Prawn Pasta al Pesto
30 min · 8 steps
Medium: 31–60 min or 7–12 steps
About this dish
Garlicky sautéed king prawns tossed with fresh basil pesto and linguine — a quick weeknight dinner that tastes like a restaurant.
Allergy Info
Dairy, Gluten, Fish, Tree Nuts
Diet Info
Pescatarian
Ingredients
Fresh Produce
- garlic clovesminced2
- fresh basil leaves40 g
- garlic clove (for pesto)1
- lemonzest and juice0.5
- extra basil leaves to serve
Fish & Seafood
- raw king prawnspeeled and deveined200 g
Dairy & Eggs
- parmesanfinely grated, plus extra to serve40 g
Dried Goods
- linguine160 g
- pine nutslightly toasted30 g
Spices & Seasonings
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Oils & Condiments
- olive oil1 tbsp
- extra virgin olive oil80 ml
Utensils
- large pot
- frying pan
- dry frying pan
- blender or food processor
- grater
- tongs
- instant-read thermometer
- colander
Method
Mince the 2 garlic cloves for the prawns and the 1 garlic clove for the pesto. Finely grate the parmesan. Zest and juice half the lemon.
Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 3 minutes until golden. Set aside to cool.
Blend the basil, cooled pine nuts, 1 garlic clove, parmesan, and lemon zest. Drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil until smooth. Season with salt.
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine until al dente. Reserve 100ml of pasta water before draining.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the prawns and cook for 3 minutes, turning once, until pink and just cooked through. Check the internal temperature reaches 63°C with a thermometer. Squeeze over the lemon juice.
Toss the drained linguine with the pesto, adding pasta water a splash at a time until silky. Add the prawns and toss gently.
Serve immediately, topped with extra grated parmesan and fresh basil leaves.