlic from pan and add to cooked prawns.
Creamy Sauce:
- Add butter into skillet and let it melt. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds or until light golden.
- Add white wine, turn up heat to high. Bring to simmer while stirring base of the pan to dissolve all the golden bits into the sauce. Cook 1 minute or until it most evaporates and the winey smell is gone.
- Add chicken stock and reduce until mostly gone and just a thin layer remains on base of skillet.
- Add cream, then simmer on medium heat for 2 minutes until reduced and slightly thickened.
- Stir through parmesan, then add the prawns back in. Taste sauce and see if more salt and pepper is needed.
- Serve sprinkled with parsley, over mashed potato or something to soak up that fabulous sauce!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Life of Dozer and Life of Nagi, perfectly captured in one still.
OMG just finished making and eating this. May be the best prawn recipe I have ever made. I halved the recipe because there are just two of us but won’t next time because I could eat double of this. Thanks from Canada!
OMG, creamy garlic prawns?? These look sooo good! I’m pinning immediately!
Hello,
If I double the prawns to 1kg (peeled prawns), will I need to double the rest of the recipe for the seasoning and the sauce ?
I’m assuming so, but I want to make sure.
Thank you
Hi Viv, if you use the recipe scaler, all the ingredients will adjust for you when you scale up to 1kg of prawns 🙂 N x
Loved this and it was super easy too. Quick, easy, delicious! You are the best, Nagi! I made this with rice, btw.
Cooked it loved it. Soooo hit the spot. Thanks Nagi another delicious and quick and easy fav.
Yum Nagi!!! Fsr I’ve always been intimidated of cooking prawns, but I tried this recipe & you have changed my thinking, amazing! X
Hi Lyn, I always take prawns off just before you think they are done, they will continue to cook after removing them from the heat – then they are perfect! I’m so glad you gave this recipe a go!! N x
What do you serve with your creamy garlic Prawns
Hi Patricia, if you take a look at the blog post, there is a section titled “What to serve with Creamy Garlic Prawns” – N x
Hoping you and Dozer are doing good. Noticed no posts or comments lately. Hope you’re just on a lovely time out.
Hi Macy! Thanks for thinking of me, I’ve just been offline over the past few days camping with no reception. (it was a long weekend here) 🙂 N x
That is wonderful. You so deserve some vacay away. Glad to know all is good. Think this virus has added some “jumpiness” and concerns across the board…at least for me. P.s. can’t wait to see a Dozer camping pic if he got to go😊
Hi Nagi,
I made this last night and it was superb. It was genuinely restaurant quality which is amazing for such a simple dish. I’ve made the pasta version before but this was better, I think because I was disciplined in reducing the wine and stock down to almost nothing before adding the cream. Ordinary cream worked fine. It just needs a touch more time to reduce. I also used a more expensive Italian parmesan. Everyone was impressed. Thank you!
I’m so glad you loved it Tony, it really is restaurant quality – who needs to go out when you can make these types of dishes at home! N x
Delicious 😋 and so easy.
Nagi, just a friendly reminder to please publish your Sweet Potato Mash recipe.
Hi Sheree! I’ll put it on my list! If you’re looking for something super decadent in the mean time you may like this one – https://salesdock.info/browned-butter-savoury-sweet-potato-casserole/%3C/a%3E N x
As with all Nagi’s recipes, this was super easy and Super tasty. The garlic was not overpowering, which can sometimes happen with garlic prawns. Served mine with rice and the sauce made the rice taste amazing!Will make it again soon.
Perfect H! Sounds like you nailed it!! N x
I am so excited about this. A good creamy garlic prawn dish is one of my husband’s all time favs and it’s his birthday this weekend — I had spent a week looking for the perfect recipe before you uploaded this and nothing was jumping out at me. This is exactly what I’m looking for, I can’t wait to make it this weekend with some crusty bread.
I would love to see your recipe for a hot crab dip! Thanks for all you do.
I’d love to know what you thought if you tried it Rachel!! I love the idea of crab dip – who wouldn’t?! Pop it on my recipe request page, I have a long list I’m working through 🙂 N x
Thank you so much Nagi! I did try it and it was perfect, my husband and I really enjoyed it! Definitely filing that away in my favs. I’ll definitely do that with my request! Thanks again for all you do.
YUM YUM YUM!!!!!!!
Thanks so much Kerry!!! N x
buy shell on prawns and use the shells to make a quick shrimp stock to use instead of chicken stock. adds another layer of flavor
Hi Roy – you could definitely do that, I’ve just tried to simplify it to make it easy enough to get on the table in 20 minutes and still taste amazing! N x
Deliciousness! Such a great, easy recipe – wonderful flavor.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it!! N x
This is a fantastic recipe. So easy and delicious. Thank you Nagi, keep the recipes coming 😊.
Cheers Barb
Thanks so much Barb, that’s so kind of you! N x
Made this for the first time tonight! DELICIOUS DELICIOUS! The flavors were on point! Will be definitely making this dish again! All of the recipes that I’ve gotten have been just delicious! Hubby thought it was DELICIOUS as well! I made mash potatoes and a side of spinach!
That’s so great to hear Olivia, that sauce over mash would have been just amazing!!
Dozer’s recouperating after his tummy illness. Resting on the sofa outside allows hm to absorb the suns rays – Vitamin D. xx 🙂 <3
Yes 100%! The life of a dog 😍 N x
Hi Nagi, what would be a good substitute for the heavy cream? I have milk but will that make the sauce to thin/watery?
Hi Renee, milk will make the sauce slightly too watery but you can combat this by making a cornflour slurry (2 tsp cornflour to 2 tbls water) Mix it through the sauce when you add the milk and it will thicken nicely. I don’t recommend coconut cream here as the flavour just wouldn’t work. N x
Thanks Nagi. I was thinking I could do that but wanted a second opinion!
Hi Renee,
I have used that trick with a similar recipe when I accidentally tipped a 300 ml container of milk into the pan instead of cream. It worked well. My guests were wondering why I was laughing as I cooked.
Renee you could try some plain, Greek yogurt. Even coconut milk, full fat, is thick and delicious for shrimp. The garlic and Parmesan will override any coconut flavor it might impart. That’s what I use as I don’t keep cream around much.
Thanks Jana, great idea. I always have plain Greek yogurt in the fridge!
Just yummy 😋
Thanks so much Margaret! N x