There’s something magical about twirling silky pasta around your fork while plump prawns peek out from a velvety garlic sauce. This creamy garlic prawn pasta is the kind of meal that feels fancy but comes together in just 20 minutes.

It’s comfort food at its finest, and honestly, you’ll want to make it on repeat.

Learn how to make creamy garlic prawn pasta in just 20 minutes. Juicy prawns, silky garlic sauce, and perfectly cooked pasta come together for an easy dinner win.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This pasta hits all the right notes. The sauce is rich but not heavy, garlicky without being overpowering, and the prawns stay juicy and tender.

The secret is finishing the pasta in the sauce, which is how Italians have been doing it forever. The starch from the pasta water helps everything come together into this glossy, clingy sauce that coats every strand.

You don’t need fancy skills or a million ingredients. Just good butter, fresh garlic, and a little wine to make magic happen in your pan.

What You’ll Need

For the pasta:

8 oz fettuccine (or any long pasta you like)
2 tbsp butter (split into two parts)
10 oz small raw prawns, peeled
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Black pepper
Extra parmesan for serving

See? Nothing complicated. Just real ingredients that work together beautifully.

How to Make Creamy Garlic Prawn Pasta

Step 1: Get a big pot of water boiling and toss in your pasta. Cook it for one minute less than the package says.

Before you drain it, scoop out a cup of that starchy pasta water and set it aside. Then drain the pasta.

Step 2: While the pasta cooks, melt a tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add your prawns and let them cook for about a minute and a half on each side.

You want them just cooked through and pink. Take them out and set them aside.

Step 3: In that same skillet, add the other tablespoon of butter. Once it melts, toss in your garlic and stir it around for about 20 seconds.

Your kitchen should smell amazing right about now.

Step 4: Pour in the white wine and give it a stir. Let it simmer for about 2 minutes until most of the wine cooks off.

This concentrates all that flavor.

Step 5: Add the cream, broth, and parmesan to the pan. Stir everything together until the cheese melts, then let it bubble gently for about a minute and a half.

The sauce will start to thicken up a bit.

Step 6: Put the prawns back in the pan with a good stir. Then add your drained pasta along with about a quarter cup of that pasta water you saved.

Here’s where the magic happens.

Step 7: Toss everything together right there on the stove. In about 30 to 45 seconds, you’ll see the sauce get thicker and start hugging the pasta strands.

Take it off the heat just before it looks perfect because it’ll keep thickening.

Step 8: Sprinkle most of your parsley and some black pepper over everything. Give it another toss.

If the sauce gets too thick, add a tiny splash more pasta water.

Tips for the Best Results

Using small prawns works best because they spread throughout the pasta better. If you’ve got big ones, you might want to cut them up a bit.

Frozen prawns are totally fine here. Just make sure they’re completely thawed and pat them dry really well before cooking.

The parmesan needs to be freshly grated. The pre-grated stuff from a container won’t melt smoothly and you’ll end up with a grainy sauce.

That pasta water is liquid gold. The starch in it helps the sauce cling to the pasta and brings everything together.

Don’t skip cooking the pasta one minute less than usual. You’ll finish cooking it in the sauce, which is how you get that restaurant quality texture.

Making It Your Own

Feel free to add some red pepper flakes if you like a little heat. A good pinch goes a long way.

Fresh basil is lovely here too if you’re not a parsley person. Sometimes I’ll use half and half.

You can swap the fettuccine for linguine, spaghetti, or even penne if that’s what you’ve got. Just stick with the same amount.

Serving Suggestions

This pasta is pretty perfect on its own, but a simple green salad on the side is nice. Maybe some crusty bread to soak up any extra sauce.

A glass of the same white wine you used for cooking doesn’t hurt either.

Serves about 3 really hungry people or 4 normal portions.

Why This Recipe Works

The technique here is what makes the difference. Finishing the pasta in the sauce instead of just dumping sauce on top creates this beautiful emulsion.

The pasta releases its starch as you toss it, which thickens the sauce naturally and helps it stick to every piece.

It’s the same method Italian grandmas have used forever, and there’s a reason for that.

Storage and Reheating

This is definitely best eaten fresh, but leftovers will keep in the fridge for a couple days. The sauce will thicken up a lot when cold.

When you reheat it, add a splash of cream or milk and warm it gently in a pan. The microwave works too, just add a little liquid and stir it halfway through.

The Bottom Line

This creamy garlic prawn pasta is the kind of recipe you’ll come back to again and again. It feels special enough for company but easy enough for a Tuesday night.

The combination of buttery garlic, tender prawns, and that silky sauce is just irresistible. And knowing you made something this good in 20 minutes?

That’s the best part of all.