Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Garlic Butter Prawn Spaghetti
蒜香牛油大蝦意粉
Recipe overview
This refreshing home pasta dinner is ready in about 30 minutes. Dry prawns are quickly seared, then finely chopped garlic is gently sautéed in butter and olive oil. A little pasta water makes a light sauce that coats springy spaghetti without cream or excess oil.
01
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 120 ml, reserved before draining Pasta water
- 400 g, about 16–20; deveined, fully thawed and dried Peeled prawns
- 8 cloves, finely chopped Garlic
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 360 g Dry spaghetti
- 15 g, chopped Fresh parsley
- 1 Lemon
- 40 g Unsalted butter
- 2.5–3 litres Water for pasta
- 1 tbsp Salt for pasta water
Prawn seasoning
- 1/4 tsp Salt (for prawns)
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper (for prawns)
- 1 tsp Olive oil (for prawns)
Garlic butter sauce
- 2 tbsp Olive oil (for searing and sauce)
- 40 g Unsalted butter (for sauce)
- 8 cloves Finely chopped garlic (sauté gently)
- 120 ml Pasta water (add gradually to emulsify)
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice (finish)
- 1/4 tsp Salt (finish)
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper (finish)
- 15 g Chopped parsley (finish)
02
Tools
- Large stockpot
- Large frying pan
- Tongs
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Knife and board
- Knife and board
- Colander
- Small prawn-seasoning bowl
- Heatproof measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Kitchen paper
- 4 pasta plates
03
Steps
Step 1
Prepare and dry prawns
Fully thaw frozen prawns, peel and devein, then pat every prawn dry. Wash hands, board, knife and bowl after raw prawns.
Step 2
Season prawns
Toss prawns with salt, pepper and 1 tsp olive oil; rest 5 minutes without a thick marinade.
Step 3
Chop garlic and parsley
Finely chop 8 garlic cloves and dried parsley; halve the lemon.
Step 4
Boil salted water
Bring 2.5–3 litres water to a rolling boil and add 1 tbsp salt.
Step 5
Cook spaghetti al dente
Cook 360 g spaghetti about 1 minute less than pack directions, stirring every 1–2 minutes.
Step 6
Reserve water and drain
Reserve at least 120 ml pasta water, then drain spaghetti; do not rinse or leave it dry too long.
Step 7
Sear first side
Preheat pan medium-high 45 seconds, add 1/2 tbsp oil and sear prawns in one layer 60–75 seconds.
Step 8
Flip and cook nearly through
Flip and cook 45–60 seconds until mostly pink-orange and nearly opaque; move to a clean plate.
Step 9
Sauté garlic
Use medium-low heat, melt butter with remaining oil and gently sauté garlic 45–60 seconds until pale gold, never dark or burnt.
Step 10
Toss spaghetti with pasta water
Add spaghetti and 80 ml pasta water; toss over medium heat 45–60 seconds, adding remaining water only if needed.
Step 11
Return prawns and finish
Return prawns with lemon juice, salt, pepper and most parsley. Toss 30–45 seconds until prawn centres are fully opaque.
Step 12
Plate
Divide among 4 plates and add remaining parsley. Pasta should be lightly glossy, not oily.
Common mistakes
- Wet or partly frozen prawns release water.
- Overcooked pasta turns soft after tossing.
- Without reserved pasta water the sauce will not emulsify well.
- High heat burns garlic bitter.
- Adding all water at once makes a thin sauce.
- Long final cooking makes prawns tight and tough.
- Too much butter or oil makes greasy pasta.
Tips
Fully thaw and dry prawns. Cook spaghetti about 1 minute short, reserve 120 ml pasta water before draining and never rinse it. Use medium-low heat for garlic and add pasta water gradually. Fully cooked prawns are opaque; do not serve undercooked prawns to children, pregnant people, older adults or people with weakened immunity. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and reheat thoroughly.
