Creamy Prawn And Chorizo Pasta

This rich & indulgent Creamy Prawn and Chorizo Pasta combines smoky chorizo with plump & succulent king prawns tossed together in a creamy tomato sauce. On the table in under 30 minutes! 

Are you a fan of highly-flavoured creamy pasta dishes? Well, look no further because this creamy prawn and chorizo pasta recipe may just become your new favourite! 

Im going to show you how this mouthwatering fusion of flavours combining juicy king prawns, and smoky chorizo with a luscious creamy tomato sauce creates a pasta dish that you will keep coming back to time and time again.

  In this blog post, I’ll also guide you through how to adapt this recipe to suit different dietary requirements. Whether you're looking for gluten-free alternatives or seeking dairy-free options, I've got you covered with easy-to-follow modifications that will ensure everyone can enjoy this yummy dish without any restrictions or compromises on taste!

If you love pasta as much as I do & like a bit of heat, you may want to also check out my spicy nduja pasta sauce (Nduja is a spreadable cured spiced pork sausage that has a slightly similar flavour to chorizo so if you love chorizo you will love this too!) If you like things a little milder this hidden vegetable tomato sauce & creamy bacon & mushroom pasta bake may be more your thing.

Serve up this creamy prawn pasta with some insanely delicious, buttery dairy free garlic bread.

Jump to:

• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🤔 How Can I Make Creamy Prawn & Chorizo Pasta Allergen Friendly?
• ✏️ How To Make - Step-By-Step Instructions
• 💡 Tips & Tricks
• 🥡 Storage, Reheating & Freezing
• 💬 Recipe FAQs
• 📖 More Pasta Dishes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

🥘 Ingredients

✋ Be sure to double check all packaging for allergens. ✋

• Pasta - I like to use penne pasta for this recipe as the sauce clings really nicely to it. Other tube-shaped or short kinds of pasta like rigatoni and fusilli would also work well. Swap out for gluten free pasta to make this recipe gluten free.
• King Prawns - For ease I have used pre-cooked frozen king prawns as they just need to be defrosted prior to cooking and then warmed through. You can also use raw king prawns like I have in this recipe for gambas pil pil. If using the raw variety, add them to the pan when adding the garlic and make sure they have turned pink and are fully cooked through before eating.
• Chorizo -  Spicy or not spicy? It's up to you! I would advise buying a chorizo ring over the slices, as it can be chopped into nice square chunks. Use any leftovers to make this chorizo & red pepper pasta salad.
• Canned Tomatoes -  Use either chopped tomatoes or whole tomatoes. If you prefer a smoother sauce you can use passata instead.
• Aromatics - Garlic and red onion are used to form the base of the sauce. You can use regular onion for a slightly stronger flavour if you prefer.
• Red Pepper - This is diced and adds texture to the dish, as well as giving you one of your five a day! You can also use yellow or orange pepper, but I wouldn’t recommend using green pepper as it has a more bitter taste.
• Double Cream - To keep this recipe dairy free I have used a plant based double cream, but feel free to use regular cream if no one you are cooking for needs to avoid milk. Single cream can also be used, but note that the sauce will be thinner.
• Vegetable Stock - I love using Knorr Vegetable Stock Pots as they are gluten and dairy free. (Always double-check packaging)
• Paprika - For extra smokiness! I have used smoked paprika, but you can also use regular paprika too.
• Sugar - This is added to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes.
• Parsley -  I would really recommend using fresh parsley as dried parsley will not taste the same. Chop the parsley finely and then sprinkle some through the pasta & a little more over the top before serving for decoration and a touch of peppery taste.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

🤔 How Can I Make Creamy Prawn & Chorizo Pasta Allergen Friendly?

The brilliant thing about this dish is you can adapt certain ingredients to make them suitable for people with different dietary requirements!

• To Make This Dish Gluten Free >> Simply swap regular pasta for a gluten-free pasta. Nearly all major supermarkets now have a “free from” section and you can pick up a gluten-free version of most varieties of pasta.
• To Make This Dish Dairy Free>> Use a dairy free double cream like this Oatly double cream.  One thing to note is that this cream is not gluten free, so if you need the dish to be gluten free too you will need to use either a soya or other plant-based cream. Remember to check the packaging on the chorizo as some do contain milk.
• To Make This Dish Shellfish Free >> Now I know it won't really be the same dish since its called “prawn” & chorizo pasta but if you are allergic to shellfish a good alternative would be to use king oyster or shiitake mushrooms instead.

✏️ How To Make - Step-By-Step Instructions

⬇️ Here you will find an overview of how to make the recipe. For full information on ingredients and quantities please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page ⬇️

Step 1: First off, you need to cook the pasta in some salted water (leave out the salt if cooking for young children)  as per the packet instructions. When it's time to drain the pasta, save about a cup of the starchy pasta water, as you will need this for the sauce later on.

Step 2: Next dice up the chorizo into bite-sized chunks. I have used spicy chorizo, but you can buy a standard one if you prefer things a bit milder.  Drizzle a little olive oil into a large frying pan and throw the chorizo into the pan and fry for about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring regularly until the chorizo gets all crispy and starts to release its mouthwatering juices. Take the chorizo out of the pan and set it aside.

Step 3: Now it's time to cook the veggies. Take the onion and red pepper, and dice them into small squares. Add them into the same pan with the chorizo juices. Cook for around 3-4 minutes. They will begin to soften & soak up all that chorizo goodness. Next, add the garlic and paprika to the pan and stir for another 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 4: Time to bring in the canned tomatoes. Pour them into the pan along with the chorizo, made up vegetable stock & a pinch of sugar to balance out the flavours. Let it all simmer on a low heat for about 10 minutes, and let those flavours really intensify.  

Step 5: Add the cooked prawns to the pan for the last couple of minutes. If you are using raw prawns, add them to the pan when you add the garlic and paprika to ensure they are fully cooked.

Step 6: Pour the cream into the pan and give it a good stir. Make sure the heat is nice and low as you don't want the cream to curdle in the sauce.

Step 7: Add the pasta to the pan along with half a cup of that reserved pasta water you saved earlier. This magical water will make your sauce super creamy and velvety – you won't believe the difference! Mix everything together until you have a smooth, creamy sauce coating each strand of pasta.

Step 8: Stir through a handful of fresh, chopped parsley. Serve immediately with a little more parsley and some grated parmesan (or a dairy free variety) sprinkled over the top of the pasta for garnish.

💡 Tips & Tricks

• Don’t forget to keep a cup full of pasta water for your sauce. The starch in the pasta water will help thicken the pasta sauce and allow the sauce to cling to the pasta strands. It will elevate your sauce to a whole new level!
• For quickness and ease, use pre-cooked prawns. They will just need to be thrown into the sauce near the end to warm through.
• If you are using raw prawns, add them to the pan with the garlic and paprika. The prawns are fully cooked when they turn pink in colour.
• This chorizo and prawn pasta is best served immediately after cooking as this is when the sauce will be at its creamiest and most delicious!
• Make sure the heat is nice and low when adding the cream. This will ensure the sauce doesn’t curdle.
• Leave out the salt if you are cooking for small children.

🥡 Storage, Reheating & Freezing

If you have leftovers they will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Re-heat in the microwave for a few minutes until piping hot throughout. You may need to add a couple of spoonfuls of water to the pasta to loosen up the sauce. 

If you are using pre-cooked prawns, it isn’t advisable to re-heat them more than once, so if you know you are going to have lots of leftovers, I would advise leaving out the prawns and adding them to the pasta when reheating.

Cooked, fresh prawns can be reheated once, just make sure they reach 63˚C / 145˚F to kill off any harmful bacteria. Just be aware that the texture of the prawns may change and they may become tough and rubbery.

You can also freeze the pasta for up to 3 months if using fresh prawns. Previously frozen prawns cannot be refrozen. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat as above.

💬 Recipe FAQs

📖 More Pasta Dishes

Looking for other recipes like this? Why not try these delicious pasta dishes!

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