This prawn and chorizo pasta is the ultimate tasty comfort food. With succulent prawns and crispy chorizo, combined with al dente penne pasta, coated in a luscious tomato sauce infused with smoky paprika and zesty lemon juice, you’ll have a delicious dairy free weeknight dinner.
If you love chorizo, then you also need to try this one pot spicy sausage pasta!
One of my favourite ways to warm up in the cooler months is with a big bowl of spicy, saucy pasta! This prawn and chorizo pasta recipe ticks all the boxes for me.
It is so flavourful and makes a perfect tasty mid week meal that packs a bit of a punch thanks to the smoky flavours of the chorizo and paprika, balanced with the sweet and tender prawns and the freshness of the lemon and parsley.
The key to the flavour of this pasta is the crispy fried pieces of chorizo. This Spanish-style sausage is sliced and then fried in the pan before anything else releasing a smoky, spicy oil that we’ll use as the base of the recipe.
I love this easy pasta recipe because it is perfect for busy nights when you need an easy dinner idea but still want something super tasty, filling and satisfying. Plus you can’t go wrong with the combination of prawns and chorizo!
You can serve this prawn and chorizo pasta on its own in the centre of the table or with a green salad or garlic bread (bonus points if you use the bread to mop up all the extra pasta sauce!).
Key Ingredients
This pasta with prawns and chorizo is using a few key ingredients that are essential to the flavour, however it is a fairly adaptable recipe so you can adjust it easily based on your taste preferences and what you have available.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Pasta – I like to use penne but you can use any style of pasta you like, just adjust the cooking time according to packet instructions.
- Chorizo – use a good quality Spanish chorizo from the deli or from the supermarket in the salami aisle, not those you find with the sausages. Check your ingredients to ensure it doesn’t contain any allergens such as gluten or lactose if required as some brands can use these as fillers. You could also substitute the chorizo with any salami but note that the flavour of your dish may vary.
- Onion and Garlic – we’re using a red onion and a decent amount of garlic for maximum flavour here.
- Spices – we’re using a combination of red chilli flakes, dried oregano and smoked paprika to give the sauce a bold, spicy flavour. You can of course adjust the quantities or omit the chilli altogether.
- Prawns – frozen peeled raw prawns will work best for this recipe. You can defrost them in a bowl filled with water for 10-15 minutes.
- Passata – this tomato puree makes an easy sauce, but you could substitute with a can of diced tomatoes if that’s all you have available.
- Lemon – while not an essential ingredient, the lemon juice really enhances the flavour and gives the overall dish a delicious freshness that works to balance the richness of the tomato sauce.
Equipment and Tools
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Cast Iron Dutch Oven – there are so many different brands (and colours!) of these types of pots but investing in one that matches your budget is going to be such as asset to your kitchen! I use mine at least once or twice a week.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne pasta according to the package instructions until it reaches the desired al dente texture. Remember to reserve about ¼ cup of the cooking water before draining the pasta. Set the cooked pasta aside.
In a large heavy-based pot or frying pan, heat some olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced chorizo and cook it until it turns crispy, stirring occasionally. Once the chorizo is crispy, remove it from the pan and set it aside, leaving behind the oil.
In the same pan, add the diced red onion and cook it, stirring regularly, until it becomes softened and translucent. To enhance the flavours, add garlic, red chilli flakes, dried oregano, and smoked paprika. Stir everything well to combine and let the spices release their flavours.
Now, it’s time to cook the prawns. Add the peeled prawns to the pan and cook them for about 2-3 minutes until they turn pink and opaque. Be very careful not to overcook the prawns!
Pour in the passata and season the sauce with salt and pepper according to your taste. Return the cooked crispy chorizo to the sauce. Stir everything well and let it simmer for about 3-5 minutes, allowing the flavours to blend together.
Add the cooked penne pasta to the pan, along with the reserved pasta water, a little at a time. Toss the pasta gently to coat it evenly with the sauce. Squeeze a generous amount of lemon juice and stir it through to brighten up the flavours.
Serve the prawn and chorizo pasta hot, garnished with freshly chopped parsley and some extra lemon and enjoy!
Tips and Variations
- Add extra veggies – you could add extra vegetables to this recipe to increase the nutritional value. Try some capsicum or mushrooms added with the onion, or throw in some spinach at the end and stir through.
- Do not overcook the prawns – when adding the prawns make sure to watch them carefully so that they only just turn pink as they will continue cooking in the sauce until it’s taken off the heat. Overcooked prawns are rubbery, tough and not very enjoyable.
- Use chicken instead – if you’re not a big fan of seafood, you can swap out the prawns for chicken. Use either chicken breast or thigh for best results.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! While penne pasta works wonderfully in this dish, feel free to experiment with other pasta shapes like fusilli, rigatoni, or even spaghetti or linguine.
It’s generally not recommended to freeze dishes with cooked prawns as they can become rubbery upon thawing. However, if you have leftovers without prawns, you can freeze them in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months. When reheating, add fresh prawns separately.
Yes, you can easily make this recipe gluten free by using gluten free penne pasta or any other gluten free pasta alternative available. Ensure that the chorizo you use is also gluten free, as some brands may contain gluten-based fillers or additives.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More dairy free comfort food:
One Pot Sausage Casserole
Beef Minestrone Soup
Slow Cooked Curried Sausages
Prawn Wontons with Chilli Oil
Prawn and Chorizo Pasta
Ingredients
- 300 grams penne pasta
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 250 grams chorizo sliced
- 1 red onion finely diced
- 4-5 garlic cloves crushed
- ½-1 teaspoon red chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 250 grams raw prawns peeled
- 2 cups passata
- juice of 1 lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh parsley chopped (for serving)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Cook the penne according to packet instructions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about ¼ cup of the cooking water. Set the pasta aside.
- In a large frying pan or heavy-based pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced chorizo and cook until crispy, stirring occasionally. Remove the chorizo from the pan and set aside, leaving the oil behind.
- In the same pan, add the diced red onion. Cook, stirring regularly, until softened and translucent.
- Add the garlic, red chilli flakes, oregano, and smoked paprika. Stir well and cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the peeled prawns and cook for 2–3 minutes, or until they turn pink and opaque. Be careful not to overcook them.
- Pour in the passata and season with salt and pepper. Return the chorizo to the pan, stir well, and simmer for 3–5 minutes.
- Add the cooked penne and a splash of the reserved pasta water, tossing to coat everything evenly in the sauce. Squeeze over the lemon juice and stir through.
- Remove from heat, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve while hot.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
This recipe was originally published in 2023, but has been updated in 2025 with new photos and more helpful information. The recipe remains the same!
Hilly says
Great recipe, very spicy and I only used a small amount of chilli flakes! It went down a storm
Sally says
So glad you enjoyed this one!