Most prawn suppers are on the table in 15 minutes, because prawns themselves cook in about two. Buy a bag of raw king prawns, defrost them safely, and you are minutes from garlic butter prawns, a quick prawn pasta, a mild curry, a stir-fry or fajitas. Here are seven easy prawn recipes for quick family suppers, with proper UK quantities, plus how to cook prawns without ending up with rubber.
Prawns are the most forgiving weeknight protein in the freezer drawer, on one condition: you stop cooking them the moment they turn. The whole of this guide rests on that single idea. Get it right and a frozen bag from the supermarket becomes a midweek hero; get it wrong and you have spent good money on chewy pink commas. Everything below is built around raw king prawns, the standard 250g supermarket bag, and a family of four.
Key takeaways
- Raw prawns, not pre-cooked, are what you want for a hot supper. Pre-cooked prawns are for cold dishes; reheating them is what makes prawns rubbery.
- Defrost safely: overnight in the fridge below 5C is the Food Standards Agency recommendation; a sealed bag under cold running water for 15 to 20 minutes is the quick alternative. Never use hot water or the microwave, and never thaw on the worktop.
- Cook for two minutes, not five. Prawns are done when they curl into a loose C and turn opaque pink. A tight O means overcooked.
- Seven suppers, all under 20 minutes: garlic butter prawns, quick prawn pasta, mild prawn curry, stir-fry, fajitas, pilaf and the cold classic, prawn cocktail.
- A 250g bag of frozen prawns feeds four stretched through pasta, rice or vegetables, and costs less than a supermarket meal deal each.
If you already know your way around a prawn and just want the cooking, the seven recipes start a little further down. If you have ever wondered whether you can cook prawns from frozen, or why yours go tough, read the two short sections first. They take less time than defrosting does.
Before you cook
Raw or cooked, king or standard: what to buy
For a hot supper, buy raw prawns; for a cold one, buy cooked. This is the single decision that separates a good prawn dish from a disappointing one. Raw prawns are grey and translucent in the bag and turn pink as they cook, taking on whatever you cook them in. Pre-cooked prawns are already pink, and a hot pan only toughens them, so they belong in a prawn cocktail or a salad, not a curry.
King prawns are the sensible default for the recipes here: large enough to feel like a proper portion, sweet, and hard to overcook in the blink it takes a small prawn. Standard or “North Atlantic” prawns are smaller, cheaper and excellent in pasta and rice where a few extra make up the difference. Tiger prawns are larger still and worth it for a treat, but a family supper does not need them.
Fresh from the fish counter is a pleasure, but for midweek the freezer wins on every count: cost, waste and convenience. A bag lives in the freezer until the evening you need it, and you defrost only what you want. Look for “raw, peeled and deveined” on the bag and you have saved yourself the only fiddly job. Most supermarket bags are 250g, which is the quantity every recipe below is built around.
| What the bag says | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Raw king prawns, peeled | Garlic butter, curry, stir-fry, pasta, fajitas, pilaf | Cook just until pink; do not walk away |
| Cooked king prawns | Prawn cocktail, salads, cold platters | Reheating makes them rubbery |
| Standard / small prawns | Pasta and rice, where quantity helps | Cook even faster, around a minute |
| Shell-on or with tails | More flavour, more presentation | Messier for small children |
How to defrost prawns safely
The safe ways to defrost prawns are overnight in the fridge, or sealed in a bag under cold running water for 15 to 20 minutes. The fridge is the method the Food Standards Agency recommends: keep the prawns covered, below 5C, and in a container that catches any drips. It needs forethought rather than effort, so it suits the cook who knows on Sunday what Wednesday looks like.
When you forgot, the cold-water method gets you there in under half an hour. Put the frozen prawns in a sealed freezer bag, sit it in a bowl, and run cold water over it or change the water every few minutes until they are pliable and no longer icy in the middle. The seal matters: prawns left loose in water turn waterlogged and bland.
Two rules worth keeping
Never with heat. Hot water and the microwave both start cooking the outside while the centre stays frozen, which is exactly how you get tough edges and a cold middle, and how bacteria get the warm window they want. Never thaw prawns on the worktop at room temperature for the same reason.
Once defrosted, use within a day and never refreeze. Thawed prawns should be cooked within 24 hours, kept in the fridge until they hit the pan. Refreezing raw thawed prawns is the route to both poor texture and risk.
Can you cook prawns from frozen at a pinch? You can, but the result is uneven, so it is a last resort rather than a plan. Twenty minutes under cold water is almost always quicker than the disappointment of a tough prawn.
How to cook prawns without overcooking them
Prawns are cooked the moment they turn opaque pink and curl into a loose C, which takes about a minute and a half to two minutes a side in a hot pan. They will not reward patience. The most useful thing in this entire guide is the shape: an open, relaxed C is perfect; a tight, clenched O has gone a stage too far and the texture has tightened with it.
An open, relaxed C is a perfect prawn. A tight, clenched O has gone too far.
Work in a single layer in a genuinely hot pan, so the prawns sear rather than steam, and resist crowding them; cook in two batches if your pan is small. Drain defrosted prawns and pat them dry first, because surface water cools the pan and stews them. If a sauce is involved, the trick is to cook the prawns, lift them out, build the sauce, and return them at the very end for thirty seconds to warm through. That way they never cook twice.
| Method | Heat | Time (raw king prawns) | Ready when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pan-fry / saute | High | 1.5 to 2 min each side | Pink, loose C |
| Stir-fry | Very high | 2 to 3 min, tossing | Pink through |
| Simmer in sauce (curry) | Gentle | 3 to 4 min | Just opaque, then stop |
| Poach (for cocktail) | Bare simmer | 2 to 3 min | Pink, then into cold water |
Standard small prawns cook faster still, often in a minute, so dial the times down. And if you have bought cooked prawns by mistake, do not fry them; stir them through a finished hot dish at the very end purely to warm, or keep them for something cold.
The collection
Seven easy prawn suppers, all under 20 minutes
Each of these feeds four and starts from a 250g bag of raw king prawns. The first three are written out in full, because they are the ones worth having by heart. The rest are quick methods you can run from the same bag, a few store-cupboard tins and whatever is in the fridge. The matrix below sorts them by how long they take and how rich they are, for the evening when the decision is the hardest part.
Garlic butter prawns
Serves 4 as a light supper with bread, or 2 as a main · 10 minutes
The fastest hot supper in the book and the one that converts prawn sceptics. Pile onto sourdough, toss through pasta, or serve with rice and green salad. Raw king prawns only.
Ingredients
- 250g raw king prawns, peeled and deveined, defrosted and patted dry
- 50g butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (optional; leave out for small children)
- Juice of 1/2 lemon, plus wedges to serve
- Small handful parsley, chopped
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Crusty bread, to serve
Method
- Heat the oil and half the butter in a large frying pan over a high heat until foaming.
- Add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the prawns in a single layer. Cook for 1.5 to 2 minutes each side, until pink and curled into a loose C.
- Turn off the heat. Add the remaining butter, the lemon juice and parsley, and toss to make a quick sauce. Season.
- Serve at once with bread for the garlic butter and lemon wedges on the side.
Quick prawn pasta
Serves 4 · 15 minutes
A weeknight standard: a light tomato and garlic sauce with a little chilli, ready in the time it takes the pasta to cook. Standard prawns are fine here and help the bag stretch.
Ingredients
- 350g linguine or spaghetti
- 250g raw king prawns, peeled, defrosted and patted dry
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- Zest of 1 lemon and a squeeze of juice
- Small handful basil or parsley, torn
- Salt and black pepper
Method
- Cook the pasta in well-salted boiling water until just al dente. Reserve a mugful of the water before draining.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan and soften the garlic and chilli for a minute.
- Add the tomatoes and puree, season, and simmer for 6 to 7 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Stir in the prawns and cook for 3 minutes, just until pink. Do not let them go beyond that.
- Add the drained pasta, lemon zest and a splash of pasta water, and toss to coat. Finish with herbs, lemon juice and pepper.
Mild prawn curry
Serves 4 · 20 minutes
A gentle, creamy coconut curry pitched for the whole table; the heat is in your hands, so it suits children and can be lifted at the table for the adults. Serve with rice or naan.
Ingredients
- 250g raw king prawns, peeled, defrosted and patted dry
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves and a thumb of ginger, grated
- 2 tbsp mild curry paste (korma or tikka for a mild result)
- 1 x 400g tin coconut milk
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 100g frozen peas or a handful of spinach
- Juice of 1/2 lime and fresh coriander, to serve
- Rice, to serve (serves 4)
Method
- Heat the oil and soften the onion for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and curry paste and cook for a minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the coconut milk and tomatoes. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until slightly reduced and glossy.
- Stir in the peas or spinach, then add the prawns and simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes, just until pink and opaque.
- Finish with lime juice and coriander. For older children and adults, offer chilli flakes or a sliced fresh chilli at the table.
- Serve with rice.
Prawn stir-fry
The quickest route from freezer to plate after garlic butter. Get a wok or large pan very hot. Stir-fry a bag of prepared vegetables (peppers, mangetout, broccoli) in a little oil for 3 to 4 minutes, push to one side, then add 250g defrosted prawns with grated garlic and ginger and toss for 2 to 3 minutes until pink. Add a sauce of 2 tbsp soy, 1 tbsp honey and a squeeze of lime, bubble for a minute, and serve over noodles or rice. For more on the technique, our stir-fry method applies straight across.
Prawn fajitas
A supper the children assemble themselves, which is half the appeal. Toss 250g defrosted prawns with 1 tbsp fajita seasoning. Fry sliced peppers and onion in a hot pan for 5 minutes, add the prawns for 2 to 3 minutes until pink, and pile into warm tortillas with soured cream, grated cheese and lime. Keep the seasoning mild and let everyone add their own heat; it sidesteps the usual standoff over spice.
Prawn pilaf
A one-pan rice supper that tastes considered for the effort it takes. Soften an onion, stir in 250g basmati rice and 1 tsp each of cumin and turmeric, then pour in 500ml stock. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stir through 250g defrosted prawns and 100g peas, and cook for a final 3 to 4 minutes until the prawns are pink and the rice tender. Rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Our notes on cooking rice properly are the foundation here.
Prawn cocktail
The one dish on this list that wants cooked prawns, not raw. Toss cold cooked prawns in a Marie Rose sauce of 3 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tbsp ketchup, a few drops of Worcestershire sauce and a squeeze of lemon, and serve on shredded lettuce. It is a starter rather than a supper, and a fixture of the Christmas table; we cover it in full in our easy Christmas starters.
Doing it well for less
The frozen-bag, store-cupboard supper
A bag of frozen prawns is one of the better-value proteins in the supermarket, precisely because you use only what you need and waste none. A 250g bag stretched through pasta, rice or a pan of vegetables feeds four, and the supermarket own-brand bag does the job as well as the named one for these recipes; you are cooking the prawns in flavour, not tasting them plain.
Keep the supporting cast in the cupboard and a prawn supper is never more than a defrost away: a tin of chopped tomatoes, a tin of coconut milk, dried pasta, rice, a jar of curry paste, garlic and frozen peas. None of it is dear, all of it keeps, and between them they cover the pasta, the curry and the pilaf. Buy two bags of prawns when they are on offer; they live happily in the freezer for the months it takes to work through them.
Heat levels for the whole table
The simplest way to feed children and adults from one pan is to cook everything mild and add heat at the table, not in the pot. Leave the chilli out of the garlic butter, choose a korma or tikka paste for the curry, and keep the fajita seasoning gentle. Then put out chilli flakes, sliced fresh chilli or a hot sauce for the grown-ups. Nobody has to eat a separate supper, and nobody has to suffer.
For drinks, prawns and a chilled glass of something dry is the classic pairing, but it is not the point of the meal. A good alcohol-free fizz or a jug of lime and soda sits just as well alongside garlic butter prawns, and means the cook is not the only one with a proper glass in hand.
Peeling and deveining, if you have not bought them done
Most supermarket bags are sold peeled and deveined, which removes the only fiddly part of cooking prawns. If yours are shell-on, peeling is straightforward: pull off the legs, then the shell, leaving the tail on or off as you prefer. Shell-on prawns carry more flavour and look handsome, which earns them a place at a slower weekend supper even if the children find them messy.
Deveining is the removal of the dark thread that runs along the prawn’s back, which is the digestive tract. It is a matter of appearance and a slightly cleaner taste rather than safety, and on small prawns it is barely worth the bother. On larger king or tiger prawns, run the tip of a sharp knife shallowly along the back and lift the thread out with the point. A minute of this for a treat-night dish; skip it on a Tuesday.
Prawn recipe questions, answered
Can you cook prawns from frozen?
You can, but it is a last resort rather than a method. Cooking from frozen tends to overcook the outside before the centre thaws, giving tough edges and a cold middle. A sealed bag under cold running water defrosts prawns in 15 to 20 minutes, which is almost always quicker than the disappointment.
How long do prawns take to cook?
Raw king prawns take about 1.5 to 2 minutes each side in a hot pan, or 3 to 4 minutes simmered gently in a curry sauce. They are done the moment they turn opaque pink and curl into a loose C. Smaller standard prawns can be ready in a minute, so watch them closely.
How do you know when prawns are cooked?
Colour and shape. A raw prawn is grey and translucent; a cooked one is pink and opaque and curls into a relaxed C. If it tightens into a closed O, it has gone a step too far and the texture will have toughened.
What is the difference between raw and cooked prawns?
Raw prawns are grey and translucent and are meant to be cooked in your dish, taking on its flavour. Cooked prawns are already pink and are best used cold, in a prawn cocktail or salad. Frying or simmering pre-cooked prawns reheats them and makes them rubbery, so match the prawn to the dish.
Are prawns healthy?
Prawns are low in fat and high in protein, which makes them a light supper that still satisfies. As with all general food information, this is not dietary advice; anyone with a shellfish allergy should avoid them entirely, and prawns are a common allergen to keep in mind when feeding a crowd.
Can you reheat cooked prawn dishes?
Cooked prawn dishes can be reheated once, gently and until piping hot throughout, but the prawns will firm up a little each time. For best texture, reheat the sauce or rice and stir the prawns through only at the end to warm. Do not reheat prawns more than once.
What goes with prawns for a family supper?
Rice, pasta, crusty bread and a green salad are the reliable partners, depending on the dish. Garlic butter prawns want bread for the sauce; a curry or pilaf wants rice; pasta is a supper in itself. For more quick midweek ideas, our easy family lasagne and Jamie’s quick and easy food sit happily on the same weeknight rotation.
Written by Linda Garrould · Updated 14 June 2026. General food information, not dietary or medical advice; prawns are a common allergen.
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