This Creamy Pesto Prawn Fettuccine is perfect for busy weeknights when you crave a flavourful meal without spending hours in the kitchen – it only takes 20 minutes! It’s not only quick and easy to make but also made with nourishing ingredients, offering a well-balanced meal that’s rich, creamy, and satisfying.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Quick and easy to make.
- Made with nourishing ingredients.
- Well balanced meal.
- Rich, creamy and satisfying!
- Restaurant-quality at home.
- Good for your soul!
Making the Creamy Pesto Prawn Fettuccine is a fantastic choice for anyone seeking a quick, easy, and healthy dinner option. With its balanced nutrition, creamy and satisfying flavours, and versatility, this recipe is sure to become a go-to favourite in your meal rotation.
Is this recipe healthy?
Some might question its healthiness, but fear not!
When prepared with the right ingredients and in moderation, Creamy Pesto Prawn Fettuccine can be a healthy and nutritious meal option. Let’s recap the factors that contribute to its healthiness:
- Nutrient-Rich Ingredients: This recipe includes onions, garlic, cherry tomatoes, prawns, and basil in the pesto, providing essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and lean protein, which are beneficial for overall health.
- Balance of Macronutrients: The dish offers a well-balanced combination of vegetables, protein, and carbohydrates, providing sustained energy, promoting satiety, and supporting bodily functions.
- Healthier Creamy Sauce: Instead of heavy cream, this recipe uses vegetable stock and cream cheese, reducing saturated fat content and making it a healthier choice for a creamy sauce.
- Fibre from Whole-Grain Pasta: Opting for whole-grain fettuccine adds dietary fiber, aiding digestion and maintaining stable blood sugar levels.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Prawns provide omega-3 fatty acids, beneficial for heart health and cognitive function.
The Healthy Ingredients:
- White Onion: adds a sweet and pungent flavour, packed with vitamin C and fibre for immune and digestive health.
- Garlic: infuses the dish with an aromatic and slightly spicy taste while providing potent antioxidant and antibacterial properties.
- Cherry Tomatoes: add volume, nutrients, and flavour to the pasta, rich in vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants promoting heart health.
- Cream Cheese: contributes a velvety texture, and when chosen carefully, it’s a source of calcium and protein, essential for bone and muscle function. Try to use cream cheese that is less processed and only contains cow’s milk and salt. I also have a dairy-free cream cheese recipe you could use!
- Pesto: The flavorful sauce contains fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese, providing vitamins A, K, and C, as well as minerals like iron and calcium. You can use shop-bought pesto for ease or make your own.
- Vegetable Stock: along with the cream cheese, this makes a healthier alternative to heavy cream or butter for a creamy sauce.
- Fettuccine Pasta: Whole-grain pasta adds fibre, vitamins, and minerals compared to refined white pasta, promoting digestive health and sustained energy.
- Prawns: The succulent prawns add delightful seafood flavour, a lean source of protein, and omega-3 fatty acids for heart and cognitive health.
Let’s make this Creamy Pesto Prawn Fettuccine
Prepping:
- Finely chop the white onion and mince the garlic.
- Cook the pasta: Boil fettuccine in salted water according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Cook the vegetables: Sauté chopped onions and minced garlic in olive oil until translucent and fragrant. If using uncooked prawns, sauté them until pink and cooked through. Add cherry tomatoes and cook for a few minutes until softened.
Let’s get saucy!
- Add cream cheese, pesto, and vegetable stock to the pan. Stir until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy. Let it cook for a few minutes to thicken.
- Time for the prawns (or chicken): Add cooked prawns (or chicken) to the pan, allowing them to warm up in the creamy pesto sauce.
- Combine the pasta and sauce: Add cooked fettuccine to the pan, tossing everything together to ensure an even coating with creamy goodness. You can add some pasta water in if you prefer a runnier sauce.
- Final touches: Season with salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with chopped basil or parsley for a touch of freshness.
Storage and Reheating:
Refrigeration: If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Freezing: For longer storage, freeze the sauce and pasta separately in airtight containers or freezer bags. Thaw frozen portions in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat the thawed sauce and pasta in a saucepan over low heat until warmed through, adding a splash of vegetable stock or water if needed to loosen the sauce. TOP TIP: save some pasta water and keep it in a jar in the fridge to add instead of stock or water.
In conclusion, Creamy Pesto Prawn Fettuccine is a delightful and healthy choice for any busy night. Its perfect balance of nutrients and flavours makes it a favourite option for easy and nourishing dinners. Enjoy this quick and satisfying delight, knowing you’re providing your body with wholesome goodness in every bite! 🍤
more easy & healthy recipes:
if you have some leftover cream cheese, I think it’s only right that you make a dessert…
Hey! If you make this recipe, I would love it if you could leave me some feedback and a rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ in the comment section at the bottom of the page! Also let me know on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest! I can’t wait to hear your thoughts and see your photos!
Creamy Pesto Prawn Fettuccine
Ingredients
Instructions
- Boil fettuccine in salted water according to package instructions.
- In the meantime, Finely chop white onion and mince garlic and sauté in olive oil until translucent. If using uncooked prawns, sauté until pink; then add cherry tomatoes and cook until softened.
- Add cream cheese, pesto, and vegetable stock to the pan. Stir until smooth and creamy, allowing it to thicken for a few minutes.
- If using pre-cooked prawns, add them to the pan now, letting them warm in the creamy pesto sauce.
- Drain the cooked fettuccine and add into the pan, ensuring an even coating with the creamy sauce.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped basil or parsley for a burst of freshness.
