Looking for an easy but delicious pasta dish? This prawn and chorizo pasta recipe comes together in under 30 minutes and tastes better than your favorite Italian restaurant. The chorizo and white wine-spiked tomato sauce packs tons of flavor that pairs well with shrimp and a thin pasta like spaghetti or linguine. Give this a try, and I'm sure it will quickly become a family favorite!
Good pasta doesn't have to be complicated or use ingredients that are difficult to source. This recipe breaks down a really simple and flavorful tomato-based sauce using ingredients found at most supermarkets. I like to use cured Spanish chorizo instead of Mexican chorizo sausage, which is raw ground pork usually spiced with smoked paprika, chilies, and cinnamon.
Spanish chorizo is fully cured and usually comes in long links such as summer sausage. It can be eaten right from the package but is also great in sauces and when fried in olive oil. If you can't find Spanish chorizo, any spicy sausage such as andouille or kielbasa can also be used.
Although this dish shines on its own, I like to pair it with a simple side salad such as this Spinach Arugula Salad with Creamy Dressing or this avocado cashew salad with chimichurri dressing. Or go for a cooked vegetable side such as pan-fried zucchini with basil or honey garlic green beans with walnuts.
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Key Ingredients
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: I love using olive oil for pasta sauces! Some swear by butter-based sauces, but I find that garlic and tomato fried in olive oil create the most authentic tasting pasta sauce.
- Cured Spanish Chorizo: Fully cured Spanish chorizo really helps give this tomato-based sauce a kick! It's not too spicy but adds a wonderful savory, salty flavor to the sauce.
- Prawns: Prawns or shrimp are often paired with chorizo in many Spanish dishes such as traditional paella. There is something about the salty, briny seafood flavor combined with chorizo's spicy kick that is simply perfect. Look for king prawns or black tiger prawns to make this an extra special dinner!
- Crushed Tomatoes: As much as I love using fresh tomatoes for pasta sauce, most nights I don't have time to peel and chop tomatoes. Canned crushed tomatoes work just as well in my opinion. I try to get "no-salt added" varieties if I can; these usually have the freshest tomato flavor.
- Dry White Wine: If you have never tried a white wine sauce with seafood before, you need to give it a try! A little dry white wine adds great complexity that is another classic seafood pairing.
- Pasta: Many shapes of pasta work for this recipe, but I always love spaghetti for its simplicity. Linguine or fettuccine are some other good options too, though.
Find the complete ingredient list below.
Instructions
- Start by boiling a pot of salted water. Cook your pasta following the package instructions, usually for 8-10 minutes. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of pasta water.
- In a large fry pan or sauté pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil and sliced cured chorizo. Fry the chorizo for 1-2 minutes on each side until lightly browned.
- Lower the heat to medium and add minced garlic, red chili flakes, salt, chopped fresh parsley, crushed tomatoes, prawns, white wine, and lemon juice. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the prawns are pink and cooked through.
- Incorporate the cooked pasta and reserved pasta water into the pan. Allow the pasta to absorb the sauce for an additional 4-5 minutes.
- Serve the dish with a finishing touch of olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, and a sprinkle of parsley.
Substitutions
If you can't find cured Spanish chorizo, any other cured spicy sausage will work such as andouille or Polish kielbasa.
Feel free to swap out or add in other seafood options too! Clams, mussels, squid, and chopped octopus are all great in pastas.
Equipment
You don't need any fancy equipment to make restaurant-quality pasta. Any decent fry or sauté pan and a pot for boiling water will work!
Storage
Trust me, you are going to want to save the leftovers for this recipe. Store in a tightly sealed Tupperware for up to 1-2 days after.
Top Tip
Make sure to fry the chorizo in the olive oil for a couple of minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients into the sauce. Chorizo has a lot of flavorful fat that is best after being rendered out for a bit.
Similar Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Prawn and Chorizo Pasta
Nutrition
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, (more for garnish)
- 1 lb cured spanish chorizo, (skin removed and cut into thin slices)
- 3 cloves garlic, (minced)
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon salt, (or to taste, more for the pasta water)
- ½ cup parsley (chopped, more for garnish)
- 1 lb prawns, (peeled and deveined)
- 12 oz canned crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup dry white wine, (such as chardonnay)
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice, (from about ½ lemon)
- 1 lb spaghetti or linguine
- freshly cracked black pepper (for garnish)
Instructions
- Fill a pot with water and add salt. Bring it to a boil, then cook your pasta according to the instructions on the package, typically 8-10 minutes. Before draining the pasta, save about 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Heat a large frying pan or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add some olive oil and the sliced cured chorizo. Fry the chorizo on each side for 1-2 minutes, or until it's slightly browned.
- Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, parsley, crushed tomatoes, prawns, white wine, and lemon to the pan. Turn the heat to medium and cook for 4-5 minutes until the prawns are fully cooked and turn pink.
- Put the cooked pasta and the reserved pasta water into the pan. Cook until the pasta has absorbed most of the sauce, which usually takes about 4-5 minutes more.
- Serve the dish with a drizzle of olive oil, freshly cracked pepper, and some parsley on top.
Video
Notes
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Food Safety
- Cook meat to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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