This Creamy Garlic prawn Pasta will satisfy those nights when nothing else but creamy pasta is required! This version of Garlic Cream Prawns is pasta covered in a creamy garlic sauce and mixed with plump Shrimp. This dish is rich but not excessively so. It’s a pasta lover’s dream!
Creamy Garlic Prawns Pasta
We deserve a little treat now that the weekend is upon us! Instead of going to dinner, I suggest you make THIS delicious Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta.
It’s indulgent, but it’s much healthier than eating out. Restaurant food tastes good because it is loaded with butter and oil. After eating at Guillaume Brahimi’s restaurant, I hunted for his famous Mashed potato recipe. It uses 200g/1 3/4 sticks of butter per 600g/1.2 lb potato. THAT’S INSANE!!!!! Just reading the formula made my arteries feel clogged!!
You won’t get sick after eating this. It’s rich but not too rich. You can’t be blamed if you eat more than your fair portion.
You do not need to use gallons of heavy cream to make delicious creamy pasta
This recipe is for four people and uses 1 cup of heavy cream. That’s 1/4 cup per serving. This is a reasonable amount of cream for pasta.
This is done to thicken the sauce by combining freshly grated Parmesan Cheese and emulsifying it. If you have tried any of my pasta recipes, you will know that this step, along with the whole nation of Italy, is mandatory. The pasta must be tossed in the sauce with a splash of pasta cooking water. The starch and fat will thicken and make the sauce sticky to stick to the pasta instead of sitting at the bottom.
It’s the same with creamy pasta. It’s best to use it with creamy pasta, as this is the most efficient way to thicken sauces without adding more cream.
It’s hard to photograph creamy pasta so that you can see how the sauce coats the pasta. Do you notice how the sauce is not / barely a pool on the plate? The sauce is all on the pasta, prawns, and Shrimp!
The best prawns to use for Creamy Prawn Pasta
I love to make Creamy Garlic Prawn Pasta using small or medium prawns. To those on the other side, that’s Shrimp. I prefer jumbo-sized prawns to jumbo-sized prawns. Because of this, I use (gasp! shock, horror!) Raw prawns that have been frozen and peeled.
When I made it the other day (pictured above in the black skillet), I peeled the prawns and left the tail intact. It felt like I was proving that I had peeled the prawns myself. But in retrospect, it was not practical because I couldn’t stop eating to pull the tail from my mouth.
Peeling fresh prawns over frozen is best. Because they are so small, peeling them is a hassle. Frozen prawns are perfectly acceptable.
I am looking for a prawn-based pasta that doesn’t use cream
Try this Spicy Chilli Prawn Pasta with a tomato-based sauce or this Lemon Prawn Pasta.
You’re probably eager to sit on your couch after a hard week and watch something easily understood. You only need a bowl of delicious homemade food and your favorite wine to complete this picture.
In my vision, I see a cozy bowl filled with deliciousness in the form of this Creamy Garlic prawn Pasta. If you get the water to boil, you’ll have this on your plate in just 20 minutes. It’s even faster than takeout!
PS Try the foil pack prawns and potatoes version one day. You can enjoy cheesy potatoes and creamy garlic prawns in a foil packet!
Instructions
Bring a large pot to a boil. Add pasta to the bank and cook according to the packet, MINUS one minute. (Note 5).
Before draining the pasta, remove 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain pasta.
Melt 1 tbsp butter in a non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add prawns, and cook on each side for 1 1/2 minutes until cooked. Remove prawns.
Add one tablespoon of butter to the same pan. Once melted, add garlic. Stir for 20 seconds to release the aroma.
Stir in the wine. Stir and simmer for 2 minutes until the wine has reduced to a large extent (see video).
Add cream, broth, and parmesan. Stir until the parmesan has melted. Then simmer for 1 1/2 mins until slightly thickened (it will reduce further in the next step).
Add the prawns and stir. Then add the pasta along with about 1/4 cup of pasta water. The sauce will start to cling to the pasta after 30 -45 seconds of tossing the pasta.
It will thicken even more if you remove it from the heat before it reaches the desired thickness.
Check salt (I do not need more). Continue tossing until you get the desired consistency. If it becomes too gluggy, add a splash of pasta water.
Serve immediately, garnished with the remaining parsley or parmesan if desired.
Recipe Notes
Size of the SHRIMP / PRAWN: It is better to use smaller ones because they disperse more quickly in the pasta. For medium and giant prawns, I recommend 400g/14 oz. You may want to cut them in half or into pieces if they are giant. I use frozen prawns that have been peeled because it is a hassle to peel smaller prawns. Before cooking, thaw the prawns thoroughly and dry them with a paper towel (otherwise, the residual water will leach).TIP: Save the liquid from the thawing process and use it to make the broth. This is like getting a free seafood stock! 2. WINE: Sauv Blanc is an excellent dry white. Sweet and fruity wines like rieslings, or those with a lot of sweetness, could be more suitable. You can substitute it with chicken broth or vegetable broth. 3. CREAM: The sauce will thicken faster and better when using heavy cream. The sauce will be thinner if you use lighter cream. 4. PARMESAN: Freshly grated is the only way to go! Store-bought will not melt as smoothly. Tap the cup while you grate when measuring by cup instead of weight. The volume will be greater. It’s fluffy, so 40g of parmesan will be more than 1 cup if you don’t tap it. 5. Reduce the amount of money you spend. The cooking time is reduced because the pasta is finished cooking in the sauce.
