Spicy Chilli Prawn Pasta (Shrimp)

Pasta coated in a bold, rich tomato sauce with a kick of chilli and juicy prawns—this Spicy Chilli Prawn Pasta is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser any time of year. With parsley as the only ingredient to chop, it’s quick, easy, and ready in just 15 minutes!

As an Aussie lucky to have readers from all over the world—and I truly mean all over!—I’m always mindful of sharing recipes that suit a variety of climates and seasons.

January and February are always the trickiest months for me as a food blogger, simply because the seasonal contrast is so extreme. While I’m here sweating through a blazing 40°C (104°F) summer without air conditioning, many of you are bundled up in sub-zero temps, shovelling snow just to leave the house. It makes me want to share cosy winter comfort food for those in the cold — but also light, quick meals for fellow Aussies and others basking in the heat.

So if you’re new to my site during this time, you might be confused by the mix of hearty stews and fresh salads popping up side by side!

All that said, I’m especially happy to share today’s recipe because it’s pretty climate-neutral. While pasta might not be the first thing you crave in scorching heat, quick dishes like this Spicy Chilli Prawn Pasta are ones I enjoy all year round — no matter the weather.

There are prawn pastas—and then there are prawn pastas. The rich, restaurant-style versions often involve simmering prawn heads and shells for hours to build deep flavour. If you’re curious to try that method, check out my Lemon Prawn Pasta recipe.

But today’s recipe? It’s the opposite—fast, simple, yet full of flavour. This Spicy Chilli Prawn Pasta takes just 15 minutes from start to finish if you follow the steps closely. And the secret to its big flavour? Anchovies.

Yes, anchovies! Don’t worry—you won’t taste any fishiness. They melt into the sauce, adding a hit of umami that lifts the flavour from “nice” to “wow!”

(*For the curious: Umami is a Japanese term meaning “savoury taste”—one of the five basic tastes alongside sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. It’s the kind of depth anchovies bring that you didn’t know you needed.)

Beyond the subtle boost from anchovies, the kick of heat from dried chilli flakes really brings this sauce to life. Together, they make this pasta a clever little recipe to keep in your back pocket—perfect for busy weeknights or last-minute guests. It’s quick, impressive, and absolutely delicious. Go ahead, soak in the compliments—they’re well earned.

P.S. In case you’re wondering, prawns (AUS/UK) = shrimp (US).
P.P.S. And while we’re at it—who decided on prawns vs shrimp, coriander vs cilantro, scallions vs green onions vs shallots, courgettes vs zucchini, Fahrenheit vs Celsius? We need to talk.
P.P.P.S. Don’t skip step 6—it’s what ensures the sauce hugs the pasta, not your bowl!

Pasta loaded with juicy prawns and coated in a bold, spicy tomato sauce—ready in no time, perfect for a midweek dinner! The secret? Anchovies (they melt right in!) and a touch of parmesan, adding that deep umami flavour you’d expect from a slow-simmered prawn broth. See Note 1 and the video below for more.

Ingredients

180 g / 6 oz fettuccine or other pasta, your choice
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
150 – 180 g / 5 – 6 oz medium prawns/shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 anchovies, whole (or 1/2 tsp anchovy paste)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup white wine
1 tsp+ chilli flakes/ red pepper flakes
1 cup / 250 ml tomato passata (Note 2)
2 tsp finely grated parmesan
1/2 lemon
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley, plus more to serve

Spicy Chilli Prawn Pasta Instructions:

Get all the ingredients out and ready to go – this recipe moves fast!
Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add a big pinch of salt and the pasta. Cook for the time per the packet MINUS 1 minute. SCOOP OUT a mugful of pasta cooking water before draining pasta (or transfer it straight from pot into sauce, if you time it right).
Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add prawns and cook for 30 seconds, until the surface just changes from translucent to opaque.
Add red pepper flakes and anchovies. Stir briefly, then add wine and garlic.
Cook for 30 seconds until the wine is mostly evaporated.
Add tomato passata, a squeeze of lemon juice, parmesan, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, turn the heat down to medium and cook the sauce for 1 minute, stirring frequently (don’t cook for long, otherwise you will overcook the prawns).
Add pasta, about 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water and parsley. Toss gently for 1 minute (or gently stir with a wooden spoon or tongs) until the sauce re-thickens and it coats the pasta.
Adjust salt, pepper and spiciness to taste. Serve immediately with more parsley.

Spicy Chilli Prawn Pasta Recipe Notes:

1. Truly great prawn/ shrimp pastas are made with sauces that are simmered for hours using the prawn heads and shells. In this quick midweek version, I compensate for the lack of hours of simmering with anchovies and parmesan, both of which are used to add “umami” (being a savoury taste, one of the 5 taste sensations) to the sauce. It does not taste fishy at all; no one will guess there are anchovies in this! It just adds that extra special something to the sauce. 🙂 If you REALLY can’t stand it, yes, you can leave it out, still super tasty!!!

Traditionally, seafood pastas are not served with parmesan (it is “illegal” in Italy!), but in this case, the parmesan is not about adding a cheesy finish to the pasta; it’s about adding savouriness to the sauce.

2. If you really can’t find tomato passata, 400g/14oz of crushed canned tomato can be substituted. But I urge you to find it – once you try it, you’ll understand why I’m such a huge fan of it! It costs around the same as canned tomatoes.

3. The order in which I add things in this recipe is a bit different to the norm but there’s a reason for it! I find that because the skillet is so hot and there’s lots of space around the prawns, the garlic burns too quickly, so I add it later after the wine to get a good garlic flavour in the sauce.

4. Nutrition per serving.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 327g Calories: 544cal (27%) Carbohydrates: 56.1g (19%) Protein: 35.8g (72%) Fat: 17.2g (26%)

Saturated Fat: 3.4g (21%) Cholesterol: 244mg (81%) Sodium: 995mg (43%) Potassium: 685mg (20%) Fibre: 1.5g (6%) Sugar: 2.7g (3%) Vitamin A: 1750IU (35%)