Creamy Lemon Prawn Orecchiette
with Apple Salad
- Gluten
- Wheat
- Crustaceans
- Milk
- Eggs
- Soy
- May contain traces of allergens
Before you put prawn pasta in the too hard basket, give this recipe a go. It comes together in four simple steps, with an elegant end-result that's good enough for guests. A double dose of lemon from the zest and the juice really brightens the cream sauce, with the juice also working to tenderise the juicy prawns.
Ingredients
1 packet
orecchiette
(Contains: Gluten, Wheat May be present: Eggs, Soy)
1 bag
kale
2 clove
garlic
½
apple
½
lemon
1 packet
prawns
(Contains: Crustaceans)
1 sachet
garlic & herb seasoning
1 packet
light cooking cream
(Contains: Milk)
1 bag
mixed salad leaves
1 pinch
chilli flakes
Not included in your delivery
olive oil
¼ tsp
salt
20 g
butter
(Contains: Milk)
1 drizzle
red wine vinegar
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Boil the kettle. • Half-fill a large saucepan with the boiled water. Add a generous pinch of salt and heat over high heat. • Cook orecchiette in the boiling water until ‘al dente’, 8 minutes. • Reserve some pasta water (1/4 cup for 2 people / 1/2 cup for 4 people), then drain pasta and return to pan.
TIP: 'Al dente' pasta is cooked through but still slightly firm in the centre.
• While the pasta is cooking, finely chop garlic. Thinly slice kale, discarding any larger pieces of stalk. • Zest lemon to get a pinch, then slice into wedges. • Thinly slice apple (see ingredients) into wedges. Set aside.
• In a large frying pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over high heat. Cook prawns, tossing, until pink and starting to curl up, 3-4 minutes. • Reduce heat to medium, then add garlic & herb seasoning and garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. • Stir in light cooking cream, the salt, reserved pasta water and the lemon zest. Cook until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes. • Stir in cooked orecchiette, kale, the butter and a generous squeeze of lemon juice until combined, 1 minute. Season with pepper.
• In a medium bowl, combine mixed salad leaves, apple and a drizzle of red wine vinegar and olive oil. Season to taste. • Divide creamy lemon prawn orecchiette between bowls. Sprinkle with a pinch of chilli flakes (if using). • Serve with apple salad and any remaining lemon wedges. Enjoy!
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on July 2026- Flavour: The creamy lemon sauce was a standout, with the lemon zest and juice adding a bright, fresh tang that many loved. Some found the dish a little mild and boosted it with extra seasoning, paprika, or a splash of white wine.
- Ease of prep: Most found this a quick and straightforward cook, with several noting it was simple enough for teenagers to manage independently.
- Suggestions: Many reviewers recommended swapping silverbeet or kale for baby spinach, finding it less overpowering and better suited to the dish. Several also suggested adding extra prawns to balance the pasta ratio, and a few added cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, or asparagus for more variety. Some felt the sauce was a touch thin or scant and recommended reserving a little extra pasta water or increasing the cream slightly.
- Leftovers: Several reviewers enjoyed this dish reheated the next day, though a few noted the orecchiette tends to stick together once cooled, making leftovers a little tricky.
- Portions: A number of reviewers felt the pasta outweighed the prawns and greens, and suggested a better balance between the two would improve the dish.
- Side salad: Many reviewers skipped the apple salad entirely, finding it an odd pairing with the pasta, though a handful appreciated the fresh contrast it provided.
