Quick and delicious, this chilli prawn linguine recipe combines juicy prawns with a creamy sauce and a hint of chilli for a tasty midweek meal.
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Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water following packet directions or until aldente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup (125ml) of the pasta water.
Meanwhile, heat oil and butter in a large deep frying pan over low heat. Add the garlic and chilli and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 mins or until aromatic.
Add the prawns and lemon rind to the pan and cook, stirring, for 3 mins or until prawns start to change colour. Add cream, lemon juice and reserved pasta water. Bring to a simmer. Season. Add spinach and pasta to the frying pan. Toss to combine. Season.
Divide among serving bowls and sprinkle with extra chilli, to serve.
COOK. STORE. SAVE.
Clever storage: Store leftover linguine and prawns, in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1-2 days. Freezing isn’t recommended.
Use it up: As well as a perfect pair for seafood, linguine is traditionally served with pesto, so if you have leftovers, try our easy recipe for chicken and kale pesto linguine.
Smart swap: Swap out linguine for similar long pasta like spaghetti, fettuccine and capellini.
You could use any type of raw prawn for this dish.
Pasta is about as Italian as it gets and given that the country is mostly surrounded by sea, combining it with seafood is a much-loved culinary tradition. Plump, juicy prawns are a popular choice – high in lean protein and selenium, they make a tasty star ingredient in linguine with prawns.
This classic dish, known as linguine con gamberi, is found right across Italy but is generally traced back to the coastal region of Liguria – the home of linguine. Translating as ‘little tongues’, the long flat shape (like flattened spaghetti) provides plenty of surface area for clinging to creamy seafood sauces and soaking up the delicate flavour of prawns.
If you enjoy this creamy chilli prawn pasta, you might also like our collection of pasta recipes, featuring more regional variations on the tasty pasta with prawns combo, including prawn chilli and garlic spaghetti and creamy garlic prawn fettuccine.
In Italy, prawns are traditionally served whole, then peeled at the table. It may look impressive, but this recipe uses raw, peeled prawns to keep it nice and simple. Choose prawns to preference – big, fleshy king prawns look generous, while slightly sweeter banana prawns go well with a kick of chilli. Ideally, you want to cook the prawns from scratch. As a rule of thumb, you are looking for a C shape – if your prawns curl into an O shape they are overdone.
To avoid overcooking, add the liquid ingredients to the pan as the prawns begin to change colour. This allows them to fully cook in the cream, lemon juice and pasta water. Pre-cooked prawns and leftover prawns can also be used.
Spinach adds freshness and texture to this chilli prawn linguine. Prefer a more peppery flavour? Use rocket instead or a combination of both. You can also substitute chilli flakes for fresh chilli. Try 1/4 teaspoon to start with and adjust to taste or swap out the chilli with lemon zest for a citrus burst.
Creamy and delicious, this is a dish that can stand alone – simply sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and freshly ground black pepper to serve. If entertaining, consider adding some sides, such as a tossed green salad, a platter of steamed broccoli with a squeeze of lemon and a loaf of crusty white bread for mopping up the sauce. The unique flavour of asparagus also makes it a great match for seafood dishes. Try lightly roasted with olive oil or grilled in an asparagus salad with fried chickpeas.
Quick and delicious, this chilli prawn linguine recipe combines juicy prawns with a creamy sauce and a hint of chilli for a tasty midweek meal.
Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water following packet directions or until aldente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup (125ml) of the pasta water.
Meanwhile, heat oil and butter in a large deep frying pan over low heat. Add the garlic and chilli and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 mins or until aromatic.
Add the prawns and lemon rind to the pan and cook, stirring, for 3 mins or until prawns start to change colour. Add cream, lemon juice and reserved pasta water. Bring to a simmer. Season. Add spinach and pasta to the frying pan. Toss to combine. Season.
Divide among serving bowls and sprinkle with extra chilli, to serve.