Prawn, chorizo & chilli pasta

This is exactly the kind of dish I find myself making on repeat—quick to put together, packed with flavour and the perfect mix of comfort and zing. It’s got juicy prawns, smoky chorizo, a bit of chilli heat and a creamy tomato base that brings it all together beautifully.

The prawns are cooked just enough to stay tender, while the chorizo and onion are given a bit more time to develop that deep, savoury flavour. Add garlic, wine, a touch of paprika and a spoonful of mascarpone to round it all out—it’s one of those sauces that tastes like you’ve put in way more effort than you actually have.

Toss through your pasta of choice (I usually use fresh linguine), stir in plenty of parsley and a splash of pasta water if you need it and it’s ready to go. A green salad on the side and you’ve got a meal that’s simple enough for a weeknight, but impressive enough to share.

This Prawn, Chorizo & Chilli Pasta dish is properly satisfying and always a hit.

Ingredients for 4 portions:

2 TBSP olive oil
16 medium/large raw prawns (defrosted if using frozen)
300g chorizo, sliced into rounds (use cured chorizo, not fresh)
1 small red onion, halved & finely sliced
400g pasta such as linguine or spaghetti (I prefer using fresh pasta)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup dry white wine
½ teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
Generous pinch of dried chilli flakes
2 medium tomatoes, diced
2 TBSP mascarpone, sour cream or crème fraiche
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
Sea salt and freshly ground black

Prawn, chorizo & chilli pasta – let’s go:

Heat 1 TBSP of olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the prawns for about 1–2 min on each side, just until they’re pink and cooked through. Scoop them out and set aside.
Add the rest of the oil to the pan, then cook the chorizo and onion over medium heat for a good 8–10 min until everything’s soft and smelling amazing.
While that’s happening, get a big pot of salted water on the boil and cook your pasta until it’s just al dente. Don’t forget to scoop out a bit of the pasta water (about 2-3 TBSP) before you drain it—it’ll come in handy later if your sauce needs a little loosening.
Back to the pan—stir in the garlic and cook for another minute. Then add the wine, paprika and chilli flakes. Let it bubble away for 3–4 minutes before adding the tomatoes and mascarpone. Give it all a good stir, then pop the prawns back in.
Add the cooked pasta to the pan and gently toss everything together. Let it sit on the heat for a few more minutes so all the flavours can mingle. Stir through half the parsley and, if it’s looking a little dry, splash in some of that reserved pasta water.
Taste and season with sea salt if it needs it, then serve topped with the rest of the parsley and a good grind of black pepper. All it needs on the side is a simple green salad or just serve on its own.

Original recipe: Sarah Tuck @ Dish NZ.

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