Spicy Chorizo and Prawn Pasta is the perfect meal for busy weeknights when you need something ready in 15 minutes. This easy pasta dish is the perfect combination of smoky & crispy chorizo and juicy plump king prawns.
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This tomato-based pasta dish is made with fresh and simple ingredients yet still delicious enough to impress the whole family. It has a hint of smokiness coming from spicy chorizo and smoked paprika.
Why This Recipe Works?
- It is ready in 15 minutes.
- The sauce doesn't have any cream which makes it a relatively healthy pasta dish (641 calories per portion).
- It is very easy to make yet still impressive enough to serve your guests.
- A great surf 'n' turf dish made with chorizo & prawn - a match made in heaven!
Ingredients and Substitutes
- Prawns - Fresh raw tiger prawns are the best option, they're big and juicy and taste amazing. Buy fresh prawns with shells and heads, if you can. However, peeled and deveined prawns make life easier so it's up to you what prawns to use. For a convenient alternative, use regular raw prawns, they're smaller but cheaper, and they still taste great.
- Red onions - You can substitute them with shallots or regular onions.
- Chorizo - I buy a good quality, fresh chorizo sausage from my local deli shop. Alternatively, you can buy it from your supermarket's charcuterie section. Sucuk (Turkish spicy sausage) is a great alternative for non-pork eaters.
- Cherry Tomatoes - They have a sweeter taste than regular tomatoes. Alternatively, you can use red & juicy summer tomatoes. Remove the eye of the tomatoes and cut them into small dice before adding them to the sauce.
- Peppers - I usually use Turkish green chillies but you can use any type of pepper you have in your fridge.
- Red Wine - Use a good quality wine that you would enjoy drinking as it affects the taste of the dish. You can omit if you want a non-alcohol sauce.
- Tomato Paste - It adds colour as well as an umami taste to the sauce.
- Spices - Adjust the amount to your taste. Feel free to add any other spices you like such as cajun spices, cayenne or white pepper.
- Parmesan Cheese - Freshly grate the parmesan cheese just before using and stay away from grated parmesan as they won't melt smoothly. You can also use pecorino cheese.
- Butter - Use salted or unsalted good quality butter for extra rich and nutty flavour. Lightly brown the butter before adding the chorizo.
- Parsley - Fresh parsley works great with pasta dishes but there are many other fresh herbs you can add to your pasta such as dill, basil or chives.
- Pasta - Tubular shaped pasta such as penne, rigatoni or ziti works great with this hearty tomato-based sauce.
Step-by-step Instructions
It is very easy to make this delicious pasta dish and to achieve the best results, you need to follow a few simple steps:
- Boil some water in a large pot and cook your pasta following the instructions on the packaging. If you are using fresh pasta, it will take less time to cook. Let your water boil and add the fresh pasta at the very last minute. Proceed to make the sauce while the pasta is cooking.
- Place a wok or a large pan on medium heat and add the chorizo when the pan is hot. Fry them until crisp. Remove the chorizo from the pan and set it aside on a plate. Add the prawns to the pan and cook for a minute, until they turn pink. Don't be tempted to cook longer as they will get cooked more when finishing the sauce. Remove the prawns from the pan and set them aside on a plate. Add the butter to the pan and add the chorizo, saute for another minute.
- Add the onions and garlic to the pan, sauté for a minute until slightly softened and then add the peppers. Sauté the peppers for a minute and then add the red wine, let it evaporate.
- When the wine evaporated, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, smoked paprika, salt, freshly ground black pepper and chillies (if using). Cook them until the tomatoes are slightly softened, add some pasta cooking water, and cook for a few more minutes.
- Add the parmesan cheese, herbs, and pre-cooked prawns to the sauce, give it a good stir and add the cooked pasta to the sauce. Nicely combine the pasta with the sauce and cook them together for another minute before serving.
Related Recipes
Chorizo is a spicy Spanish sausage that adds smokiness and a slight sweetness to the dishes. It pairs perfectly with chicken, prawns, or any other meat as well as vegetables such as potatoes, red onions, or red peppers. You can add it to your pasta dishes, stews or paella. It is also a great topping for pizza or Spanish omelette.
You can keep it in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 3 days. Alternatively, you can keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
This tomato-based spicey & smokey surf 'n' turf pasta dish pairs perfectly with a bowl of refreshing salad such as Rocket and Parmesan Salad, Summer Chickpea Salad or Greek Salad.
Top Tip From the Chef
Make sure you boil the water before adding it to your pasta. Always keep some pasta cooking water to add to your sauce as it helps thicken the sauce and gives a velvety texture.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this spicy surf&turf pasta dish as much as you would enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun!
Chorizo and Prawn Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 50 g chorizo (sliced)
- 300 g tiger or king prawns
- 20 g butter
- 1 small red onion (sliced)
- 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 50 g pepper (green, orange, yellow or red)
- ¼ cup red wine
- 150 g cherry tomatoes (cut in halves)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes or powder (optional)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 100 g grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
- ⅓ cup pasta cooking water
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 400 g pasta of your choice
Instructions
- Boil some water in a large pot and cook your pasta following the instructions on the packaging and proceed to make the sauce while it is cooking.
- Place a wok or a large pan on medium heat and add the chorizo when the pan is hot. Fry them until crisp.
- Remove the chorizo from the pan and set it aside on a plate.
- Add the prawns to the pan and cook for a minute, until they turn pink. Don't be tempted to cook longer as they will get cooked more when finishing the sauce.
- Remove the prawns from the pan and set them aside on a plate.
- Add the butter to the pan and add the chorizo, saute for another minute before adding the red onions and garlic.
- Saute the onions for a minute until slightly softened and then add the peppers.
- Sauté the peppers for a minute and then add the red wine.
- Let the wine evaporate and then add the tomatoes, tomato paste, smoked paprika, salt, freshly ground black pepper and chillies (if using).
- Cook them until the tomatoes are slightly softened, add some pasta cooking water, and cook for a few more minutes.
- Add the parmesan cheese, herbs, and pre-cooked prawns to the sauce, give it a good stir and add the cooked pasta to the sauce.
- Nicely combine the pasta with the sauce, cook together for another minute before serving.
Nutrition
FOOD SAFETY
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
Jeremy
I love a good pasta dish and this looks absolutely delightful!
Adrian
The whole family loved it, thanks for sharing this delicious pasta recipe!