Pasta tossed with 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 have this on the table in just 15 MINUTES!!!
Being an Aussie fortunate enough to have many readers from all around the world – and I really do many from all around the world (!!!!) – one of the things I’m very mindful of is sharing a selection of recipes suited to varying climates. And right now – January and February – are always the toughest months because the seasonal difference is at its most extreme. When I’m sweltering in the height of summer when it’s 40C/104F without a whisper of a breeze (reminder: I live in a house with no air conditioning!!) and I know it’s minus-something where some of you are, and you’re shovelling snow off your driveway so you can drive to work, I want to share winter comfort foods to warm your soul. But 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!
That’s a long winded way of leading into why I’m happy to be sharing a (fairly) climate neutral recipe today!!! Sure, pasta is probably not the first thing you think of when it’s really REALLY stinking hot. But generally, I’ll make quick-cook pastas like this Spicy Chilli Prawn Pasta all year round.
There are prawn pastas, then there are prawn pastas. A serious proper sauce for prawn pastas is simmered for hours and hours using the heads and shells of 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 – but without sacrificing flavour. If you follow my recipe directions exactly, this honestly takes 15 minutes to make. And if I do say so myself, it is darn tasty thanks to a little secret ingredient in the sauce: Anchovies.
Yes. Anchovies. No, you can’t taste any anchovy fishiness. It just dissolves in the sauce and adds that extra umami* which takes this quick sauce from “nice” to “OMG this is so good!!!”
* Regular readers know I don’t usually throw around fancy foodie words, but in this case I don’t know how else to describe that savouriness that anchovies brings to this sauce other than to to say it adds an extra umami to it. So umami, which is actually a Japanese word, means “savoury taste” which, 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 you’re having company. 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. 😉 – Nagi x
PS I know most of you already know, but Prawns in Australia and other Commonwealth countries = Shrimp in other 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? I’d like a word with them. 🤔
PPPS Notice all the sauce is stuck on the pasta so it all ends up in your mouth, not sitting in a pool at the bottom of the bowl. Don’t 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 - 180 g / 5 - 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 - 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 (don't 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.
Kat says
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 don’t 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 – you are giving me inspiration everyday!
Nagi says
Hi Kat! Definately! Though in which case, just use my marinara recipe 🙂 -> https://www.recipetineats.com/seafood-spaghetti-marinara/ Steps are slightly different. So good! 🙂
Sharon says
Hi Nagi
I have to ask, I really, really hate Anchovy, do I have to use it?
Nagi says
Hi Sharon! No worries, just leave it out 🙂 It adds that extra little something but I promise it is still SO tasty without! N x
stephanie mears says
Nagi – my question should have read “I LIVE in France” lol!
Nagi says
I figured that!! But you LOVE it too, right? 😉
stephanie mears says
Hi Nagi – this recipe sounds just great! I love in France and have never seen Red Pepper Flakes – can I substitute Red Chilli Flakes instead or would that make the dish too spicy?
Nagi says
HI Stephanie, thanks so much for picking that up!! Red Chilli Flakes are also known as pepper flakes! Same thing!!! 🙂 N xx
Sharon says
I will be making this tonight! I’m trying to eat everything in the freezer before restocking with fresh & I have a couple bags of shrimp. Thank you! This looks delicious.
Nagi says
It’s a sign!!! Yay! 🙂 PS Speaking of freezers, thanks for the reminder, I’ve been meaning to go get a deep freezer since the sales started. Sigh. I hate shopping for appliances!!!
Sharon says
I made it last night & am having the leftovers for lunch as I write this. I didn’t 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. It’s 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 don’t 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.
Nagi says
WOO HOO! You ROCK SHARON! I’m so glad you enjoyed it and thank you so much for letting me know!! N xx
Tricia says
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 you’ve got it flaunt it !!
Nagi says
Oh believe me, he flaunts it. He uses his cuteness like a weapon. To get pretty much everything he wants!!!
Kat says
Reading from Mauritius! It’s summer and super hot out here too!
Nagi says
Yee ha! Summer is the BEST, isn’t it?? 🙂 N x