Description
Creamy Tuscan Prawns is a luxurious and flavorful dish featuring succulent king prawns cooked in a rich, creamy sauce infused with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, smoked paprika, fresh basil, and spinach. This quick and easy stovetop recipe delivers a perfect balance of smoky, tangy, and fresh flavors, ideal for a comforting yet elegant meal served with crusty bread or your favorite side.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Prawns
- 500g / 1lb raw peeled King Prawns (shrimp), deveined
- 2 tbsp Sun Dried Tomato Oil (or olive oil as a substitute)
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Sauce
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 4 cloves Garlic, finely diced
- 1/4 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/4 tsp Oregano
- 1 tbsp Tomato Puree (Tomato Paste in US)
- 120ml / 1/2 cup Chicken Stock
- 240ml / 1 cup Double/Heavy Cream, at room temperature
- 125g / 4oz Sun Dried Tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 40g / 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 bunch Fresh Basil, finely diced (about 15g / 0.5oz)
- 100g / 3.5oz Baby Spinach Leaves
To Serve
- Crusty Bread
- Lemon Wedges (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Prawns: Thoroughly pat the prawns dry using kitchen or parchment paper. Coat them evenly with 2 tablespoons of sun-dried tomato oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
- Cook Prawns: Heat a large pan over high heat until hot. Arrange half the prawns spaced out in the pan and fry for 1 minute. Flip and cook for another minute. Remove the cooked prawns and repeat with the remaining batch.
- Make Sauce Base: Lower the heat to medium and melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in the same pan. Add finely diced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon oregano, frying for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in 1 tablespoon tomato puree and cook for about a minute to deepen the flavor.
- Add Liquids and Simmer: Pour in 120ml chicken stock and 240ml double/heavy cream, stirring to combine. Add 40g freshly grated Parmesan, 125g thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes, and half a bunch of finely diced fresh basil. Simmer gently for a few minutes until the sauce thickens, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
- Incorporate Spinach and Prawns: Stir in 100g baby spinach leaves along with the resting juices from the prawns. Once the spinach starts to wilt, add the cooked prawns back to the sauce. Warm through while stirring gently.
- Season and Serve: Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if needed with extra salt or pepper. Serve immediately with crusty bread on the side and a squeeze of lemon juice if desired to cut through the rich sauce.
Notes
- Prawns – Use pre-packaged deveined prawns or thaw frozen if using. Jumbo king prawns provide a nice texture and flavor.
- Cooking prawns – High heat for a short time prevents overcooking, aiming for a ‘C’ shape rather than a tight ‘O’ curl which indicates toughness.
- Sauce consistency – Ensure the sauce is fairly thick before adding the spinach; water released from spinach and prawns will thin it slightly.
- Spinach – Remove large stalks if preferred. Stir in when sauce is thick and cook just until wilted for best texture.
- Serving suggestions – Best served with crusty bread, but also delicious with rice or mashed potatoes. Lemon juice is optional but brightens the dish.
- Calories provided are for the prawns and sauce only, without any sides.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 220 mg
