Pan-fried king prawns with linguine and jalapeños in a creamy Cajun Buffalo-style sauce. Ready in 25 minutes, this simple prawn pasta is packed with spicy, tangy, creamy flavour.
“My husband said this was one of the best meals I’ve cooked for him. It was delicious and will definitely be made again. Halved the quantities and it was perfect.”
– Cathy Cruickshank
Nicky’s Notes
If you enjoy seafood with a touch of heat, this dish is ideal — and it’s quick to prepare. Using ready-peeled king prawns saves time and gives perfectly sized bites.
Prawns cook very fast, so start the pasta first and prepare the peppers, onion and jalapeño while it boils. Most of the cooking happens while the pasta cooks, keeping prep minimal.
Table of Contents
- Nicky’s Notes
- 📋 Ingredients for Spicy Prawn Pasta
- 🧑🍳 Abbreviated Recipe
- Pro Tip
- 🍽️ What to serve it with
- 📺 Watch how to make it
- Cajun Prawn Pasta Recipe
- 🍤 More fantastic Prawn recipes
📋 Ingredients for Spicy Prawn Pasta
***Full recipe with detailed quantities in the recipe card below***
- King prawns or shrimp – de-shelled and de-veined
- Linguine – or swap for spaghetti, tagliatelle or your favourite pasta shape
- Red bell pepper, onion, jalapeño and garlic for colour, flavour and texture
- Hot pepper sauce – Frank’s hot sauce gives a classic Buffalo tang; sriracha works too (start with 1 tbsp and add to taste)
- Worcestershire sauce and cider vinegar – add depth and bright acidity to balance the cream
- Cream and Parmesan – for a silky, cheesy sauce
🧑🍳 Abbreviated Recipe
Cook the linguine, reserving some pasta water. Sauté onion, pepper, jalapeño and garlic in oil, then add the prawns and Cajun seasoning until they start to turn pink. Pour in hot sauce, cider vinegar, Worcestershire and cream, bring to a gentle simmer and stir in Parmesan. Toss the linguine with the sauce, adding pasta water to loosen if needed. Finish with extra Parmesan, black pepper and parsley.
Pro Tip
- Reserve some of the pasta cooking water. The starchy water helps the sauce cling to the pasta and gives a glossy finish.
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🍽️ What to serve it with
This is a satisfying main on its own, but you can serve it with:
- Garlic bread
- Fresh artisan bread
- A simple green salad with vinaigrette
You can adjust the spice level to suit your taste. For a milder dish use 1 tbsp hot sauce and omit the jalapeño — the cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce will still give a pleasant tang that complements the cream and Parmesan.
📺 Watch how to make it
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Cajun Prawn Pasta Recipe
10
15
25
Ingredients
- 300 g (10.5 oz) dried linguine
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 jalapeño, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 300 g (10.5 oz) king raw prawns, de-shelled and de-veined
- 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 3 tbsp hot pepper sauce
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) double cream (heavy cream)
- 75 g (3/4 cup) grated Parmesan
To Serve:
- grated Parmesan
- black pepper
- finely chopped curly parsley
Instructions
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Cook the linguine in a large pan of boiling salted water according to the package instructions.
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Drain the pasta, reserving about 4–6 tablespoons (half a cup) of the cooking water.
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Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
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Add the onion, red pepper, jalapeño and garlic. Fry for about 5 minutes, stirring, until the onion begins to soften.
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Add the prawns and sprinkle over the Cajun seasoning. Cook for 2 minutes, until the prawns just start to turn pink.
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Pour in the hot sauce, cider vinegar, Worcestershire and cream. Stir, bring to a gentle simmer, then mix in the Parmesan until melted and smooth.
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Add the drained linguine to the pan with a good splash of the reserved pasta water and toss with tongs until everything is coated and glossy. Add more pasta water if you prefer a looser sauce.
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Turn off the heat, divide between bowls and top with grated Parmesan, black pepper and parsley. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
I don’t recommend making this ahead. Linguine can become soggy when reheated and prawns may become rubbery.
Ingredient swaps
- Swap linguine for spaghetti, tagliatelle, or a short pasta.
- Use white fish or salmon instead of prawns — cook until just done.
- Add extra veg like peas, courgette or mangetout.
- For a chicken alternative try a Buffalo chicken pasta recipe.
Scaling the recipe
You can halve or double the recipe, keeping the same ratios. If you double it, allow a little longer for the onions and peppers to soften.
Nutritional information is approximate, per serving. This recipe serves 4.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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This Cajun prawn pasta recipe was first posted in Jun 2023 and has been updated since with minor improvements.
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