Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with this easy Creamy Garlic Prawn Pasta recipe. Luscious pasta, juicy prawns, and a rich, velvety sauce for a perfect weeknight meal.
There are some dishes that just hit different. They wrap you in a warm hug, reminding you of cozy evenings and effortless indulgence. This Creamy Garlic Prawn Pasta is precisely that kind of dish.
Perfectly cooked pasta coated in a rich, velvety creamy sauce, studded with plump, juicy prawns and infused with aromatic garlic and a hint of chilli.
The best part it all comes together in less than 30 minutes making it a perfect weeknight meal or impressing guests without breaking a sweat.
What do I need for Creamy Prawn Garlic Pasta
This is a simple recipe with very basic ingredients list. You will need the following to make Creamy Prawn Garlic Pasta:
Pasta – I used fettucine pasta as it perfectly coats the sauce. You can use fresh fettucine as well. The other options are linguine. You can also use short pasta like penne, rigatoni or farfalle (bow tie) pasta.
Prawns – You can either use fresh or frozen prawns. Make sure they are peeled and deveined. If using frozen prawns , make sure they are thawed.
Cream – I use Carnation lite cooking cream. You can use any cooking cream or even full cream thickened cream.
Parmesan – Use freshly grated parmesan. For best results use Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Garlic – fresh finely chopped or minced garlic.
Butter – use salted or unsalted butter
Seasoning – Salt, black pepper and chilli flakes.
How get Perfectly Creamy Sauce?
Creamy sauce brings together the whole dish together. So, it’s important to get the sauce right.
Use good quality cooking cream (or heavy cream/thickened cream). This forms the rich base. As your sauce simmers, gradually whisk in finely grated Parmesan. The Parmesan not only adds a salty, umami depth but also helps to thicken the sauce as its fats and proteins emulsify.
The real game-changer, however, is the pasta water. Before draining your cooked pasta, reserve about a cup of that starchy, cloudy water. This water contains starch released from the pasta, which acts as a natural emulsifier. Adding it gradually to your sauce as it cooks helps to bind the cream and Parmesan together, creating a silky-smooth, glossy consistency that clings beautifully to every strand of pasta, ensuring maximum flavor in every bite of your creamy garlic prawn pasta.
Watch How to Make Creamy Garlic Prawn Pasta
What to Serve with Creamy Garlic Prawn Pasta
This Creamy Garlic Prawn Pasta is a hearty meal on its own but if you like to add some sides then garlic bread works great to soak up the creamy sauce.
You can also add simple green salad. A light, crisp green salad with a vinaigrette dressing provides a refreshing contrast to the richness of the pasta.
Lightly steamed greens like asparagus or broccoli also works well with this pasta.
Other Recipes to Try
Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
Creamy Garlic Prawn Pasta
Ingredients
- 250 g fettuccine pasta or other preferred pasta, see notes above
- 1 tbsp Olive oil Extra Virgin
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 200 g Raw prawns peeled and deveined
- 4-5 cloves Garlic minced
- ¼ – ½ tsp Chilli flakes adjust to taste
- 250 ml Cooking cream heavy cream/thickened cream
- ½ cup Freshly Grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for serving
- ¼ cup Reserved pasta water or more, as needed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, scoop out about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water and set it aside. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the prawns to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until they turn pink and opaque. Remove the prawns from the pan and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add Butter and allow it to melt. add little bit of water reserved from pasta and scrap up any brown bits from the bottom. Pour in the cooking cream into the same pan, Stir well.
- Gradually whisk in the ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese until it melts into the sauce. Season with salt and chilli flakes.
- Add the cooked pasta and the cooked prawns back into the pan with the sauce. Toss gently to coat everything evenly. Add more reserved pasta water if required to adjust the consistency of sauce.
- Garnish generously with fresh chopped parsley and extra grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately and enjoy!
