Description
A simple and delicious spicy tomato and prawn pasta recipe that combines succulent prawns with a flavorful tomato sauce, enhanced by garlic, chili flakes, and fresh basil. Perfect for a quick yet impressive weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 300 grams Pasta (spaghetti or linguine)
Seafood
- 400 grams Prawns (deveined and peeled, fresh or frozen)
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons Olive Oil (high-quality)
- 3-4 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1 medium Onion (finely chopped)
- 400 grams Canned diced tomatoes or fresh ripe tomatoes (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon Red chili flakes
- Salt (to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1/2 lemon (juice only)
Herbs
- 1 handful Fresh basil leaves (torn)
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Cook the pasta according to the package instructions in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Reserve about a cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- Sauté Onion: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until translucent, releasing sweetness and softening the texture.
- Add Garlic: Add the minced garlic to the skillet and stir for about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn it, to impart depth of flavor.
- Simmer Tomatoes: Pour in the diced tomatoes and let the mixture simmer for 5-7 minutes to develop a rich sauce.
- Spice it Up: Add the red chili flakes and stir well to evenly distribute the heat throughout the sauce. Adjust the amount of chili flakes to your preferred spice level.
- Cook Prawns: Add the prawns to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes until they turn pink and opaque, indicating they are perfectly cooked.
- Season the Sauce: Season the sauce with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and lemon juice, adjusting to taste to balance flavors and add brightness.
- Toss Pasta in Sauce: Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss well to coat with the sauce. Add a bit of the reserved pasta water if the sauce looks too thick, to help it cling to the pasta evenly.
- Add Fresh Basil: Stir in the torn fresh basil leaves and let the pasta sit in the skillet for a minute, allowing the herb to release its aroma.
- Serve: Serve the spicy tomato and prawn pasta hot, garnished with additional fresh basil if desired for a fresh and vibrant finish.
Notes
- Use high-quality olive oil for the best flavor.
- Adjust red chili flakes to suit your spice preference, reducing or increasing as desired.
- If fresh tomatoes are used instead of canned, ensure they are ripe and chopped finely for the best sauce texture.
- You can substitute the prawns with other seafood like scallops or chicken for variation.
- Reserve pasta water to help loosen the sauce and aid in coating the pasta perfectly.
- This dish pairs well with a crisp green salad and crusty bread.
