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!
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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;
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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!
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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;
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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);
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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
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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
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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;
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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!
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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;
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Reduce wine – simmer rapidly on high heat until the wine is reduced down and you no longer smell the harsh “winey” smell;
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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;
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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:
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rice – try it with this Seasoned Rice, though plain white rice or brown rice will be just fine too;
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creamy Mashed Sweet Potato (someone please remind me to publish the recipe, I have had it waiting to go for months!);
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Creamy Cauliflower Mash (low-carb life essential – and it’s MUCH tastier than you think!);
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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.
Tammy J. Cedar says
I love seeing pictures of Dozer. He is adorable. I have to confess that I look at the pictures of Dozer before the recipes.
Nagi says
I always knew he would steal the show!! N x
Theresa says
Love to hear that Dozer is getting busted again. It tears your heart out when these little ones aren’t well.
Nagi says
He’s so much better thankfully!!! N x
Vickie A says
This looks amazing, Nagi! If I’d like to make this vegan, can I use coconut milk? I have vegan parmesan cheese too
Nagi says
Hi Vickie, I’m not sure the flavour of coconut milk will work here with the wine unfortunately! N x
Carla says
Coconut milk will work with wine. I work in a vegan restaurant and we use coconut milk instead of cream in creamy wine sauces all the time. Just up the garlic and nutritional yeast.
Karen B says
Hi! This looks delectable. And yeah, I’m that girl that will tweak your otherwise *perfect* recipe to suit our no dairy, (except for good butter & hard cheeses…). And, I would love to know where you fall, (and why…) on a heated topic in my household…
Prawns served and cooked with the shell tail attached. My husband HATES this! So, for him I always remove them prior to cooking, even when doing shrimp cocktail. What’s your thoughts?
Nagi says
Hi Karen, you can remove the tail if you prefer – It’s just for presentation purposes here! I hope you love it, I’d love to know what you think! N x
Maggie Zentner says
Loved the creamy garlic prawns, I added a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, gave it a little tangy taste. Love your recipes and a always cooking them. Thank you x
Nagi says
Sounds fabulous Maggie!! N x
Lucy Desmond says
Oh my this looks delicious. Once upon a time I’d have been hunting down the ingredients to prepare this prawn delight. However, since my Dr told me no more cow protein just before Coronavirus cream and Parmesan are off the menu. So I guess I’ll just drool over the picture some more. There is a pre grated Parmesan substitute I can find but I’ve not found a worthy cream substitute in my little historic English city of Chester 😔
Nagi says
Oh no Lucy!!! All is not lost – try this recipe instead! https://www.recipetineats.com/garlic-prawns-shrimp/ N x
Lucy Desmond says
Wow Nagi, that recipe looks amazing!! Thank you so much. England looking like it’s on for a second lockdown. Shortages of toilet roll, tinned goods and bread. I believe this alternative recipe calls for your artisan bread recipe 😉
Will also try to find how you advise cooking rice, I’m totally English about my potato perfection but just can’t win with the rice 🧐
Looking forward to getting to my local fishmonger now 🤗
Thank you for your advice and great recipes. Dozer is looking back to his old self, although I’m slightly missing the modesty flower 😂
Tony says
So now we’re talking, do love my prawns, and I have always done my garlic prawns very similar except I use carnations lite cooking cream to take the edge off the riceness alittle, comes with age, must get you some of our farmed tiger prawns some day Nagi , crunchy and you can taste the ocean .. keep em coming. P. S. If my name for that knife comes up, please select Victorian instead.
Leoda Smalley says
Hi Nagi,
I made this tonight and it was delicious and very easy to make. Will be making it again.
Thank you for all the lovely recipes.
Nagi says
Oh Tony, that’s so thoughtful of you – I’ll announce the winners on Wednesday 🙂 You just can’t beat great seafood… I’m getting hungry just thinking about it!! N x
Beatrice Lawson says
I think old age is messing me up. What knife??? (I get your emails and I don’t remember any chance of winning a knife from you, or I would enter it so fast…)
Haven’t tried this recipe yet but I know what I’m cooking Friday, it looks mouthwatering. I love seafood and I’m always on the lookout for a new tweak on an old favourite (cream, wine, garlic and shrimp – be still my heart!)
Roxy says
Hi Nagi, is this re heatable for lunch tomorrow?
Nagi says
Hi Roxy, I always prefer fresh prawns, but you can definitely eat leftovers the next day. Reheat gently in the microwave 🙂 N x
Ian Whyte says
Hi Nagi,
In the recipe there are different amounts depending on whether you selects Cups “1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock/broth , low sodium” or Metric “65 ml chicken or vegetable stock/broth , low sodium”.
I suspect that comes from how much stock to use if you don’t use white wine but it is confusing. Ian
Nagi says
Hi Ian, I think you’re getting confused between the wine and stock. When you click metric, the recipe reflects 65ml of wine and below it, 125ml of chicken stock. N x
Ian Whyte says
Thanks for checking Nagi. It works fine now but when I first looked at it both the wine and the stock were 65 mL on the metric side.
Never mind, it is very clear now.
Eha Carr says
I only have eyes for one photo today ! Gad, girl, you bought that house well . . . The prawn recipe is perfect . . . cannot imagine anyone without a goonie in the fridge or some home made chicken stock or Parmesan . . . Cream ? . . .nope I must have missed that . . . What to love with it . . . oops, most of the wine is still there and some salad and, hmm, that flatbread is asking to be eaten . . . Have a great week and allow Dozer to still be a little naughty . . .
Nagi says
😂 A goonie – I love this word Eha!! Don’t worry – Dozer is still living his best life!!! N x
Eha Carr says
Just sent this to Vicki C of ‘Flavors . . . ‘ wanted her to see a certain photo . . .
Katrina says
After watching the video I’m off to buy prawns in the morning. What a wonderful life and view Dozer has. Love getting updates on him.
Nagi says
Oh I’d love to know what you think if you try it!! N x
Anoja says
Beautiful recipe I love prawns
Verena says
This looks amazing!! Need to find me some prawns. One question though, do the tails HAVE to be left on? I hate fiddling with them when there is a lot of sauce.
M says
Just eat the shells
Nagi says
Hi Verena, take them off if you like, they just look better with the tails on for presentation 🙂 N x
Beth K says
Drool-worthy!
Thank you. I was wondering how to honour those prawns I picked up on Saturday. Now to make the perfect crusty french loaf so none of the sauce gets wasted.
Nagi says
YES! Bread for dunking is a must here Beth, I hope you love the recipe!! N x