Spaghetti with prawns

Quick recipe for spaghetti with prawns and garlic

Spaghetti with prawns is the perfect weeknight dish when good food has to be on the table in under half an hour. This Italian shrimp pasta gets its character from garlic, chilli and lemon, entirely without cream, and it is ready in about 20 minutes. If you are looking for a quick and flavourful prawn spaghetti recipe, this is the one.

As with all good spaghetti with shrimp, the ingredients are what decide the result. We recommend the juicy, MSC-certified prawns from Coldwater Seafood, folded in at the end so they keep the perfect bite.

Ingredients for spaghetti with prawns

For this quick spaghetti ai gamberi you need the following ingredients (serves 4):

• 400 g spaghetti
• 300 g prawns from Coldwater Seafood (drained weight)
• 3 garlic cloves, in thin slices
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Freshly squeezed juice of half a lemon
• Fresh parsley, salt and freshly ground pepper

How to make spaghetti with prawns (step by step)

This Italian shrimp pasta is easy, as long as you remember to add the prawns at the very end.

1. Cook the spaghetti al dente in plenty of salted water. Save a cup of pasta water before you drain it.
2. Soften the garlic and chilli in the olive oil over medium heat until fragrant, without letting the garlic take colour.
3. Toss the spaghetti in together with a little pasta water, so it coats the pasta.
4. Take the pan off the heat and fold your Coldwater Seafood prawns through the hot pasta for 1 to 2 minutes, until they are warmed through.
5. Finish with fresh parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve at once.

Tips for the best spaghetti with prawns

• Avoid tough prawns: never let the prawns boil in the pan. Because the prawns from Coldwater Seafood are already cooked, they only need to be folded into the hot spaghetti with shrimp just before serving.
• Garlic spaghetti with prawns: double the garlic and add a little extra chilli if you want the aglio e olio version with more punch.
• Another pasta shape: if you want a broader Italian shrimp pasta, use penne or tagliatelle instead of spaghetti. It tastes just as good.
• Want it creamy? add a splash of cream at the end, or go straight to our creamy prawn pasta. For the tomato version, see our prawn pasta.
• Look for the blue MSC label and choose Coldwater Seafood products the next time you shop for dinner.