Light and fresh, this Italian Pasta With Prawns and Cherry Tomatoes (pomodorini e gamberi) is a perfect one-dish meal, full of sweetness from the fresh prawns and the cherry tomatoes. A light and creamy sauce with stir-fried cherry tomatoes and shallot finished with fresh basil, no need for cream. It is so easy to make a delicious weeknight meal ready in only 20 minutes. Add small scallops or lobster tails for a fancy dinner, and deglaze with a dry white wine.
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I spent all my summers on the southern Italian coast, where I grew up eating fresh fish sold at the local market, often caught that very same day.
It was there I learned how to appreciate the real taste of fresh seafood and the traditional Italian way of cooking it-a simple method designed to make its delicate flavor shine.
This pasta with prawns and cherry tomatoes is a perfect example of that philosophy, using only what is necessary to highlight the natural sweetness of the ingredients.
For more pasta recipes with seafood, you can check linguini with clams, pasta with black ink, pasta with zucchini and shrimp, and spaghetti with Bottarga.
How to buy raw prawns
For this recipe, I use fresh raw Prawns from San Remo, and to add an extra fancy ingredient, I added some small scallops.
Shrimp are slightly different than Prawns, but the taste is very similar.
You can taste the scent of the sea, and when you touch them, you can feel the freshness.
To know if raw shrimp (or prawns) are fresh, touch their shells, and if they are slimy, I won't buy them.
I clean and devein the shrimp for this recipe, but do not throw away the heads and the shells as they make a great fish stock.
If you don't have fresh shrimp, you can use frozen ones, but they have to be raw, and make sure you choose a good quality large shrimp.
You want to have some nice chunky bites in your pasta. Defrost completely before using them; otherwise, they will be too watery.
While this recipe is best made with whole prawns, as there is a lot of flavor in the head, I will also give you the instructions for using peeled prawns.
The other ingredients
- Pasta: For this recipe, I use fresh spaghetti or fusilli. I like this pasta because it is nice and firm. You can use linguini or spaghettoni. I wouldn't use short pasta as the long pasta rolls around the shrimp, making the perfect bite.
- Shallots: I usually prefer to use shallots over onions when I cook fish, as shallots have a more delicate flavor. I wouldn't use garlic with shallots, it is an Italian thing.
- Tomatoes: I use fresh cherry tomatoes as they are nice and sweet, but you can also use long fresh tomatoes like Roma or San Marzano tomatoes.
- Fresh basil: the basil adds a finishing touch to the dish; you can also use oregano or parsley
- White wine: it is optional, but deglazing this sauce with a dry white wine will make this dish divine
Instructions
Cleaning the prawns
Rinse the prawns in fresh water
Remove the antennas
Make the sauce
The sauce is cooked for 20 minutes, and you can make it while the pasta is boiling to save time.
Depending on the type of pasta you choose, make sure you start the sauce a few minutes before the pasta so they are ready simultaneously.
Clean and slice the shallots
Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and chop the basil
- In a large skillet, stir fry the shallot at medium heat with extra virgin olive oil
- Once the shallot is translucent, cut the cherry tomatoes and chopped basil leaves in half. Season and stir with a wooden spoon.
- Let it simmer covered for 15 minutes at low heat. Stirring occasionally.
Cook pasta
- In the meantime, boil a large pot of water and add a tablespoon of salt
- Cook the pasta al dente
Hint: I usually boil for 1 minute less than the cooking times indicated on the pasta package instructions
To cook pasta like an Italian you can check the article: 38 tips on how to cook pasta like an Italian
Cooking with unpeeled prawns
Once the cherry tomatoes have softened, creating a juicy sauce:
- Add the whole prawns (with heads on) to the pan and stir-fry over low heat until they turn pink.
- Deglaze the pan with a splash of dry white wine and allow the alcohol to cook off for about a minute.
- Once the prawns are fully pink, remove them from the pan to prevent overcooking.
Deveining the prawns
- Peel the prawns by removing their shells and heads
- Devein the prawns by making a shallow incision along the back and carefully removing the dark digestive tract.
I use a prawn deveiner, and you can find it on Amazon on the affiliate link.
- Return the peeled and deveined prawns to the pan to warm them through in the sauce.
- Add the cooked pasta, drained one minute before al dente, directly to the pan with the sauce.
- Toss everything together, incorporating a small ladle of starchy pasta water if needed to achieve a creamy, cohesive texture.
Cooking with peeled prawns
Adding shrimp to the sauce can differ if you are using peeled or unpeeled prawns.
If you use raw peeled shrimp tails, add them at the end, as shrimp should never cook too long.
- Add the raw shrimp and the scallops and simmer for 3-4 minutes until they are cooked
- Adds a splash of white wine to the pasta sauce and let it evaporate
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan and stir as soon as the seafood is cooked.
Adjust the seasoning, add freshly grated black pepper, and serve
- Serve immediately
Tips for making a creamy sauce
- To make a creamy sauce without adding heavy cream, you must ensure the juicy cherry tomatoes simmer covered at low temperatures.
- If you want more juices, add some water from the pasta, as the starch released will act as a thickening agent.
- Add ½ cup of white wine at the end before adding the pasta for extra flavor. Let it evaporate for 1 minute.
- Remember: seafood should not cook for too long. Add at the end and remove from the stove as soon as the seafood is cooked.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce as soon as it is ready. Combine immediately.
- For a spicy tomato sauce, add some red pepper flakes
- If you have leftovers, store them in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 days
Variation
You can also add some small scallops to give an extra flavor, but that is optional.
Instead of prawns, you can also use other seafood like calamari/squids or mussels.
To learn more about the difference between calamari and cuttlefish, read the article: What Are Calamari Squid Cuttlefish and Octopus.
If you want to use different vegetables, you can check out the article The Italian Way to Make Any Pasta with Prawns Delicious, where I outline the principles for making your own Pasta with prawn version.
You can also try the variation of pasta with prawns and zucchini.
FAQ
If you are using unpeeled prawns, you can add them to the oil at the beginning so the oil gets the flavor. Once cooked, remove them and add them back at the end. If you are using peeled prawns, add them at the end. For succulent prawns, never cook them for too long.
Italians would never add Parmesan cheese to seafood pasta, especially if the seafood is fresh. It ruins the flavor of the seafood.
More pasta with seafood recipes
If you are making this Italian Pasta With Prawns and Cherry Tomatoes (No Cream No Cheese), leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, or sign up to my newsletter.
📋Italian Pasta With Prawns and Cherry Tomatoes
Verified Culinary AuthorityIngredients
- 20 fresh whole prawns
- 10 small scallops optional
- 1 lb cherry tomatoes
- 1 shallot
- 10 fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup dry white wine optional
- salt & pepper
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb long pasta long fusilli or linguine
- 1 tablespoon salt for pasta
Instructions
Prepare the sauce
- Clean and slice the shallots
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and chop the basil
- In a frying pan, stir fry the shallot with 2 tablespoon of olive oil2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 shallot
- Once the shallot is translucent, add the cherry tomatoes cut in half and the chopped basil leaves. Stir and season it1 lb cherry tomatoes, 10 fresh basil leaves
- Let it simmer covered for 15 minutes, at low heat. Stirring occasionally.
Start cooking the pasta
- In the meantime boil the salted water for the pasta1 tablespoon salt for pasta
- Cook the pasta al dente, I usually boil 1 minute less than what indicated on the pasta package1 lb long pasta
Using unpeeled prawns
- Add the whole prawns (with heads on) to the pan and stir-fry over low heat until they turn pink.
- Deglaze the pan with a splash of dry white wine and allow the alcohol to cook off for about a minute.
- Once the prawns are fully pink, remove them from the pan to prevent overcooking.
Peeling and deveining the prawns
- Devein the prawns by making a shallow incision along the back and carefully removing the dark digestive tract.
- Devein the prawns by making a shallow incision along the back and carefully removing the dark digestive tract.
Using peeled prawns
- Add the prawns and simmer for a few more minutes until they are cooked.20 fresh whole prawns, 10 small scallops
- Once the seafood is cooked, you can add some dry white wine.½ cup dry white wine
Adding the prawns back
- Return the peeled and deveined prawns to the pan to warm them through in the sauce.
- Add the cooked pasta, drained one minute before al dente, directly to the pan with the sauce.
- Season with black pepper and serve immediately
Video
Notes
- To know if shrimps (or prawns) are fresh, touch their shells, and if they are slimy, I won't buy them.
- I clean and devein the shrimps for this recipe, but do not throw away the head and the shells as they make a fantastic fish stock.
- If you don't have fresh shrimp, you can use frozen ones, but they have to be raw, and make sure you choose good quality large prawns.
- Defrost completely before using them; otherwise, they will be too watery.
- I added some small scallops to the shrimp, and you can also use other seafood like calamari/squid or mussels.
- Remember: seafood should not cook for too long. Always add at the end and remove from the stove as soon as the seafood is cooked.
- For this recipe, I used fusilli lunghi. I like this pasta because it is nice and firm. You can use linguini or spaghettoni.
- Usually, when I cook fish, I prefer to use shallots than onions as shallots have a more delicate flavor.
- I also use cherry tomatoes as they are nice and sweet, but you can also use long fresh tomatoes like Roma or San Marzano.
- To make a creamy sauce without adding anything, you must ensure the cherry tomatoes simmer covered at low temperatures.
- If you want more juices, add some water from the pasta, as the starch released will act as a thickening agent.
- You can add ½ cup of white wine at the end before adding the pasta for extra flavor. Let it evaporate for 1 minute.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce as soon as it is ready. Combine immediately.
Nutrition
Caroline
This sounds like a tasty, fresh combination that's both easy and a bit lighter. Great for warmer days.
Laura
thank you, it is nice in the summer
Brian Jones
That looks so tasty and such a simple cook too. You can't beat seafood pasta for a quick dinner!
Laura
no, you cannot
Ramona
This is definitely the perfect dish for me, it looks amazing, so appetising and my kids would absolutely go crazy about it. Saved and will make it this week. Thanks for sharing!
Laura
Thank you Ramona. I am glad you like it
Beth Neels
Shrimp are one of our favorite foods! I love how easy this dish is, and soon, I will be drowning in cherry tomatoes! I can't wait to give this a try!
Laura
ah, ah, I am planting them too. Thank you
Claudia Canu
You can never go wrong with shrimps, right? Plus, the taste of tomatoes and basil is a basic one for pasta.
Laura
no, you cannot