Quick Prawn Pasta Bake

• 🧑‍🍳 Medium
• ⏱ Prep: 5mins
• 🥘 Cook: 20mins
• 🍴 Serves 4

This simple recipe is so simple, it’s my go to when I’m tired from the day and don’t have much energy left to cook. The oven does the cooking and I do the resting. Pair with a salad base to fulfil a balanced diet for dinner.

Prawn Pasta Bake Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 500ml water
• 300g fusilli pasta
• 20g cheddar cheese, grated

Sauce Ingredients

• 250g cooked king prawn
• 350g sun ripened tomato and basil sauce
• 25g of washed spinach, chopped
• ½ a bunch of fresh basil, chopped

To Serve

• 50g Parmesan Cheese, grated
• 60g wild rocket leaves, washed and spun

Prawn Pasta Bake Preparation

1. Add 500ml of water to a pot, add olive oil and add the pasta. Bring to a boil under medium heat. Remove and drain the excess water after 15 mins making sure the pasta is al dente, has cooked but still a little bit hard in the middle. Can test by biting one.
2. In a separate bowl, remove the tail and wash your prawns.
3. Add olive oil to a pan and combine the remaining sauce ingredients in the same pan. Fry under medium heat for 10 mins. Make sure to continually stir sauce.
4. Add washed prawns to sauce. Cook for 5 mins. Mix sauce into the pasta. Add cheddar cheese and fold into mixture.
5. Transfer mixture to an oiled baking ceramic dish / glassware. Level the mixture in the dish and cover with remaining cheddar cheese. Cook in the oven for 15 mins under 180˚C until the top is golden brown.
6. Set aside on the cooling rack for a few minutes to set. Serve while hot.

Serving: Allow to rest and serve with either a rocket salad base with grated parmesan; or mixed vegetables with salad dressing. My usual plate normally contains a base of rocket salad, pasta bake portion and grated parmesan to top it off ©

💡Another tip I like to use is adding cheddar cheese through the layers of my pasta mix before cooking in the oven. This helps achieve a more indulgent and rich taste when served.