Try out this Pesto King Prawn Pasta for a quick and easy midweek meal.
This seafood pasta dish starts by cooking raw king prawns, with garlic, chilli and cherry tomatoes.
Fusilli Lunghi / spaghetti or linguine pasta is added with your choice of homemade pesto sauce or a shop brought basil pesto.
Finished off with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, for a delicious tasting prawn pasta recipe, ready in only 20 minutes.
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How to make pesto prawn pasta?
The full ingredients and instructions can be found on the recipe card below in UK grams and US ounces.
📖 Step by Step Recipe
Pesto King Prawn Pasta
Ingredients
- 250 grams Pasta - Linguine, Spaghetti, Fusilli Lunghi
- 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Puree - or 2 cloves crushed garlic
- 1 teaspoon Chilli Puree - 1 finely chopped/ crushed chilli pepper
- 160 grams Raw King Prawns
- 10 Cherry Tomatoes - Halved
- 190 gram Basil Pesto
- Salt and Pepper - to taste
- Parmesan - Grated to serve
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Basil Leaves - Optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pan of salted water to boil over high heat, cook pasta to time on packet instructions.250 grams Pasta
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil, garlic and chilli in a large frying pan over medium heat.1 teaspoon Olive Oil, 1 teaspoon Garlic Puree, 1 teaspoon Chilli Puree
- Add king prawns, stir them through the oil.160 grams Raw King Prawns
- Then add cherry tomatoes and season with salt & pepper.Cook on medium heat for 5-8 mins. Stirring occasionally.10 Cherry Tomatoes, Salt and Pepper
- Drain the pasta and transfer to the pan.
- Add basil pesto stir in on medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until warmed through.190 gram Basil Pesto
- Serve prawn pasta with a generous scattering of parmesan, salt and pepper and some fresh basil leaves.Enjoy!!Salt and Pepper , Parmesan , 1 tablespoon Fresh Basil Leaves
Video
Notes
Can I use cooked prawns?
Yes, you can, just add them after the tomatoes have had 5 minutes and warm them through with the oil for 3 minutes.Nutrition
This post was originally published on 12/02/2020. This post was updated on 14/03/2025 by placing the recipe card further up the page for a better user experience.
We will go into more detail below and offer substitutes.
Ingredients
What pasta to use?
The first step is to boil your pasta in a large pan of salted water.
This time we tried out a new pasta shape, Fusilli Lunghi, a long corkscrew spiral-shaped pasta. We think it made this dish look amazing! We usually cook this as a pesto prawn linguine pasta.
However you can use spaghetti, bucatini, fettuccine, tagliatelle or capellini pasta shapes.
Experiment with whatever shape you like; simply cook for the time stated on the packet's instruction over high heat and drain the pasta when cooked.
Raw Prawns
While the pasta is cooking, cook the raw king prawns in olive oil over medium heat using a large frying pan.
Garlic & Chilli
Add crushed garlic and minced chilli; you can use fresh or cheat like we did, using Gia Puree's to help make this dish even quicker.
We use one teaspoon of chilli puree, equivalent to 1 medium spiced chilli.
Feel free to omit the chilli completely or add extra? Make your prawn pasta as spicy as you like.
Add the halved cherry tomatoes to the garlic and chilli prawns, season with salt & pepper.
Cook the king prawns and tomatoes for 5-8 minutes. Cooking time varies depending on the size of prawns used.
Using cooked prawns
If using pre-cooked king prawns, it is best to fry the tomatoes with garlic and chilli before adding them; the cooked prawns only need warming up, not cooking.
The pasta will be ready to drain and added straight to the pan.
Pesto
Finally, add the green basil pesto to the prawn linguine. Buy a jar in the supermarket or make homemade pesto.
We have a nut-free version, Parmesan & Basil Pesto, which we used in these photos.
Stir the basil pesto sauce into the prawn pasta over low heat until warmed through.
Prawn pasta serving suggestions
Serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan or Mozzarella cheese, salt and pepper and add some fresh basil leaves.
Why not add a side salad or dough balls, or try our delicious Olive & Herb Focaccia Bread.
This prawn pesto pasta, also makes a great summer lunch served cold with a fresh caprese salad.
The Fusilli Lunghi pasta gives a great look to this dish. The kids loved slurping up the curly strands!
Or serve as prawn linguine pasta which is easier to find.
More Pasta Recipes
If you liked this King Prawn Pasta with Pesto, you would also like our salmon pesto pasta bake.
Check out our Spicy Meatball Pasta or our family favourite Cheesy Bolognese Pasta Bake.
More Prawn Recipes
We have a few more prawn recipe ideas; try our king prawn masala, Prawn Cocktail, prawn poke bowl, prawn and pork jambalaya or add some spice with our pad thai noodles, king prawn salad or prawn tacos.
When you make this easy prawn pasta recipe, don’t forget to comment; let us know how you get on?
Jessica Formicola says
I have got to try those Gia purees! I bet they totally pack a big flavor punch. thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
Kay says
Hi Jessica
The Gia purees are full of flavour and make prep time so much easier when making recipes 🙂
Hope you enjoy this Italian pot roast recipe!!
Sondra says
Looks good!
Kay says
Thanks, Sondra
Hope you enjoy the pesto king prawn pasta 🙂
Chef Dennis says
Yum! My sons loved this dish!
Kay says
Thanks, Dennis for the comment and rating!
So glad to hear your son loved this recipe 🙂
Peachy @ The Peach Kitchen says
My daughter loves pesto pasta, I bet she's gonna love this. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Kay says
Great to hear, let us know the verdict! 😉
Rosey says
Now this is a pasta dish I can get behind. My grown kids would love it when they come to visit as well!
Kay says
It is a firm favourite in our house for all the family!
Natalie says
I love a good pesto pasta! I love making my pesto from scratch. It makes everything so flavourful.
Kay says
Can't beat fresh pesto!!
Candace Hampton says
This looks delicious! That pasta is so interesting looking and I'm sure it tastes great. I think presentation in a dish, even at home, is so important! Thanks for the suggestion!
Kay says
Thank you Candace, we like to mix up the pasta shapes to give some extra excitement to dinner time!
Ceci Rey says
This looks like a great recipe. I will have to try it! 👓💖📸🍕🚢
Kay says
Please do 🙂
Ayishia says
I love a good one pan dish that isn't overly complicated. This looks so delicious and may be within my limited scope of kitchen skills. Definitely saving for later.
Kay says
Thank you Ayishia! We aim to please!
Susan1375 says
Looks delicious and so quick and easy to make with only a few ingredients needed
Kay says
Nice easy midweek dish!
Krysten Quiles says
Oh man, that looks really good. And those noodles look fun as well. Thank for sharing this yummy recipe with us!
Kay says
It is pasta, but sure looks like noodles!
Lyosha says
looks delicious! I love prawns personally and pesto too. so the dish is made in heaven for me
Kay says
Glad to hear it! A great combo for sure!
Shruti says
that looks super tasty and delicious. Gotta try out this recipe soon 🙂
Kay says
Thats great, enjoy!
Katrina Sisk says
Looks delicious. Going to try this. I'm always a fan of quick and easy hearty meals.
Kay says
This is that meal!
Marie Phillips says
One pot meals are the best, so maybe that's why you have so many of them! And this one looks amazing. I can't wait to try it!
Kay says
We do like the one-pot method! Enjoy!
Stephanie | Adventures in Aussieland says
This recipe sounds super yummy! I'd have to make a few alterations to accommodate my allergies but my husband would LOVE this recipe as it!
Kay says
Please share with us what you do and we will share it on the blog, how to accommodate for the allergy?