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

Prawn Linguine - Authentic Italian Recipe

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 495kcal
Bursting with flavour, this classic Italian prawn linguine recipe makes a fantastic option for a quick delicious meal!
Print Recipe

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.

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