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Ready in just 20 minutes, this delicious Prawn and Tomato Linguine recipe is the perfect Mediterranean-style pasta dish to enjoy on summer evenings. Bursting with flavor from fresh herbs, just-burst cherry tomatoes, and lots of garlic, it’s elegant enough for an at-home date night, but simple enough for everyday!
Table of Contents
This prawn pasta recipe is inspired by Desert Island Dishes guest Clodagh McKenna. In her podcast episode, she shared with us that the dish she cooks most often is linguine with prawns, which inspired us to create our own perfect version – we like it with tomatoes and lots of basil.
Garlic and chili are key to this recipe, and it’s all so simple and so good. We think linguine works particularly well and do try to get the best prawns you can. Clodagh recommended the Duchy Organic Prawns from Waitrose, and we can confirm that they are great!
Why you will love this recipe
- It’s a delicious recipe that makes the best of sweet tomatoes, juicy prawns, fresh herbs and pasta.
- It all comes together with not many ingredients, and really quickly. With all recipes like this, success relies on using the very best ingredients you can afford!
- While the base remains the same, it’s a great recipe to swap in other ingredients you may have in your fridge.
Ingredients
- Raw prawns (shrimp) – Quality really matters here. If you can’t find fresh king prawns (jumbo shrimp) you’re happy with, choose good quality frozen ones instead. These are often peeled and frozen while still on the boats, so they tend to be quite fresh.
- Fresh garlic – You don’t want to substitute with dried or powdered garlic here, as it won’t match the dish’s freshness.
Substitutions and variations
Vegetables – You can bump up the vegetables in this by adding a handful of spinach to the sauce, or I also like it with thinly sliced zucchini (courgette). Sometimes I spiralize a zucchini and cook it for the last few minutes when cooking the linguine. Some thinly sliced red pepper would be nice in the sauce, but it will take longer to cook.
Tomatoes – Ideally, you want to use fresh cherry tomatoes, but if out of season, you could use canned cherry tomatoes. Buy good quality ones; you will notice the difference.
Prawns – Any seafood that is very fresh and you can quickly pan-fry will work with this recipe. Squid would be good, as would little clams, which will open up and release their juices into the sauce as you cook them.
Herbs – I also love to use parsley in this recipe instead of basil. Dill would be delicious, too.
White wine – Adding a splash of white wine will add sharpness and delicious flavor to this pasta. Add it in after you’ve added the tomatoes to the pan over high heat.
Add lemon – Add the zest of a lemon with the tomatoes for a citrus flavor or finish the pasta with a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
How to make prawn tomato linguine
Here’s a quick visual guide — the full recipe with exact measurements is below.
ONE: Get your pasta onto cook in boiling salty water. Then start by butterflying your prawns – just slice a slit down the back of them to open them up a little. Pat them dry with paper towels and then season generously with Maldon sea salt
TWO: Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Fry the prawns for a couple of minutes on each side until they turn pink and take on a golden hue. Don’t overcook, or they’ll turn to rubber. Remove from the pan and set aside.
THREE: To the pan, add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds before adding the cherry tomatoes. Season well.
FOUR: Cook on high for a few minutes until the tomatoes start to burst. Squish them with the back of a wooden spoon. Add a ladle of pasta cooking water.
FIVE: Encourage the tomatoes to squish down, add a knob of butter, and mix with the olive oil and pasta cooking water to create a delicious sauce.
SIX: Sprinkle in the chili flakes and add the prawns back to the sauce.
SEVEN: Once the pasta is al dente, add it to the sauce. Toss it all together, and cook for another minute until the pasta is cooked. Stir in the basil.
EIGHT: Check the seasoning and serve! Add another drizzle of olive oil and some more basil leaves.
Tips from Margie’s kitchen
- Frozen prawns: If you’re using frozen prawns, make sure you defrost them in the fridge overnight, then pat them dry. If you are in a hurry, place the prawns into a large bowl and fill with cold water. They defrost in the water, and it should take about 10 minutes. Just change the water a few times as the frozen prawns make the water really cold, and you need to bring the temperature back up a little with fresh water from the tap. Once they are soft, drain well and pat dry, as above.
- Butterflied prawns: I always recommend butterflying prawns. It gives them more surface area so they have a better taste and texture. All you need to do is run a sharp knife gently down the back and carefully open up slightly. It adds a few minutes (at most) to the total time and is so worth it.
- Dry prawns: Don’t be tempted to skip the bit where you pat the prawns dry. If they are damp, you will end up stewing the prawns and won’t achieve a golden hue.
- Pasta water – This is a key ingredient here as the starchy water forms the base of the sauce when you mix it with the cherry tomatoes.
Frequently asked questions
I wouldn’t recommend reheating, as the prawns often lose their soft texture. However, don’t waste any leftovers. Transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave until piping hot all the way through or eat cold! Just remove from the fridge 20 minutes before eating so it loses its fridge chill.
Yes, any seafood that is very fresh and you can quickly pan-fry will work with this recipe. Squid would be good, as would little clams, which will open up and release their juices into the sauce as you cook them. Delicious!
Yes, absolutely. Just make sure they are fully defrosted before using – see cooking tips above.
There are a few ways to tell when prawns are cooked. The most obvious is their color, which will turn from a translucent/grey to a blushing pink. You will also see that the tail starts to curl slightly into a ‘C’ shape (be aware – if it curls too much, it is overcooked). The texture will feel slightly firmer, not soft and squishy like a raw prawn.
Absolutely. I like a long pasta as I find the sauce coats each strand well, but it would work with different shapes, even short ones.
No, I wouldn’t recommend it because the pasta loses its texture when frozen then defrosted.
Other recipes you might like
If you like this prawn and tomato linguine, you will like my Lemon Feta Orzo, Creamy Tomato Orzo Recipe and my Quick Courgette Pasta. Otherwise, try my Tomato and Chickpea Pasta with Mozzarella, Tomato and Anchovy Tart, or Creamy Lemon Butter Pasta Recipe.
Easy Lamb Recipes
One-Pan Slow Cooked Lamb with Baby Potatoes & Oregano
Pancake Recipes
Kaiserschmarrn (Traditional Austrian Pancakes)
High Protein Recipes
High Protein Dinner Recipes
Easy Baking Recipes
Cornflake Dream Cake with Mini Eggs
If you tried this Prawn and Tomato Linguine or any other recipe on the site, please do leave a comment and let us know how it went!
Prawn and Tomato Linguine
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 7 oz king prawns (jumbo shrimp), defrosted if using frozen
- 14 oz cherry tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 small pinch of dried chili flakes
- 7 oz linguine
- Fresh basil, to serve
- 1 knob of butter, optional
Instructions
- Get your pasta onto cook in boiling salty water. Cook it until very al dente – so about 2 minutes less than the package instructions. You want it undercooked by the time you add it to the sauce, as you are going to finish cooking it in the sauce at the end
- Then start by butterflying your prawns – just slice a slit down the back of them to open them up a little – it gives them more surface area to soak up the sauce and is quick, but I always feel it makes a big difference. Pat them dry with paper towels and then season generously with Maldon sea salt
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Fry the prawns for a couple of minutes on each side until they turn pink and take on a golden hue. Don’t overcook, or they'll turn to rubber. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- To the pan, add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds before adding the tomatoes. Season well. Cook on high for a few minutes until the tomatoes start to burst. Squish them with the back of a wooden spoon. Add a ladle of pasta cooking water and encourage the tomatoes to squish down. Add a knob of butter and mix with the olive oil and pasta cooking water to create a delicious sauce.
- Sprinkle in the chili flakes and add the prawns back to the sauce. Once the pasta is al dente, add it to the sauce. Toss it all together and cook for another minute until the pasta is cooked. Stir in the basil. Check the seasoning and serve.
- Add another drizzle of olive oil and some more basil leaves.
Video
Notes
Storage
To store: Transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. To reheat: I wouldn’t recommend reheating as the prawns often lose their soft texture. However, if needed, reheat in the microwave until piping hot all the way through or eat cold! Just remove from the fridge 20 minutes before eating so it loses its fridge chill. To freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this recipe as the texture is not good once defrosted.More quick tips
Vegetables: You can bump up the vegetables in this by adding a handful of spinach to the sauce, or I also like it with thinly sliced zucchini (courgette). Sometimes I spiralize a zucchini and cook it for the last few minutes when cooking the linguine. Some thinly sliced red pepper would be nice in the sauce, though it will take longer to cook. Tomatoes: Ideally, you want to use fresh cherry tomatoes, but if out of season, you could use canned cherry tomatoes. Buy good quality ones; you will notice the difference. Prawns: Any seafood that is very fresh and you can quickly pan-fry will work with this recipe. Squid would be good, as would little clams, which will open up and release their juices into the sauce as you cook them Herbs: I also love to use parsley in this recipe instead of basil. Dill would also be delicious.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m not a pasta lover but my husband is. So tonight we had it,he loved it sodidI and I have sent it on to my two Pasta loving ladies xx
Easy and quick. Even quicker if you use ready cooked prawns. Just bung ’em in AFTER you’ve started off the garlic and tomatoes. Used wholewheat spaghetti as didn’t have any linguine.
This was really delicious, easy to follow and quick. I cooked some leek after removing the prawns and prior to adding the garlic and tomatoes. As suggested in the recipe, dill could be used. I did and it was cery tasty. I will definitely cook this again.
Loved it. Cooked the prawns with the garlic before removing from pan
so in the video you also put butter in it from your knife but its not in the ingredients? umm ok
Thank you for noticing I’d missed it out, I’ve now amended the recipe. It happens, I’m only human!
Fantastic! My new quick and easy go to. Super delicious!
So happy to hear this, thank you!
Straightforward to make and all my family loved it. I find the instructions from Margie are spot on and always turn out very well. In this case I used tinned cherry tomatoes which worked well, and added chilli oil at the end for those who wanted an extra kick.