Prawn and Chorizo Spaghetti
with Fresh Tomato Sauce and Chilli
In the heady days of his youth, our Head Chef Patrick's favourite date night restaurant was a little Spanish place in London's Borough market. He ended up going there so often that he became best mates with the chef and started working in the kitchen at weekends! The classic Iberian combo of prawns and chorizo remains a favourite and he presents it here. Good for date night or any other night too!
Ingredients
120
King Prawns
200
Spaghetti
2
Medium Tomato
1
Tomato Passata
60
Chorizo
1
Chilli Flakes
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
Put a large saucepan of water with a generous pinch of salt on to boil for the pasta. Peel and grate the garlic (or use a garlic press). Halve the baby plum tomatoes. Halve, peel and thinly slice the onion. Finely chop the chives. TIP: You can use also use scissors to chop the chives!
Heat a little oil in a frying pan on high heat. Add the chorizo, stir-fry until just turning crispy, 2-3 mins. Lower the heat to medium, stir in the tomatoes, onion and a little knob of butter (if you have some!). Add a good pinch of salt and pepper and mix it all up. Cover with a lid (or foil) then leave to cook until the onion is soft and the tomatoes have burst, stirring once or twice, 10-12 mins.
Meanwhile, add the spaghetti to the pan of boiling water and cook for 8 mins. Once cooked, reserve a ladleful of pasta water, then drain the pasta in a colander and drizzle with a little olive oil to stop it sticking together.
After 10-12 mins, remove the lid from the frying pan and stir in the garlic, tomato purée, a small pinch of chilli flakes (don't add all of them, they are hot! You can add more later if required) and the red vine vinegar. Increase the heat slightly and bring to the boil. Cook for 30 seconds then add the water (see ingredients for amount).
Add the prawns into to the sauce, mix together and cook for a further 3-4 mins. iIMPORTANT: The prawns are cooked when pink on the outside and opaque in the middle! Taste and season with more salt and pepper if necessary. Add some more chilli here if you want to!
Once the prawns are cooked, stir the drained spaghetti into the sauce and add a splash of the reserved pasta water if it looks a little dry! Toss everything together well then remove from the heat. Mix the chives into the spaghetti then divide between your bowls. Buon Appetito!
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Aug 2026- Flavour: The combination of prawns and chorizo in a fresh tomato sauce lands well, with a satisfying spicy kick that you can adjust to taste. Some reviewers found the sauce a little mild or thin, but the core flavours were widely enjoyed.
- Ease of prep: Most found this quick and straightforward to pull together, making it a reliable choice for a weeknight dinner.
- Suggestions: Add more tomato purée or reduce the water slightly if you prefer a richer, thicker sauce; keeping chorizo in larger pieces helps it hold its flavour and texture rather than dissolving into the dish. Some reviewers also suggested finishing with fresh parsley or basil in place of chives for a more classic flavour.
- Next-day meals: One reviewer split the dish into three portions and found it worked well for lunch the next day, and another noted it tastes even better the following day.
- Portions: Several reviewers felt the ratio of spaghetti to prawns and chorizo was uneven, and suggest adding extra prawns or chorizo to balance the dish.
