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    Home » Recipes » Pasta Recipes

    Prawn Linguine - Authentic Italian Recipe

    Published: Feb 25, 2021 · Modified: Mar 11, 2021 by Andrea

    Jump to Recipe
    linguine with prawns in a shallow casserole pot, topped with chopped parsley and whole king prawns. Image for Pinterest.

    Bursting with flavour, this classic Italian prawn linguine recipe makes a fantastic option for a quick delicious meal!

    Prawn pasta or shrimp pasta is such a classic Italian recipe and one of the most loved, especially in the summertime.

    So it's time to share my secret recipe for authentic Italian Linguine con gamberi! 

    prawn linguine in a shallow casserole pot, topped with chopped parsley and whole king prawns.

    Growing up in Sicily, my mum would make this simple prawn pasta every sunday over summer, and it was my absolute favourite pasta dish.

    Smothered in a fresh tomato sauce with garlic and lemon, linguine with prawns is such a simple yet sophisticated dish sure to wow guests at the dinner table.

    It's my go-to dish for a date night or if I need something quick and delicious to feed my family.

    It's a well-balanced healthy pasta dish, it's packed with flavours and absolutely easy to make, I mean, what's not to love?

    The best part is that this restaurant-worthy pasta comes together easily in just about 20 minutes, making it a perfect quick dinner meal!

    Ingredients Tips

    In typical Italian fashion, you basically need just three main ingredients, plus some aromatics and extra-virgin olive oil.

    Choose your ingredients wisely, quality is the key here!

    recipe ingredients: raw unpeeled king prawns, cherry tomatoes, garlic, bunch of parsley, lemon, linguine pasta.

    PASTA

    Most pasta shapes will go well with this seafood dish. Penne, spaghetti, fusilli and of course linguine are the best options.

    My only recommendation is to use high-quality pasta for the best result. 

    Whenever possible, go for bronze-cut pasta made in Italy (Gragnano pasta is my favourite), which is slightly coarser than usual commercial pasta.

    Its unique texture makes it the best vehicle for a great sauce.

    KING PRAWNS

    Feel free to choose your favorite prawns for this king prawn pasta recipe.

    Fresh or frozen raw jumbo prawns are my go-to option, they're big and juicy and taste amazing.

    Buy fresh shrimp with shells and heads, if you can. However, peeled and butterflied prawns make the job easier, so you choose!

    For a convenient alternative, go for regular raw prawns, they're smaller but much more cost-effective, and they still taste great.

    TOMATOES

    You can use canned or fresh tomatoes to make this easy prawn tomato pasta.

    If you're going to use canned tomatoes, the best ones to look for is the San Marzano variety.

    They grow in Italy, in the Campania region, and have a PDO (protected designation of origin) status. 

    If you opt for fresh tomatoes choose cherry or Piccadilly tomatoes, San Marzano or Roma tomatoes.

    You don't need to peel cherry and Piccadilly tomatoes, but if you use other varieties, I recommend you blanch the tomatoes, remove their peel and deseed them before use. 

    AROMATICS

    Garlic: Add it chopped, grated, or leave it whole for a more subtle flavor.

    Lemon: Add a little lemon zest for a refreshing note, it brings this dish to a whole new level

    Chili: If you like a little bit of heat, you can easily make chili prawn linguine by adding a generous pinch of red chili flakes. Even better if they come from Calabria, Italy, the region is famous for its amazing chili!

    A quick and easy pasta recipe in 4 simple steps

    Here are the simple steps and video recipe, to make the best prawn linguine you ever had. You can find the full printable recipe at the bottom of the post.

     

    Step 1 – Pan-fry the cherry tomatoes

    Heat a skillet over medium heat, add the garlic followed by the tomatoes and a sprig of parsley, and stir-fry for a few minutes.

    Step 2 – Add the prawns

    Add the cleaned king prawns into the skillet. I like to add whole king prawns first, then a handful of chopped ones, to give more texture to the sauce. 

    Stir fry them for a couple of minutes, until they're pink and cooked through. Pour in a splash of white wine at this point if you like. Remove the parsley and garlic from the pan and discard.

    Step 3 – Cook the pasta

    Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, then cook the pasta al dente, about 8 minutes for linguine.

    Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of pasta water. Add the pasta into the skillet, and sauté all the ingredients for a minute.

    If your sauce it's too dry, pour in a little of the reserved pasta water.

    Step 4 – Mix everything together and serve

    Stir to combine all the ingredients, then turn the heat off.

    Sprinkle some chopped parsley all over the linguine, season generously with freshly cracked black pepper - et-voila, it's all ready to hit your dinner table.

    king prawn linguine topped with freshly chopped parsley in a large shallow pot.

    Tips for the BEST King Prawn Linguine

    For the most amazing result, here are my cooking tips:

    • Once you have shelled and deveined the prawns, you can leave the tail on or chop it off.
    • I like to chop ⅓ of the prawns into tiny bits, to make the sauce richer.
    • Cook the pasta al dente. Al dente means the pasta has still a firm bite when you drain it, usually 2-3 minutes before the cooking time set on your package instructions.
    • When you add the pasta into the skillet and sauté it together with the prawns, a little starch from the pasta is released and creates an embracing creamy sauce, so don't skip this step.
    • Always keep ½ a glass of pasta cooking water at hand. If the pasta gets too dry while you sauté it, adding the reserved water to make it creamy again.
    • White wine is optional, you can add a splash for extra flavor, but it's really not necessary in this kind of recipe.

    prawn linguine in a shallow casserole pot, topped with chopped parsley and whole king prawns.

    Storage tips

    Linguine with prawns should be served nice and hot straight away. You can keep them in the fridge for a couple of hours, but remember that seafood spoils easily.

    I do not recommend eating it the next day or freezing leftovers.

    More pasta recipes to try:

    • Sicilian Pasta alla Norma
    • Shiitake Mushroom Pasta
    • Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake
    • Vegan Broccoli Pesto Pasta

    Did you make this recipe?

    Please let me know how you liked it! Leave a comment and/or a rating below, and share a picture and tag @thepetitecook on Instagram!

    Reading your feedback and looking at your pictures always makes me smile *and super hungry*! 

    prawn linguine in a shallow casserole pot, topped with chopped parsley and whole king prawns.
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    4.67 from 53 votes

    Prawn Linguine - Authentic Italian Recipe

    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Bursting with flavour, this classic Italian prawn linguine recipe makes a fantastic option for a quick delicious meal!
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Serving: 4
    Calories: 495kcal
    Author: Andrea Soranidis

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1 garlic clove, halved
    • 200 g cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters lenghthwise
    • 320 g linguine
    • 700 g cleaned king prawns, (no heads and shells)
    • 1 teaspoon red chili flakes, optional
    • 2 tablespoon parsley + 1 sprig, finely chopped
    • 1 tablespoon lemon zest

    Instructions

    • Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the garlic followed by the tomatoes and a sprig of parsley, and stir-fry for a few minutes, stirring often.
    • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, then cook the pasta al dente, about 8 minutes for linguine.
    • Add the red chili flakes (if using ) into the skillet, followed by the cleaned king prawns. I like to add whole king prawns first, then a handful of chopped ones, to give more texture to the sauce. 
      Stir fry them for a couple of minutes, until they're pink and cooked through. Pour in a splash of white wine at this point if you like. Remove the parsley and garlic from the pan and discard them, then sprinkle the lemon zest all over the prepared sauce.
    • Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of pasta water. Add the pasta into the skillet, and sauté all the ingredients for a minute. If your sauce it's too dry, pour in a little of the reserved pasta water.
    • Stir to combine all the ingredients, then turn the heat off. Sprinkle some chopped parsley all over the linguine, season generously with freshly cracked black pepper and serve immediately.

    Video

    Notes

    Once you have removed the heads, shelled and deveined the prawns, you can leave them whole or chop some of them. I like to chop ⅓ of the prawns into tiny chunks for a more flavorful sauce. You can also leave some of the raw king prawns with the shell on to serve them on top of the pasta.
    This dish is best served nice and hot straight away. You can keep the pasta in the fridge for a couple of hours, but remember that seafood spoils easily.
    I do not recommend eating it the next day or freezing leftovers.
    Did you try this recipe? Tag @thepetitecook or use the hashtag #thepetitecook - Looking at your pictures makes my day!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 495kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 221mg | Sodium: 1009mg | Potassium: 500mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 709IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 2mg

    The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lauren says

      November 08, 2022 at 2:10 am

      Do you have to remove the garlic?

      Reply
      • Andrea says

        November 16, 2022 at 9:58 am

        Hi Lauren, for a milder taste you can remove the garlic, if you are a garlic fan you can leave it!

        Reply
    2. Jeanette Cousins says

      September 24, 2022 at 8:48 am

      5 stars
      Fantastic
      Have this at least once a week

      Reply
      • Abalone says

        October 03, 2022 at 12:34 pm

        5 stars
        Great recipe, hit the spot. Will do it again, soon.

        Reply
    3. Lee says

      February 05, 2022 at 3:32 am

      5 stars
      I was hesitant due to the simplicity but it was absolutely delicious!

      Reply
    4. Liz Crosby says

      January 27, 2022 at 9:33 pm

      5 stars
      Now our go-to, bellissima

      Reply

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    About Andrea

    Andrea Soranidis, founder of The Petite Cook.


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