Grilled prawn scampi with rich tomato sauce seafood delight

So grilled prawn scampi. It’s one of those things that sounds complicated but really isn’t. The key is just not messing it up, which is easier than you’d think.

I’ll be straight – prawns are forgiving. They’re bigger than shrimp so they don’t fall apart on you. You grill them hot and fast and they’re done. That’s the whole thing.

Ingredients

For the Prawns:

• 500g fresh prawns, cleaned and deveined
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Tomato Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large can (400g) crushed tomatoes
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

For Serving:

• Fresh basil leaves (optional)
• Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
• Lemon wedges
• Crusty bread

Start With Good Prawns

Fresh prawns, not frozen if you can get them. But honestly if all you’ve got is frozen, just make sure they’re thawed and totally dry. This is the annoying part but it actually matters. Wet prawns are basically useless for grilling. They’ll just steam. Use paper towels and get them actually dry, not just damp.

Half a kilo feeds about four people. Maybe a bit more if people are hungry.

Toss them in a bowl with olive oil, garlic that you’ve minced, salt and pepper. Let them sit while you’re doing other stuff. Like 15 minutes or whatever. You’re not cooking them yet, just seasoning.

The Tomato Sauce Thing

Okay so the sauce. You can buy jarred stuff and nobody will die, but making it takes like 25 minutes and tastes way better. Up to you.

Heat some olive oil in a pan. Get it warm but not smoking. Throw in minced garlic – maybe 4 or 5 cloves depending on how much you like garlic. Cook it for like a minute. You want it to smell good but not burnt.

Add tomatoes. I use canned because unless it’s literally August where you live, fresh tomatoes are kind of sad. A big can works. Break them up with your spoon as they cook. Add lemon juice, like half a cup. It keeps things bright and fresh without being too heavy.

Salt, pepper, throw in some dried basil or oregano or whatever you’ve got. Let it bubble. Don’t lid it. Just let it sit there for like 20 minutes and get thicker. Stir it sometimes.

After like 20 minutes add a bit of butter. Like a tablespoon. It makes it less acidic and silky. Taste it and add more salt if it needs it.

Getting the Grill Ready

Heat your grill all the way. Like actually hot. You want it screaming hot, not medium. Wait til it’s been going for like 10 minutes at least.

Wipe the grates clean. Oil them. The prawns shouldn’t stick but let’s not find out the hard way.

Cooking Them

Dump the prawns on. Don’t move them. This is important. Just leave them alone for like 3 minutes. They’ll turn pink and get some black spots. That’s what you want.

Flip them. Another 2 minutes or so. They’re done when they’re all pink and feel firm when you poke them. If they’re still translucent or squishy, give them another minute.

If they’re grey and tough, you overcooked them. They cook super fast so watch them.

Putting It All Together

Sauce on the plate. Prawns on top. Drizzle some good olive oil over everything. Lemon. Fresh basil if you have it. That’s it.

Grilled prawn scampi with rich tomato sauce seafood delight

Juicy grilled prawn scampi served over a flavorful, rich tomato sauce. A perfect seafood appetizer that’s elegant, zesty, and full of Mediterranean flair.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4 people

Calories 280 kcal

Equipment

• Outdoor grill or grill pan
• Large mixing bowl
• Medium saucepan
• Wooden spoon for stirring
• Paper towels
• Tongs for flipping prawns
• Serving plates
• Knife for mincing garlic
• Can opener (if using canned tomatoes)

Ingredients

  

For the Prawns:

• 500 g fresh prawns cleaned and deveined
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4-5 garlic cloves minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Tomato Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4-5 garlic cloves minced
• 1 large can 400g crushed tomatoes
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

For Serving:

• Fresh basil leaves optional
• Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
• Lemon wedges
• Crusty bread

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Heat your grill to high heat and let it go for about 10 minutes. While that's happening, clean your prawns and pat them completely dry with paper towels – this part actually matters because wet prawns won't get that nice char.
• 2. Toss the dried prawns in a bowl with three tablespoons of olive oil, four or five minced garlic cloves, salt and pepper. Let them sit and get seasoned while you make the sauce.
• 3. In a separate pan, heat three more tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add another four or five minced garlic cloves and cook for about a minute til it smells really good but isn't burnt. Pour in your canned tomatoes, break them up with a spoon, and add half a cup of fresh lemon juice. Throw in your dried basil and oregano, salt and pepper.
• 4. Let this bubble away without a lid for about 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes. The sauce should get noticeably thicker and darker. About a minute before the sauce is done, stir in a tablespoon of butter – this makes it silky and less sharp. Taste it and add more salt if it needs it. While the sauce is finishing up, make sure your grill grates are clean and well oiled.
• 5. Throw the seasoned prawns on the screaming hot grill and don't touch them. Just leave them alone for about 3 minutes. You'll see them turn pink and get some black charred spots – that's exactly what you want. Flip them over with tongs and cook for another 2 minutes on the other side. They're done when they're completely pink and feel firm when you poke them.
• 6. If they're still a bit translucent or feel squishy, give them another 30 seconds. Pour some of the tomato sauce onto serving plates. Arrange the grilled prawns on top of the sauce.
• 7. Drizzle everything with some good olive oil, squeeze fresh lemon over it, and if you've got fresh basil leaves, scatter some on top. Serve with crusty bread for wiping the plate clean and whatever sides you want.
• 8. Heat your grill to high heat and let it go for about 10 minutes. While that's happening, clean your prawns and pat them completely dry with paper towels – this part actually matters because wet prawns won't get that nice char.
• 9. Toss the dried prawns in a bowl with three tablespoons of olive oil, four or five minced garlic cloves, salt and pepper. Let them sit and get seasoned while you make the sauce. In a separate pan, heat three more tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
• 10. Add another four or five minced garlic cloves and cook for about a minute til it smells really good but isn't burnt.
• 11. Pour in your canned tomatoes, break them up with a spoon, and add half a cup of fresh lemon juice. Throw in your dried basil and oregano, salt and pepper.
• 12. Let this bubble away without a lid for about 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes. The sauce should get noticeably thicker and darker. About a minute before the sauce is done, stir in a tablespoon of butter – this makes it silky and less sharp.
• 13. Taste it and add more salt if it needs it. While the sauce is finishing up, make sure your grill grates are clean and well oiled. Throw the seasoned prawns on the screaming hot grill and don't touch them.
• 14. Just leave them alone for about 3 minutes. You'll see them turn pink and get some black charred spots – that's exactly what you want. Flip them over with tongs and cook for another 2 minutes on the other side.
• 15. They're done when they're completely pink and feel firm when you poke them. If they're still a bit translucent or feel squishy, give them another 30 seconds. Pour some of the tomato sauce onto serving plates.
• 16. Arrange the grilled prawns on top of the sauce. Drizzle everything with some good olive oil, squeeze fresh lemon over it, and if you've got fresh basil leaves, scatter some on top. Serve with crusty bread for wiping the plate clean and whatever sides you want.

Keyword easy dinner, grilled prawns, grilled seafood, healthy seafood, italian cooking, prawn scampi, quick meals, seafood recipe, tomato sauce

What Actually Works With This

Bread. Crusty bread. You’re gonna want to wipe the plate clean. It’s not optional.

Salad’s good too. Just greens with like oil and vinegar. Keep it simple so you can taste the prawns.

Some people do it with pasta which is fine I guess. Rice works. Whatever.

Lemon juice works with it. Or just water. Whatever you want to drink really.

Random Stuff That Helps

If you want it spicy throw red pepper flakes in the sauce.

Too salty? Too late. But next time add less salt gradually.

Sauce too thick? Water. Too thin? Keep cooking.

Tastes sour? Tiny bit of sugar. Like barely any. It rounds it out.

You can add capers to the sauce if you like them. Some people do olives. Neither is required.

Don’t stress about it being perfect. Honestly if you grill prawns and pour tomato sauce on them, it’s gonna taste good.

Realistically

This is a meal you can make when you want something that tastes fancy but you don’t want to spend forever cooking. The whole thing takes like 35 minutes max if you’re slow about it. Usually faster.

Prawns are expensive enough that it feels special. But not so expensive that you can’t just make it when you feel like it.

The sauce is basically tomatoes and garlic which you probably already have. So it’s not like you’re breaking the bank.

Just make sure your grill is hot, your prawns are dry, and you don’t overcook them. That’s really all there is to it.