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!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
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.
Nom nom! Made it tonight but I cheated and made a shrimp stock with the shells. But I used anchovies! Super tasty. My son hates shrimp but he gobbled them up. Tomorrow we are having country pork chops. Canβt wait! Thx, Nagi!!
How is that cheating?? Thatβs amazing!! Hope you love the chops Judy!
Ah Nagi, your treasure tin never disappoints. After surviving a rogue speck of flying chilli in my eye, the final product was more than consolation for my injury. So good and so easy to make.
Umami is my new favourite word!
OMG Runa! I feel your pain, having done the contact lens removal with chilli fingers on multiple occasions ? Iβm so glad the suffering was worth it though. And enjoyment of all that Umami β ba ha ha!!! N xxx
Made this for dinner tonight in cold damp Wales and it was a big hit. That chilli kick warmed us up and you are right, those anchovies make all the difference. This recipe is definitely a keeper in our house now. Thanks Nagi.
PS I think Iβm in love with Dozer
Awesome! So glad to hear that Ann, thanks for letting me know! N x PS Youβll have to fight me for Dozer ?
I shall take a leaf from your book ie the use of anchovy in my pasta for that extra umami omgh.
Oooh hope you do try it! I promise it does give it that extra something somethingβ¦. π N x
While Spain should be relatively warm-ish the weather forecasts says 0 Celsius (feels like -3) for tonight!!! What on Earth is going on with the world? Love prawn pasta and this dish looks amazing! Btw, how do you actually live without the air con?
I definitely didnβt realise Spain got that cold!!! What theβ¦.???
Just so you know I didnβt know it either. So this morning it was actually snowing!!! here like for real!
What the???
Lovely and simple and so oft made we all have our own recipe β this one is fab!! I absolutely and utterly fail to understand people saying they do not βlikeβ anchovyβ!!!!! Why? Since one cannot usually taste it in the final dish? Well, I probably began learning how to add that gorgeous fish when I was a bub of about three: how else could one eat the every-morningβs eggs-and-anchovy open sandwich. decades later I am still doing so . . . well, the many facets of herring, smoked eel, skumbria and ought else naturally cut into it π !
I know I know! Youβre preaching to an anchovy lover here!!! I even eat them plain, straight out of the jar. Seriously! Iβm OBSESSED!
Hi Nagi. It is 60F here and this looks so good. Might have to make a salad to go with. Thank you my friend.
Wish I could pop over and make this for you⦠? Dozer and I are both sending over virtual bear hugs!
Hi Nagi, I am going to give this recipe a go! Do you think I could use seafood marinara mix instead of the prawns (have some in the freezer)?
Also, as I donβt have any chilli flakes (too hot for hubby) I often use a small amount of a good Tom Yum paste that I get from the Asian grocers instead of straight chilli. Do you think this would work?
Thanks for all of the wonderful recipes β you are giving me inspiration everyday!
Hi Kat! Definately! Though in which case, just use my marinara recipe π -> https://promotown.info/seafood-spaghetti-marinara/%3C/a%3E Steps are slightly different. So good! π
Hi Nagi
I have to ask, I really, really hate Anchovy, do I have to use it?
Hi Sharon! No worries, just leave it out π It adds that extra little something but I promise it is still SO tasty without! N x
Nagi β my question should have read βI LIVE in Franceβ lol!
I figured that!! But you LOVE it too, right? π
Hi Nagi β this recipe sounds just great! I love in France and have never seen Red Pepper Flakes β can I substitute Red Chilli Flakes instead or would that make the dish too spicy?
HI Stephanie, thanks so much for picking that up!! Red Chilli Flakes are also known as pepper flakes! Same thing!!! π N xx
I will be making this tonight! Iβm trying to eat everything in the freezer before restocking with fresh & I have a couple bags of shrimp. Thank you! This looks delicious.
Itβs a sign!!! Yay! π PS Speaking of freezers, thanks for the reminder, Iβve been meaning to go get a deep freezer since the sales started. Sigh. I hate shopping for appliances!!!
I made it last night & am having the leftovers for lunch as I write this. I didnβt have the passata or the crushed tomatoes on hand, so I used a can of tomato sauce, otherwise I had the rest & made it as written. Itβs really, really good. I may have added too much pepper flakes, but I like things hot! Someone made a comment about not liking anchovies, but I would like to add that anchovies cook down & leave almost a nutty flavor and not a strong fish taste like you may think, so donβt be afraid to use them. I used anchovy paste for this recipe. It really does go together quickly, so I took your advice to have the ingredients ready to go. Reminded me of making carbonara which is so quick to make.
WOO HOO! You ROCK SHARON! Iβm so glad you enjoyed it and thank you so much for letting me know!! N xx
Shivering in France! Cold here so I appreciate your wide range of recipes. This is another
that looks so good I will be making it soon and Dozer, if youβve got it flaunt it !!
Oh believe me, he flaunts it. He uses his cuteness like a weapon. To get pretty much everything he wants!!!
Reading from Mauritius! Itβs summer and super hot out here too!
Yee ha! Summer is the BEST, isnβt it?? π N x