Pasta tossed withΒ a rich tomato sauce with a tingle of spicy heat and plump prawns (shrimp). This Spicy Chilli Prawn Pasta is a total crowd pleaser to make all year round, and the only thing that requires chopping is parsley. You can haveΒ thisΒ on the table in just 15 MINUTES!!!
Being an Aussie fortunate enough to have many readers from all around the world β and I really do many fromΒ all around the world (!!!!) βΒ one of the things Iβm very mindful of is sharing a selection of recipes suited to varying climates.
And right now β January and February β areΒ always the toughest months because the seasonal difference is at its most extreme.Β When Iβm sweltering in the height of summer when itβs 40C/104F without a whisper of a breeze (reminder: I live in a house withΒ no air conditioning!!) and I know itβs minus-something whereΒ some of you are, and youβre shovelling snow off your driveway so you can drive to work, I want to share winter comfort foods to warm your soul. ButΒ I also want to share the quick-cook fresh meals for me and all the other Aussies and readers enjoying warmer / stinking hot weather.
So newcomers to my site during Jan/Feb each year are probably very baffled when they see my latest recipes wildly swinging between hot winter soups and stews and summery salads and cocktails!
Thatβs a long winded way of leading into why Iβm happy to be sharing a (fairly) climate neutral recipe today!!! Sure, pasta is probably not the first thing you think of when itβs really REALLY stinking hot. But generally, Iβll make quick-cook pastas like this Spicy Chilli Prawn Pasta all year round.
There are prawn pastas, then there areΒ prawn pastas. AΒ serious proper sauce for prawn pastas isΒ simmered for hours and hours using the heads and shells ofΒ the prawns. If you want to try a restaurant style one, try this Lemon Prawn Pasta which is made using this technique.
This one is not one of those serious prawn pastas. This is pretty much the opposite end of the spectrum β but without sacrificing flavour. If you follow my recipe directions exactly, this honestly takes 15 minutes to make. AndΒ if I do say so myself, it is darn tasty thanks to a little secret ingredient in the sauce: Anchovies.
Yes. Anchovies.Β No, you canβt taste any anchovy fishiness. It just dissolves in the sauce and adds that extraΒ umami* which takes this quick sauce from βniceβ to βOMG this is so good!!!β
* Regular readers know I donβt usually throw around fancy foodie words, but in this case I donβt know how else to describe that savouriness that anchovies brings to this sauce other than to to say it adds an extraΒ umami to it. SoΒ umami, whichΒ is actually a Japanese word, means βsavoury tasteβ which,Β together with sweetness, sourness, bitterness, and saltiness, make up the 5 basic tastes.
In addition to the little extra something the anchovy brings to the sauce, the hit of heat from the dried chilli flakes works wonders too. For me, those two elements make this a sneaky little recipe to keep in your back pocket to whip out on busy weeknights and also when youβre having company.Β Impress the pants off your family and friends, and hold back that smug smile knowing that it was actually a total breeze to make. But lap up the compliments. You totally deserve it. π β Nagi x
PS I know most of you already know, but Prawns in Australia and other Commonwealth countries = Shrimp in otherΒ countries.
PPS Does anyone know who is responsible for prawns vs shrimp, coriander vs cilantro, scallions vs green onions vs shallots, courgettes vs zucchini, Fahrenheit vs Celsius? Iβd like a word with them. π€
PPPS Notice all the sauce is stuckΒ on the pasta so it all ends up inΒ your mouth, not sitting in a pool at the bottom of the bowl. Donβt skip step 6!
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Spicy Chilli Prawn Pasta (Shrimp)
Ingredients
- 180 g / 6 oz fettuccine or other pasta or choice
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 150 β 180 g / 5 β 6 oz medium prawns/shrimp , peeled and deveined
- 2 anchovies , whole (or 1/2 tsp anchovy paste)
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 tsp+ chilli fakes / red pepper flakes
- 1 cup / 250 ml tomato passata (Note 2)
- 2 tsp finely grated parmesan
- 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley , plus more to serve
Instructions
- Get all the ingredients out and ready to go β this recipe moves fast!
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add a big pinch of salt and the pasta. Cook for the time per the packet MINUS 1 minute. SCOOP OUT a mugful of pasta cooking water before draining pasta (or transfer it straight from pot into sauce, if you time it right).
- Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add prawns and cook for 30 seconds, until surface just changes from translucent to opaque.
- Add red pepper flakes and anchovies. Stir briefly, then add wine and garlic.
- Cook for 30 seconds until wine is mostly evaporated.
- Add tomato passata, squeeze of lemon juice, parmesan, salt and pepper. Bring to simmer, turn heat down to medium and cook sauce for 1 minute, stirring frequently (donβt cook for long otherwise will overcook prawns).
- Add pasta, about 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water and parsley. Toss gently for 1 minute (or gently stir with wooden spoon or tongs) until sauce re-thickens and it coats the pasta.
- Adjust salt, pepper and spiciness to taste. Serve immediately with more parsley.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Spicy Chilli Prawn Pasta recipe video!
LIFE OF DOZER
He shamelessly trades off his looks.
Hi Nagi
I love getting your recipes and am a firm devotee but suddenly blogs have stopped coming. Why?
Iβm writing a cookbook Beverley! I hope to be back to posting soon but coming up with over 150 recipes has taken a bit of time!! N x. https://salesdock.info/making-of-a-cookbook-part-2-the-cookbook-vortex/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Delicious as always, halved the chilli and made it with half a tin of cherry tomatoes on same cooking time as passata, was great
Such a delicious prawn pasta! Restaurant quality at home in under 30 minutes. A winner as always Nagi!
Nagi another bloody ripper recipe. I dont know how many of your recipes I have cooked over the past few months Im guessing about 3 or 4 a week. Your recipes are amazing. THANK YOU
Does it matter what kind of white wine is used?
Fantastic recipe!!! Such simple ingredients but packed full of flavour. I added a little bit of butter when cooking the prawns and it helped make a deliciously, creamy sauce. Thanks Nagi!
Youβre so welcome Jessica!! N x
Wow Nagi! Another winner of a recipe!! I made this this evening and it was so good, even my 6yo approved of it. He had two helpings in record time! I used frozen shrimp cos that was all I had, and paprika instead of chilli flakes for the childrenβs sake. I did have chilli flakes on mine separately and it was awesome! I finished it off with basil and spinach (had to sneak some veggies in for the kids!) and some cream. But you were right, the anchovies and parmesan really turned the dish around. Brilliant! Will definitely do this one again, amongst your other dishes. Youβre my go-to for fast and delicious food! Thank you!
Wow Nagi!! Another winning recipe! I just tried making this this evening and it was so good! Even my 6yo approved of it and ate two helpings at record time. Thanks!!! I used frozen shrimp cos that was all I had and added paprika instead of chilli for the childrenβs sake and finished it off with basil and spinach (must sneak in some veggies for the kids!) and some cream. But you were right about the anchovies and parmesan. It really turned the dish around. Will definitely do this again, amongst your other dishes! You are my go-to for food, honestly!!
This was really delicious. My partner looked sceptical but one mouthful later, itβs become another Nagi favourite. In fats, Nagi, Iβm now on a quest to cook as many of your recipes as possible because they are consistently brilliant. Youβre also a delightful character as is Dozer so its always fun reading your blog. Thank-you!!
LOL an unfortunate (probably realistic) typo. We do joke in Brisvegas about our COVID-kgs. Iβm doing my best to stay away from your dessert recipes!!
Another brilliant recipe! I love your website, thanks Nagi!
Hi nagi
It has been a nagi weekend at my house. Last night honey chicken and fried rice, lunch today my kid asked for your creamy shrimp pasta, and as I looked I saw this recipe. OMG game changer. So tasty. I used homemade fettuccine and halved the chilli as I was not sureβ¦will add more next time. A seriously great great recipe. Thx so much for sharing. Wish there was some leftovers TaniA
Hi Nagi, I made this for dinner tonight and it was a real winner β loved by all! I doubled the recipe to serve 4 (which you make so easy to do), substituted the fettuccine with organic egg pappardelle pasta, and I used Peckβs Anchovette Paste which seemed to work fine. I didnβt have white wine so used a splash of white wine vinegar and made up the rest with vegetable stock (made with Massel vegetable stock cube dissolved in boiling water). We donβt like much chilli so I only used 1/4 the amount of chilli flakes recommended in the recipe, and chopped them finely, but it was perfect for us. I also added some defrosted frozen peas. Itβs a keeper and Iβll be making it againβ¦and againβ¦ My son has already asked me to make it when his wife comes to dinner β he says sheβll love it! Thank you very much for sharing.
I made this for my three young adult, sport playing sons and they said it was the best pasta I have ever made! This has now been added to my collection of family favourites. Thank you
OMG had this tonight, yummy yummy thank u xxx
Delicious, as always with your recipes, thanks Nagi.
Hi Nagi, can I replace wine with something else in this recipe?
Hi Mashy, you can use chicken broth and a splash of vinegar β N x
Thanks! Will try
Quick ,easy and delicious. I used vermicelli egg pasta which worked beautifully. The notes and nutritional information are really helpful. Will definitely use again.
Thatβs great to hear Suzy β thanks so much!
Hi Nagi! So excited to make this for dinner tonight! Can I ask for how many days this can keep in the fridge?
Hi Lucky, a day or so β I tend to not keep pasta as it dries out and goes gluggy, itβs never quite the same as fresh pasta! N x
I cooked it exactly as stated and it was delicious. Spicy enough but not over the top. I used very large Australian prawns and it was amazing.
Thatβs great to hear Carolyn!
Yikes! I mean dish!