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Shrimp / Prawn Pasta with Lemon

By:Nagi
73 Comments
Recipe v

Take your pasta up a notch by using the free flavour in prawn (shrimp) shells to make a quick stock which is used as a sauce for this Prawn Pasta. This is a restaurant secret!

A bowl of Prawn Pasta with cherry tomatoes and lemon

The first time I tried pasta made this way was at a family dinner when my brother made it. I have never scoffed down a pasta so fast, and I’m pretty sure I went back for thirds. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it was so good. So, so good. After dinner, he finally revealed that the sauce he used was made using the prawn heads and shells. And ever since then, I have been obsessed with making prawn (shrimp) pasta this way.

“Use the prawn (shrimp) heads and shells to make a sauce that makes this a restaurant quality pasta.”

So by using the prawn heads and shells to make a quick stock, you can make a pasta that is a step up from the usual. It’s not a full blown fish stock, just a quick one made using the prawn heads and shells. And it doesn’t taste fishy at all. I would describe it as sweet with a deep flavour. In fact, it’s actually quite hard to pick why the pasta tastes so good, you just know it does!

This is best made using raw whole prawns which you peel yourself because you will get the most flavour in the stock/sauce. But it can also be made using pre cooked prawns, as long as they are not peeled.

Oh, before I sign off, a quick tip for Sydney-siders! I got these prawns from Harris Farm Markets on a whim because I just discovered today that all their fresh seafood is 50% off from 2pm on Sundays! I will most certainly be making it a habit to swing by Harris Farms on Sunday afternoons…..

Happy cooking! – Nagi

PS Do you know how to tell a prawn is perfectly cooked? A raw prawn hangs straight. A perfectly cooked prawn curls into a “C” shape. An overcooked prawn curls into an “O” shape. It’s so sad when that happens!

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A bowl of Prawn Pasta with cherry tomatoes and lemon

Shrimp / Prawn Pasta with Lemon

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Pasta
Italian
4.83 from 17 votes
Servings4
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Using the prawn / shrimp heads and shells to make a quick stock (which is used as the sauce) takes this pasta to the next level. The pasta has a thick glossy coating from the "emulsification" of the starchy water and oil in pan combined with the rich, deep flavour of the prawn sauce.

Ingredients

Prawns / Shrimp

  • 1 lb / 500g large , raw, unpeeled prawns/shrimp
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Stock

  • 1 cup chicken or fish stock/broth (or vegetable)
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup white wine (optional - sub with water)
  • 1/2 onion , roughly chopped

Pasta

  • 400 g / 13oz spaghetti
  • 3/4 cup pasta cooking water (i.e. scoop it out once the pasta is cooked)
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil , plus extra for drizzling
  • 1 garlic clove , minced
  • 1 1/2 punnets cherry tomatoes , cut in half (or 3 large tomatoes, diced)
  • 1 large lemon (or 1 1/2 small lemons), zest and juice
  • 3 tbsp fresh parsley , finely chopped
  • 2 tsp dried chili flakes (optional)
  • Salt
  • Black pepper

To Serve

  • Extra lemon wedges
  • Extra fresh parsley , finely chopped

Instructions

  • Peel and devein the prawns, keeping the tails in tact. (Note 1)
  • Discard the vein and place the heads and shells in a saucepan or pot to make the stock. (Note 2)
  • Cut the larger prawns lengthwise in half.
  • Add 2 minced garlic cloves the minced garlic and 2 tbsp of olive oil. Use your fingers to gently coat the prawns. Cover and set aside to marinate while you make the stock.

Make the stock

  • Add the remaining stock ingredients into the saucepan/pot and place over high heat. Bring to boil then turn down to medium / medium high and let it simmer rapidly.
  • Get a potato masher and "crush" the prawn heads and shells (to extract maximum flavour). Do this a couple of times while it is simmering.
  • When the liquid has reduced to around 1 to 1 1/2 cups, strain the stock into a bowl, then pour the stock back into the pot. (Note 3) Place lid on, then set the stock aside, keeping it warm until required.

Cook the Pasta and Prawns/Shrimp

  • Bring a large pot of water with 2 tsp of salt to boil. Add pasta and cook until just before al dente (Note 4).
  • While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large deep fry pan over high heat.
  • Add the prawns and cook the first side for 1 minute, then turn and cook the other side for 1 minute. Remove onto a plate, loosely cover with foil and set aside. (Note 5)
  • Add the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil and 1 garlic clove (minced) into the fry pan. Scrape the residual oil and garlic from the bowl the prawns were marinating in as well. Return the fry pan to the stove and sauté until the garlic is fragrant.
  • Transfer the cooked pasta into the fry pan (use tongs to transfer it from the pasta pot) along with 3/4 cup of the pasta water (this is a key step) and cherry tomatoes. Gently toss the pasta in the fry pan for around 1 minute. The water will thicken and turn into a glossy coating on the pasta.
  • Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, chilli (if using) and prawns/shrimp. Quickly toss to combine, then pour over the stock and toss quickly to coat all the pasta. Then remove from heat immediately.
  • Season to taste with salt and pepper (always do this last).
  • Drizzle with extra olive oil, and serve immediately, with extra lemon wedges and fresh parsley if desired.
  • Note: seafood pastas and risottos are not traditionally garnished with parmesan (in Italy), however, I say do as you wish!

Recipe Notes:

1. This is how I peel prawns (I'm right handed): hold the prawn in your left hand and gently enclose your fingers around it so the prawn is almost straight. Break the head off with your right hand in a slight twisting motion, then gently pull it away and hopefully, the vein will be pulled out as you pull the head away from the body. If the vein breaks, just bend the prawn and the flesh will pull apart and expose the vein. Use a skewer or small sharp knife and to "hook" under the vein, pull it up then use your fingers to gently pull it out.
Then peel the shell off, leaving the tails in tact.
2. The larger the pot, the faster the stock reduces.
3. At this stage if you didn't reduce it enough, you can simmer it more until you get to the required 1 1/2 cups. If you reduced it too much, add a touch of water.
4. If the pasta packet says to cook for 8 minutes, I deduct 2 minutes so it is just before al dente. This is because the pasta finishes cooking in the sauce.
5. How to tell your prawn is cooked: A raw prawn hangs straight. A perfectly cooked prawn curls into a "C" shape. An overcooked prawn curls into an "O" shape. It's so sad when that happens!
6. I add the cherry tomatoes quite late so they are still holding their shape but are warmed through. You could add them into the pan before the pasta to soften them more. Another variation is to cook chopped tomatoes (or even crushed tomatoes) in the pan after cooking the prawns. Cook it down until thick then the pasta is extra saucy.
7. Nutrition per serving.
Lemon Prawn Shrimp Pasta Nutrition

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 546gCalories: 603cal (30%)Carbohydrates: 62.9g (21%)Protein: 39.6g (79%)Fat: 18.9g (29%)Saturated Fat: 3.1g (19%)Cholesterol: 312mg (104%)Sodium: 444mg (19%)Potassium: 754mg (22%)Fiber: 1.6g (7%)Sugar: 3.3g (4%)Vitamin A: 1500IU (30%)Vitamin C: 29.7mg (36%)Calcium: 130mg (13%)Iron: 5.6mg (31%)
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

 

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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

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73 Comments

  2. Chieko says

    Hi, Nagi!
    Made a fantastic garlicky sauce from shrimp heads today. I left the shells on the shrimp for “presentation” but there was no lack of flavor! I agree that people overcook shrimp all the time. When friends watch me cook shrimp they want to know “when” it’s ready. It’s hard to actually explain to them but by just watching me they learn something. It’s fun. Have a great holiday season!
    ~Chieko

    Reply

  5. Suzanne Brenton says

    3 stars
    I made this tonight for New Years Eve dinner. It was good but very mild, even though I jacked it up with more pepper flakes ( and white wine).
    Very easy to put together for a super quick meal! Happy New Year everyone!

    Reply

  6. Rhian Price says

    Silly question but with the stock, don’t I need to fry the onion first, or do I literally throw prawn heads, raw onion etc in and add the stock? Thank you!

    Reply

  9. Julia Surtees says

    Hi Nagi, once I have made prawn stock, would there be any flavour advantage adding prawn paste

    Reply

  10. Jim Batema says

    Oh my. just cleaned up the kitchen and still savoring the flavors of this delicious meal. I did it without a trip to the store, so I made some substitutions and it was still great. i used clam juice instead of stock, and diced tomatoes and dried parsley and I was still highly impressed. Thank you for sharing such a rich savory recipe with us. Next time you’re in New York, I’ll volunteer to be your culinary guide to the 5 boroughs. That would be too much fun!

    Reply

    • Nagi says

      YES!!! That is exactly what I’m doing myself! Actually, I freeze prawn shells then I make stock when I’ve built up enough of a stash then I freeze the prawn stock 🙂 I’ll share a recipe soon!

      Reply

  12. Josie Halbach says

    5 stars
    We had this delicious meal tonight. My goodness, it was FABULOUS! Thank you so much Nagi. Our youngest daughter asked to have this tonight & she actually savored it….as opposed to just gulping things down!

    Reply

  13. Mira says

    5 stars
    Shrimp pasta is my favorite and I like the hint of spiciness you added! The idea of this stock is genius and I must try it pretty soon! Love these huge prawns on the picture. Thanks for the great tip! Beautiful pictures as always!

    Reply

  14. Shashi @ runninsrilankan says

    My mom always uses prawn heads in her fish curry – then takes them out at the end – what a brilliant idea to use them in making pasta! Btw – this pasta dish looks mouthwatering and I don’t even like pasta that much!

    Reply

  15. ChopinandMysaucepan says

    Dear Nagi,

    We love cooking this beautiful prawn pasta at home too!

    I always sautee the heads and shells in about 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a small saucepan to extract the prawn flavoured oil which is a beautiful orange colour. Then I pour some stock and white wine to the heads and shells to make the stock and extract maximum flavour. This bright orange prawn flavoured oil is then used to sautee the prawns, garlic and cherry tomatoes and it give the dish a wonderful orange coloured gravy. I find that using finely diced anchovies and some of its oil together with small tangy capers add a more complex umami flavour to this dish too.

    An easy way to peel prawns for me is slitting lengthwise down the back with a pair of scissors and the shell peels off like a glove. The open slit down the back also absorbs more flavour when sauteeing in the prawn oil.

    I garnish with parsley too, some freshly grated parmesan and black pepper 🙂

    Reply

    • Nagi | RecipeTin says

      You make yours MUCH more “properly” than I do! I love the anchovy tip, that would definitely add another punch of flavour! I like your prawn peeling tip too, thank you! Another way I do it (bit hard to describe) is to push your thumb under the first shell (after taking the head off) then keep pushing along the spine and each “piece” of shell sort of “pops” off one by one! Thank you for your wonderful comment!

      Reply

    • Nagi | RecipeTin says

      I had to laugh – my mum hates these types of photos, she says it is off-putting to see “mess”! She also hates the photos with a bite taken out of them, crumbs etc etc!! Cause she hates it so much, it’s becoming my “signature” style!!

      Reply