Quick and easy creamy rose harissa pasta with prawns comes together quickly and tastes delicious. The fiery flavours of North African harissa and the sweet creaminess of coconut milk work well together with pasta to make a flavourful dish.
If you’re looking for new ways to eat pasta or need to whip up an indulgent meal in a short time, tossing pasta in creamy rose harissa sauce with juicy king prawns is the way to go. So, wow your friend with this rose harissa pasta recipe next time you’re hosting.
What Is Harissa?
It is a hot, fragrant chilli paste with vibrant red colours originating from North Africa. It is made from a combination of different dried chilli peppers and spices. Harissa is used as a condiment to spice up meals in numerous ways, including adding to soups and sauces. A little can add a kick to a salad. It is used as a rub for meat, fish or vegetables before roasting or grilling; added into stir-fries as well as used as a dip etc.
Harissa is made with chillies and so typically spicy. The spice level and flavour profile depend on who makes it and where. Rose harissa contains rose petals and water, which gives complex flavours and tempers the heat. Harissa paste and dried spice mix are sold in Mediterranean stores and big supermarkets. You can also find some good ones on Amazon. I like the Belazu Rose Harissa paste, and used it for this prawn pasta recipe.
Creamy Rose Harissa Pasta With Prawns Recipe
Here are the ingredients you need...
Pasta
Onion
Garlic
Sunflower Oil
King prawns
Chopped tomatoes
Red bell pepper
Green peas
A few notes about the ingredients...
- Harissa paste: You can use a store-bought paste or make your paste for king prawn harissa pasta. Rose harissa works great for this pasta recipe, but other harissa types like smoky will also work. Check the heat on the harissa and reduce the quantity you add to the sauce if it is hot. Here is a good recipe if you prefer to make your own paste. If you cannot find a paste, then you can also use dry harissa spice mix (use the same quantity as the paste).
- Protein: You can substitute the prawns with whichever protein you would typically cook with pasta - chicken, fish, beef etc. Or you can exclude it to make a vegetarian dish.
- Vegetable:s I used peppers and green peas. I also sometimes like to combine cherry tomatoes and baby spinach but feel free to use your favourite vegetables.
How To Make It
Pour the prawns into a bowl and add ½ teaspoon harissa paste. Toss and keep aside.
Chop the peppers and keep aside.
Cook the pasta with salt according to pack instructions. Drain and rinse under the tap to prevent sticking. Reserve some of the liquid.
Peel and chop the onion and garlic.
Heat the oil in a saucepan under medium heat. Add the onions and allow to cook until translucent.
Add the garlic into the pan and stir for 30 secs before combining it with the remaining harissa paste.
Next, add the coconut milk and chopped tomatoes and some salt to taste.
Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat. Leave for around 10 mins to allow the liquid to reduce and flavours to develop.
Add the prawns, peppers and green peas and leave to cook for 5 mins. Mix in the pasta.
If you prefer the pasta more loose, then add some of the reserved cooking water and allow it to warm through.
Remove from heat and serve.
Recipe FAQ
Harissa is easy to find. The paste and the dry spice mix can be found in Mediterranean stores. Belazu has Rose Harissa and Smoked chilli harissa pastes, which are available on Amazon. Most big supermarkets like Tesco also have their “own brand”, harissa.
Related Recipes
Whether you buy or make your paste or dry mix for this creamy harissa pasta, there will be some leftover which you can use for other recipes. Harissa plantain and fish tray bake is a good one to try.
Pasta is great for absorbing flavours. Other delicious African-inspired pasta recipes are;
Creamy Rose Harissa Pasta With King Prawns
Ingredients
- 3 cups Pasta
- ½ Onion
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 3 tablespoons Harissa paste
- 2 tablespoons Sunflower Oil
- 1 cup King prawns
- ½ can Coconut Milk
- 1 can Chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup Red bell pepper
- 1 cup Green peas
Instructions
- Pour the prawns into a bowl and add ½ teaspoon harissa paste. Toss and keep aside.
- Chop the peppers and keep aside.
- Cook the pasta with salt according to pack instructions. Drain and rinse under the tap to prevent sticking. Reserve some of the liquid.
- Peel and chop the onion and garlic.
- Heat the oil in a saucepan under medium heat. Add the onions and allow to cook until translucent.
- Add the garlic into the pan and stir for 30 secs before combining it with the two tablespoons of harissa paste. Next, add the coconut milk, chopped tomatoes and some salt to taste.
- Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat. Leave for around 10 mins to allow the liquid to reduce and flavours to develop.
- Add the prawns, peppers and green peas and leave to cook for 5 mins. Mix in the pasta.
- If you prefer the pasta more loose, then add some of the reserved cooking water and allow it to warm through.
- Remove from heat and serve.
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