15-Minute Garlic Prawn Pasta

A fast, garlicky prawn pasta built on a light lemon-and-chilli pan sauce. It uses everyday ingredients and one pan of pasta water to bring it together, so you get a glossy, restaurant-style plate on a busy weeknight.

When you want something special without the effort, this is the answer. Prawns need only a couple of minutes in the pan, so most of the time here is just boiling pasta. Garlic, a hit of chilli and a squeeze of lemon do the heavy lifting, while a splash of starchy pasta water pulls it into a silky sauce that clings to every strand.

Ingredients

• 200 g spaghetti or linguine
• 250 g raw king prawns — peeled and deveined, thawed if frozen
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 25 g butter
• 4 cloves garlic — thinly sliced
• 0.5 tsp dried chilli flakes — or to taste
• 1 lemon — zest and juice
• 60 ml dry white wine — optional
• 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley — roughly chopped
• 1 pinch salt and black pepper — to season

Method

1. Bring a large pan of well-salted water to a rolling boil and cook the pasta according to the packet, aiming for al dente. Before draining, scoop out a mugful of the starchy cooking water.
2. While the pasta cooks, pat the prawns dry with kitchen paper and season lightly. Drying them helps them sear rather than steam.
3. Warm the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and chilli flakes and cook gently for about a minute, until fragrant but not browned, or it will turn bitter.
4. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the prawns in a single layer. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until they turn pink, curl into a loose C shape and are cooked through with no grey or translucent flesh remaining.
5. Pour in the wine, if using, and let it bubble for a minute to cook off the raw alcohol. Add the lemon zest and a good splash of the reserved pasta water.
6. Tip in the drained pasta and toss hard over the heat for a minute, adding more pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce turns glossy and coats the strands.
7. Turn off the heat, squeeze in the lemon juice and scatter over the parsley. Toss again, taste and adjust the salt, pepper and chilli.
8. Serve straight away in warm bowls, making sure the prawns are piping hot throughout, with any pan juices poured over the top.

Serve it with

• Warm, crusty bread to mop up the pan juices
• A crisp green salad with a sharp vinaigrette
• A glass of chilled dry white wine
• A scattering of extra chilli flakes for heat lovers
• Lightly dressed rocket on the side

Why this works

Reserved pasta water is the secret: its starch emulsifies the oil, butter and lemon into a clingy sauce without any cream. Cooking the garlic low and slow builds sweet flavour, while adding the prawns only briefly keeps them plump and tender rather than rubbery.

Common swaps

• Use linguine, tagliatelle or even gluten-free pasta in place of spaghetti
• No wine? Swap for an extra splash of pasta water and a little more lemon
• Swap prawns for firm white fish chunks or sliced squid, adjusting the cooking time
• Stir in a handful of baby spinach or halved cherry tomatoes for extra veg
• Add a little anchovy paste with the garlic for a deeper savoury note

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overcooking the prawns until tough; pull them off the heat as soon as they turn pink and opaque
• Burning the garlic, which makes the whole dish bitter; keep the heat gentle until fragrant
• Draining away all the pasta water; you need that starchy liquid to make the sauce
• Under-salting the pasta water, which leaves the finished dish flat

Storage, freezing & reheating

Storage: Best eaten fresh, but leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one day.

Reheating: Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water until piping hot throughout; avoid the microwave, which can make the prawns rubbery.

Allergen notes: contains Crustaceans, Gluten, Milk. Always check individual product labels.

Estimated nutrition

Per serving, estimated from typical ingredient values — not a substitute for precise dietary calculation.