A truly delicious pasta dish doesn't need more than a few ingredients and this Tomato and Garlic Prawn Spaghetti is proof of that. Light and fresh, ready in just 15 minutes and easy to adapt. If you are a garlic lover, then this easy weeknight pasta dish is for you.
You can never have too many easy pasta dishes in your life, right? This one couldn't be more simple and it's easy to adapt with all of your favourite pasta ingredients.
It feels far more indulgent than it actually is, as this is comfort food with a healthy twist. A light and fresh tomato based pasta dish with some added greens.
Looking for more seafood pasta dishes? Try our quick Sardine Pasta, delicious Mackerel Pasta, spicy Chilli Prawn Linguine or our comforting Tuna Spaghetti.
Jump to:
Why You Will Love It
- A great way to cook with prawns - If you are bored of the same prawn recipes, then this is a good way to mix things up a bit. It's also an easy way to cook with prawns for the first time if you haven't before.
- Quick - This meal is ready in just 15 minutes.
- Healthy and low fat - Just 522 calories for a hearty and filling meal that is packed with greens. It's also a great low fat option.
- Easy to adapt - We have given you a few different ways to adapt this recipe with different vegetables.
- A light and fresh pasta dish - This is the perfect meal for a warm summer night.
Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Prawns - We used frozen cooked king prawns. They defrost really quickly and only need to be heated through for a short time.
- Spaghetti - This is what the delicious sauce gets mixed into. You don't have to use spaghetti though, and any pasta will work.
- Tomatoes - Cherry tomatoes are the base of this sauce. Try to use the best quality tomatoes that you can, as you honestly will taste the difference. Vine ripened tomatoes are our favourite. We also used some sun-dried tomatoes as they have such an intense flavour.
- Lemon - This adds a lovely freshness to the finished dish. We used the juice and zest. You could leave one, or both, out though if you prefer.
- Garlic - This recipe is heavy on the garlic, but that's probably the best part of it. If you don't love garlic as much as we do, then you can reduce the amount used.
- Herbs - We used fresh parsley, as it pairs beautifully with prawns and garlic and really adds to the light and fresh flavours in this dish. You could swap it for fresh basil or coriander if you prefer.
- Rocket (arugula) - This gives the dish a nice little green veggie boost and a nice peppery flavour. You could use spinach instead.
Variations
This is an easy dish to adapt with all your favourite vegetables. We kept it simple by just stirring some rocket (spinach or kale both work work too) into the pasta at the end, however you could pack this with vegetables if you wanted. Here are some other vegetables that would work well in this:
- Mushrooms
- Courgette (zucchini)
- Broccoli
- Aubergine (eggplant)
- Artichoke
- Bell peppers
Step by Step
- Step 1: Put the spaghetti into a pan of boiling water and simmer for 12 minutes.
- Step 2: Meanwhile, add the oil to a frying pan and gently heat on low. Add the garlic and cherry tomatoes and gently cook for 3 minutes.
- Step 3: Add the prawns and sun-dried tomatoes and cook for a further 2 minutes. Carefully squashing the cherry tomatoes so they burst (see tip below).
- Step 4: Drain the spaghetti and add to the tomato mixture. Add the rocket (arugula), lemon juice and zest and salt and pepper Mix well and serve.
Health Benefits of Prawns
Prawns are a low-in-fat protein source and they are so versatile. You can use them in pasta, salads, sandwiches and so much more.
They are a good source of selenium, which is one of the most effective antioxidants at maintaining healthy cells. They also contain high levels of zinc, which is important to develop a healthy immune system.
Read more about the health benefits of prawns.
Serving Suggestions
You know what goes well with pasta? Garlic bread of course! Either buy some ready made, or make your own easy garlic bread by cutting up some French stick and spreading it with a mix of butter, crushed garlic and dried herbs. Then pop it in the oven for 10 minutes.
You could also keep it simple with a big green salad. The key to an epic green salad is to use a variety of greens, like romaine, spinach, kale and rocket.
You want leafy greens, but crunch too. Then you need the perfect dressing. Why not try our Lemon Vinaigrette, Honey and Mustard Dressing or Tomato and Basil Vinaigrette.
Here are some other side dishes that would compliment this prawn spaghetti well:
- Balsamic and Garlic Roasted Cauliflower
- Roasted Lemon Asparagus
- Broccoli Salad
- Roasted Garlic and Herb Mushrooms
- Spanish Olives
- Beetroot and Goats Cheese Salad
- Grilled Corn with Herb Butter
Extra Tips
- When squashing the tomatoes (step 3), be careful as the insides will be hot and can squirt out. This step is needed as it creates a "sauce" for the dish.
- We used king prawns to make this, as we prefer the chunkier texture. You can use smaller prawns if you prefer, or shrimp as they are called in the US.
- Do not overcook this recipe, as the prawn will get a bit rubbery.
- You can add an extra kick of flavour by sprinkling some dried red chilli flakes on top before serving.
- When draining the spaghetti, add a little of the pasta water (just a splash). This helps to thicken the sauce up a little and will help it to cling to the spaghetti.
- Adding a pinch of sugar to the sauce really helps to bring out the flavour of the tomatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can easily make a creamy version of this. Just add a couple of tablespoons of creme fraiche, or even cream cheese.
If prawns aren't your thing, then you could swap them for flaked grilled salmon, or even leftovers from a Roast Chicken.
Yes, it is easy to make this gluten free. Just use your favourite gluten free spaghetti.
If you have leftovers of this, then you can store it in an air tight container in the fridge until the next day. To heat it up, put it in a frying pan with a splash of water to loosen it up and heat it through.
More Prawn Recipes
If you’ve tried this prawn spaghetti, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Garlic Prawn Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 140 g (5 oz) Spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 5 Garlic cloves - crushed
- 150 g (5 oz) King prawns
- 15 Cherry tomatoes
- 100 g (1 cups) Sun-dried tomatoes
- 20 g (1 cups) rocket (arugula)
- 1 Lemon - (juice and zest only)
- 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper
- 5 g Fresh parsley - chopped
Instructions
- Put 140 g Spaghetti into a pan of boiling water and simmer for 12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon Olive oil to a frying pan and gently heat on low. Add 5 Garlic cloves (crushed) and 15 Cherry tomatoes and gently cook for 3 minutes.
- Add 150 g King prawns and 100 g Sun-dried tomatoes and cook for a further 2 minutes. Carefully squashing the cherry tomatoes so they burst.
- Drain the spaghetti and add to the tomato mixture. Add 20 g rocket (arugula), 1 Lemon (juice and zest) and 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper. Mix well and serve with 5 g Fresh parsley (finely chopped) sprinkled on top.
Recipe Tips
- When squashing the tomatoes (step 3), be careful as the insides will be hot and can squirt out. This step is needed as it creates a "sauce" for the dish.
- We used king prawns to make this, as we prefer the chunkier texture. You can use smaller prawns if you prefer, or shrimp as they are called in the US.
- Do not overcook this recipe, as the prawn will get a bit rubbery.
- You can add an extra kick of flavour by sprinkling some dried red chilli flakes on top before serving.
- When draining the spaghetti, add a little of the pasta water (just a splash). This helps to thicken the sauce up a little and will help it to cling to the spaghetti.
- Adding a pinch of sugar to the sauce really helps to bring out the flavour of the tomatoes.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
This recipe is for, and inspired by, Izzie, aka Coriander Queen. We sadly lost one of our blogging friends, who died after a long battle, aged just 29. This post is our little tribute and way of saying goodbye.
Kristen Wood says
I love the addition of sun-dried tomatoes and arugula..it sounds so flavorful!
Chenée says
So many amazing flavors in this garlic prawn dish! With the spaghetti it was a delicious weeknight meal.
Irina says
I made this pasta dish for our lunch today! WOW! It turned out perfect. It is absolutely delicious!
Natalie says
Oh this looks sooo good. I have to make this tonight. It's such a light and delicious summer dinner idea. Love it!