Looking for prawn recipes? Try our top prawn dishes, from garlic prawns to prawn curry, and plenty of simple starter ideas for your next dinner party...

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Prawns are a great midweek meal ingredient as they only take minutes to cook. You can buy them chilled or frozen, raw or ready-cooked. Always defrost frozen prawns thoroughly to ensure safe and even cooking. Most recipes will specify shell-on or peeled but peeled are probably the most widely sold and convenient.

How to cook prawns

  1. Frying prawns: To fry simply heat oil in a pan until smoking hot. Add peeled prawns and cook until pink (if using pre-cooked a couple of minutes will be enough to heat through).
  2. Boiling prawns: If you prefer to boil raw peeled prawns (before adding to a prawn cocktail for example) drop into boiling water with salt and juice of a lemon and cook for 3-4 minutes until pink then drain well.
  3. Grilling prawns: Large raw shell-on prawns can be grilled either on a griddle, under a hot grill or on the BBQ in the summer. Just toss in oil and seasoning then cook for about 3 minutes per side until they turn from silvery grey to bright pink. You can tell prawns are cooked when they turn pink, curl up and feel firm when squeezed.

Easy prawn recipes

Prawn pasta recipes

Baked orzo with harissa prawns

Baked Orzo with Harissa Prawns and Lemon on a Blue Plate

Flavour prawns with harissa, dill, garlic and lemon, then serve swirled through orzo pasta for a speedy but sophisticated midweek dinner.


Chilli prawn linguine

Spicy Prawn Linguine Pasta Recipe

Healthy food doesn't have to be boring – this spicy prawn pasta has a spicy chilli kick to keep it interesting.


Prawn linguine with ’nduja

Prawn Linguine Recipe with ’Nduja

Our prawn linguine with 'nduja is super quick and easy to make and packed with big Italian flavours. Check out more of our best linguine recipes here.

More like this

Prawn orecchiette with roasted-shell olive oil

Orecchiette Pasta Recipe with Prawns

Large juicy prawns with punchy chilli and orecchiette is an easy way to impress friends at your next dinner party.


Prawn spaghetti with tomato, chilli and basil

Prawn spaghetti with tomato, chilli and basil

20 minutes is all it takes to make this mean midweek pasta dish, flavoured with all the good things: white wine, butter, olive oil and prawns.


Effortless dill butter prawn linguine with chilli crisp fried eggs

Plate of linguine topped with potted prawns and dill, next to a fried egg with chilli crisp

Impressing your dinner date has never been easier – this dill butter prawn linguine only needs a few ingredients and cuts corners with potted shrimp.


Linguine with prawns and samphire

Linguine Pasta Recipe with Samphire and Prawns

In this recipe, king prawns pair with the sea vegetable samphire to make an easy linguine dish.


Prawn stir-fry recipes

Pad thai

pad thai

Put king prawns to work in this classic Thai dish, full of vibrant flavours and ready in half an hour.


Indian stir-fried prawns

A silver wok is filled with prawns, chopped peppers and green vegetables

Stir fragrant spices with juicy king prawns and sweet peppers for a protein-packed midweek meal ready in under half an hour.


10-minute prawn rice bowl

Moroccan Prawn Rice Bowl with Chickpeas in a Pan

Our Moroccan prawn rice bowl delivers big flavours in no time at all – and it's under 500 calories. Perfect for a mid-week meal.


Kung pao prawns

Kung Pao Shrimp Recipe

This Kung Pao shrimp recipe is a really low-calorie stir-fry and is served in a homemade sauce with noodles or rice. Add Szechuan peppercorns and chilli flakes to spice things up. Best stir-fry recipes here.


Healthier pad Thai

Frying pan full of healthy Pad Thai with prawns

Make the most of prawns in our skinny pad Thai packed full of authentic Thai flavours but without the high calorie count, perfect for midweek meals.


Instant ramen po'boy prawn sando

Po'boy prawn and instant ramen sandwich on a black slate with a glass of beer behind it

This sandwich takes inspiration from the katsu sandos of Japan, and the Louisiana po’boy. The prawns are also great canapés on their own, if you don’t fancy a sandwich.


King prawn yaki soba

Yaki Soba Noodles with King Prawns

We've used King prawns as a hero ingredient in our take on the classic Japanese recipe, yaki soba.


Garlic and cumin butter prawns

Olive_GarlicCuminButterPrawns111

Make the most of juicy king prawns by slathering in this buttery garlicky sauce – a light, punchy dinner idea ready in 20 minutes.


Szechuan prawn noodles

Szechuan Noodles Recipe With Prawns

These hot and spicy Chinese-style noodles with fresh prawns only take 15 minutes to whip up – a quick and easy midweek meal.


Quick peri peri prawns

Peri Peri Prawns Recipe

These peri peri prawns are quick and easy to make and are under 300 calories


Easy prawn jambalaya

Easy Jambalaya Recipe with Prawns

This super easy prawn recipe is packed with plenty of flavour, and it's low in calories. A wholesome midweek meal for two.


Prawn and watercress stir-fry

A prawn stir-fry in a wok

Toss juicy pink prawns with peppery watercress to make a simple but satisfying stir-fry that’s ready in 20 minutes.


Prawn curry recipes

Prawn karahi

A prawn curry in a wide casserole pan with rice on the side

Plenty of spice, fresh prawns and ripe tomatoes are key to this authentic Pakistani prawn curry, finished with green chilli and ginger.


Hirwa kolambi kalwan

Goan Prawn Curry Recipe

Try our vibrant green coconut prawn curry with chilli, coriander and curry leaves. We've used shell-on prawns as they add so much flavour, although you could make this with shelled prawns as well.


Prawn massaman curry

Prawn massaman curry

Make the most of juicy prawns in this Massaman curry, packed with plenty of fragrant flavours.


Quick prawn curry

Quick Prawn Curry Recipe

This 10-minute prawn curry is super easy to make and, yep, ready in just 10 minutes. Ideal for a speedy midweek meal.


Prawn caldine

Prawn Caldine Curry Recipe

Make our Indian curry recipe packed with juicy prawns, creamy coconut milk and crunchy green beans. This light, fragrant Indian curry originates from Goa.


Tamarind prawn curry

Tamarind Prawn Curry Recipe

Prawn curry in under half an hour, even when you make your own spice paste. Add tamarind and coconut milk for flavour and serve with rice and chapatis.


Jamaican prawn and sweet potato curry

Jamaican Curry Recipe With Prawns and Sweet Potato

This Jamaican prawn and sweet potato curry is easy, ready in under an hour and under 500 calories.


Prawn starter recipes

Harissa lime prawn cocktail

Harissa lime prawn cocktail

An absolute classic, made that bit more exciting by adding rose harissa paste and plenty of fresh lime to the mix. With only 15 minutes prep time, this is the perfect
dinner party starter.


Giant champagne and lemon prawn vol-au-vents

Prawn Vol Au Vents Recipe with Champagne

Take your starter to the next level by adding champagne to your king prawn vol-au-vents.


Sriracha prawn and avocado cocktail

Sriracha Prawn Cocktail Recipe with Avocado

This sriracha prawn and avocado cocktail is a quick and easy throw-together starter but still packs a punch flavour-wise. Try our easy dinner party starter recipes here.


Skagen toast

Shrimp Skagen Recipe

Make this shrimp Skagen recipe for a sophisticated change to a traditional prawn cocktail. It's super quick to make, why not try it as a simple starter.


Garlic prawns

A pan containing 11 shell-on king prawns with a slice of lemon

Serve shell-on king prawns sizzling in a pool of paprika, sherry and garlic-infused oil, with plenty of crusty bread to mop up the flavours.


Prawns pil pil

Prawns pil pil

This easy recipe, where plump prawns sit in a deliciously garlicky, spicy oil, is perfect for entertaining. Don’t forget the crusty bread for mopping up all of those wonderful juices.


Tandoori king prawns

A platter of king prawns cooked in spices served with wedges of fresh lime

No need to wait for barbecue season to enjoy these tandoori prawns. They're ideal as a starter with a kachumber salad or as a dinner party canapé – juicy, flavourful and no tandoor required.


Tiger prawns with garlic, chilli and lemon

A rectangular plate topped with four prawns with their shells on and half a lemon

These juicy tiger prawns, served with chilli, garlic and charred lemon, make an impressive Mediterranean-inspired starter that can be whipped up at the last minute.


’Nduja prawns with orzo, feta and olive salad

Feta and Olive Salad Recipe with 'Nduja Prawns

Juicy prawns, spicy 'nduja pesto and crumbly feta are the star ingredients in this orzo salad recipe. Plenty more salad recipes here.


Spring onion and prawn empanadas

Prawn Empanadas Recipe with Spring Onions

Empanadas are dough turnovers which originated in Portugal and are now also popular in many Latin American countries. Here are ours stuffed with prawns and spring onion.


Prawn and avocado Vietnamese summer rolls

Prawn and avocado Vietnamese summer rolls

These fresh and easy rice paper rolls are filled with prawns, avocado, chilli and ginger, shredded carrot and noodles. Serve with chilli sauce for a dip.


Garden summer roll

Rows of summer rolls next to a peanut dipping sauce.

Delight friends with these impressive summer rolls, combining prawns with mint, vermicelli noodles, lettuce, ginger, carrot and coriander.


Other prawn dishes

Mexican prawn soup

Mexican Soup Recipe with Prawns

Put fresh prawns at the heart of this easy Mexican soup – perfect for an easy midweek meal.


Smoked haddock and prawn stew

Smoked Haddock and Prawn Stew Recipe

Try this creamy seafood stew with haddock for a comforting dinner for two ready in 30 minutes.


Lighter prawn laksa

Light Prawn Laksa Recipe

Ready in just 30 minutes, this quick prawn laksa recipe is packed with punchy flavour and is super simple to make. What's more, it's low in calories and low in salt.


Smoky prawn, pepper and new potato stew

Fish Stew Recipe with Prawns and Potato

An easy fish stew with juicy butterflied prawns and sweet red peppers. This vibrant dish is low in calories and ready in 30 minutes.


Quick fish stew

One-pan Fish Stew in a White Bowl on a Blue Wooden Board

Pair juicy prawns with white fish, creamy butter beans, feta and earthy kale in a flavoursome tomato sauce. This easy one-pot dinner is ready in just 40 minutes.


Prawn risotto

A bowl of prawn risotto topped with three large prawns

This comforting risotto uses the entire crustacean, as the shells form a rich seafood stock for the rice to absorb before incorporating the plump cooked prawns.


Goan prawn and coconut pie

A savoury pie with a slice cut out of it

Prawns are the star ingredient in Maunika Gowardhan’s crowd-pleasing savoury Goan pie (Apa de camarão).


Ten-minute prawn tacos

Prawn tacos next to a pan of prawns and bowl of chopped tomato and coriander salad

Fill tortillas with punchy stir-fried prawns and a chopped tomato and coriander salad to make the speediest midweek tacos ready in just 10 minutes! Check out more of our taco recipes here.


Prawn and pepper gumbo

Prawn And Pepper Gumbo

A colourful jumble of tiger prawns, smoked bacon, green peppers and paprika, served with rice. Plus it's under 300 calories per serving and is ready in 35 minutes.


Prawn and mushroom miso soup

Prawn Noodle Soup With Miso and Mushrooms

Try our prawn and mushroom miso soup means you can have a healthy but comforting meal on the table in just 15 minutes – perfect for a midweek supper.


Spicy prawn fajitas

Easy Prawn Fajitas Recipe

Make your own paprika-laced prawn fajitas in less than half an hour for a punchy midweek meal.


Quick Japanese-style rice salad

Japanese-Style Rice Salad with Prawns and Chopsticks

Use a pack of ready-cooked or left-over rice to put a super-fast (and low calorie) king prawn salad together. Make it green with edamame beans, cucumber and avocado.


Prawn caesar salad

Prawn caesar salad on an oval platter

Prawns are used instead of chicken in this caesar salad recipe to give it a more summery feel.


Grilled prawns with roasted gooseberry salsa

A silver tray topped with juicy pink prawns with a green sauce on the side

Believe it or not, prawns and gooseberries are made for each other. Try them together in this super simple BBQ recipe.


Mango and prawn rice noodle salad

Prawn Rice Noodle Salad Recipe with Mango

Make the most of king prawns in this noodle salad sweet and juicy mango and crunchy veggies.


Prawn aguachile salad

Aguachile Recipe with Prawns

Make the most of prawns in this aguachile salad recipe. Traditionally, raw prawns would be used but we’ve used cooked here to cut down on time.


Viet-Cajun fried prawns

Vietnamese Fried Prawns with Cajun Spice
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The Vietnamese community of Houston, Texas, has created its own twist on a crawfish boil by frying them in a mixture of Cajun and Vietnamese seasonings. We’ve substituted king prawns for the crayfish.

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