Prawn and Chorizo Pasta

a bowl of chorizo pasta with a lemon wedge on the side.

5 from 20 votes

This easy prawn and chorizo pasta is loaded with tender garlic prawns, smoky chorizo, fresh lemon and the perfect amount of spice. Ready in under 30 minutes, it’s the perfect dinner for any night of the week!

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Spanish

Servings:

Calories: 550kcal

Author: Andrea Geddes

Ingredients

400 grams linguine - dried. Or fettuccine or other pasta of choice.
250 grams Spanish chorizo - mild or hot. Thinly sliced or crumbled.
¼ cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic - peeled and crushed
chilli flakes - optional, to taste
300 grams prawns - raw, peeled
zest of one lemon
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice - or to taste
½ cup pecorino cheese fresh, very finely grated. Plus extra, for serving.
⅓ cup fresh parsley chopped
salt and pepper to taste
reserved pasta water

Optional

1 teaspoon paprika - sweet Hungarian (not hot or smoked)

To serve

extra parsley chopped
lemon wedges

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Add the pasta to a pot of boiling, salted water (2 teaspoons of salt per 4 cups of water). Cook the pasta one minute less than the packet instructions, to al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, add the chorizo and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to a large pan over high heat. Fry until the chorizo is crisp and lightly browned.
Remove the chorizo from the pan and set aside. Leave the oil in the pan.
Turn the heat to low and add the garlic, chilli flakes and paprika (if using). Gently fry for 1-2 minutes.
Add the prawns and cook until they turn pink. Be careful not to overcook.
Before draining the pasta, reserve some of the pasta water (keep about a cup. You won't need this much, but it's better to have a little more than needed).
Drain the pasta and add it to the pan along with ⅓ cup of the reserved pasta water and the remaining ingredients (chorizo, remaining olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, pecorino and parsley).
Stir to combine and season with a generous amount of salt and pepper, to taste.
Let the pasta sit in the pan for a minute for the sauce to thicken. Add a little more olive oil or pasta water to loosen further, if required.
Serve with lemon wedges, a little extra parsley and pecorino.

Notes

1. Don't drain the oil from the chorizo. This is the flavour base of the sauce.
2. Add some cherry tomatoes to the pan along with the garlic for a tomato-based sauce.
3. Don’t overcook the prawns! The prawns only take a couple of minutes to cook. They can become tough and rubbery if cooked for too long. They're ready when they have just turned pink.
4. Have all of the ingredients chopped and ready to go so that the dish comes together seamlessly.
5. Season the pasta water generously with salt and don't forget to reserve some of the starchy pasta water before draining!
6. Please note that the nutrition information is based on the pasta being divided into 4 bowls, with one bowl being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings or sides served with the pasta.
7. This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.

Nutrition