Shrimp on the barbie is quintessential Australian summer, but plump prawns are no one-trick pony.
Whether they’re tossed through linguine with some garlic and chilli for a quick weeknight win or blitzed up in a prawn and sesame toast with punchy dipping sauce, prawn dishes can be wide and varied.
Here, we have the household favourite starring in Caribbean-style coconut broths, acting as filling for golden börek and complementing clams baked in tomato and chilli. Whatever the occasion and season, we’ve got the prawn recipe for it.
Here are our best prawn recipes that go beyond garlic prawns.
Our best prawn recipes to try in 2026
Summer paccheri with prawns, tomato and pickled chilli
Add some cooked crab or lobster meat to this weeknight favourite and transform it into a luxe dinner party entertainer.
Lemongrass prawns with gỏi xoài
Gỏi xoài is a traditional Vietnamese green mango salad with a zesty dressing. In this recipe, we used ripe sweet mangoes to balance the sharp green mango and tart salad dressing.
Barbecued prawns with honey, sesame and lemon
Time to throw a shrimp on the barbie.
How to make hummus with fragrant prawn and crab sauce
Chef Tom Sarafian shares the hummus that earned him a cult following both in restaurants and out.
Saffron and coconut prawns
Make this vibrant, aromatic saffron and coconut prawn curry recipe for dinner tonight.
Prawns and clams baked in tomato and chilli
There’s something so satisfying about cooking with clams.
Fried cavolo nero and peppered prawn gnocchi with pancetta
Pan-fried comfort and coastal richness with a hit of green — this is a top gnocchi recipe for seafood lovers and flavour seekers alike.
Prawn linguine with semi-dried tomatoes and olives
A summery prawn pasta that’s a no-fuss midweek meal? Yes please.
Mustard butter prawns with corn and wilted greens
A combination of flavours that just works.
Rumi’s prawn börek
“Filled pastries have a very long history in the Middle East,” says Joseph Abboud. “The original, sanbosag or sanbusaj, became samosa in India, sambousek in Lebanon and sambusa in Ethiopia, to name a few. Börek, which are a great snack, are another.”
Mike McEnearney’s grilled prawn, watermelon and tomato salad
Summer’s greatest hits, all in one bowl.
Charred cabbage with chestnuts and prawns
Turn the humble vegetable into something special.
Stillwater’s steamed tiger prawn and scallop dumplings with XO dressing
Chef CRAIG WILL of Stillwater Restaurant shows how to craft elegant dumplings, where shellfish are the hook.
Neil Perry’s king prawn, mango and hazelnut salad
Another Australian summer classic, and for good reason.
Butterflied prawns with cherry and lime leaf sambal
Craft a Christmas entree from Australia’s favourite summer ingredients.
Prawn yiouvetsi
A classic Greek dish of prawn, risoni, oregano and fennel. What’s not to love?
Salt and pepper prawn and pork noodles
A flavour-packed noodle dish that requires very little time and effort.
Thai Tide’s tom yum fried rice with prawns
“This zesty, bold version of one of Thailand’s most famous dishes is a playful rethink made with rice instead of soup,” says Thai Tide chef-owner Merica Charungvat.
Prawn chowder with sweetcorn from Sean Moran
This warming bowl of prawn chowder is an elegant variation of the North American classic.
Tomato and prawn empanadas with picante sauce
Our tip is to make a double batch of this picante — a smoother, more refined version of salsa — to serve at will.
Chilli-rosemary prawns with butter
Ready in just 15 minutes.
Paul Farag’s grilled prawns, corn, saffron pine nut milk
If you have a little bit of time on your hands and you’re raring to dress up your usual prawn salad routine, this is the recipe for you.
Prawns with basil verde and seared scallops seafood platter
A seafood platter of barbecued prawns and seared scallops that’s primed for summer entertaining.
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Soba noodles with nori sesame butter and sake-grilled prawns
An easy, everyday Japanese-inspired soba noodle recipe that requires little time and effort.
Tony Tan’s char kway teow
Char kway teow is a perennial Malaysian favourite for a reason. Tony Tan shows us how it’s done.
Philipa Sibley’s spaghettini, prawns, charred corn, green chilli, black garlic
Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for spaghettini, prawns, charred corn, green chilli, black garlic.
Prawn and crab toast with herb salad
This crunchy, fragrant prawn and crab toast recipe makes for a tasty snack at cocktail hour.
Linguine with tomato, prawns and rocket
Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for fast linguine with tomato, prawns and rocket.
Fragrant prawns with Thai basil and udon noodles
Fresh, fast and flavourful: this is the easy way to make prawns a midweek meal.
Vesuvio with prawns, white wine and tomato
Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for Vesuvio with prawns, white wine and tomato.
Tedesca Osteria’s prawns with saffron, fino sherry and garlic sauce
When very fresh prawns mingle with garlicky saffron butter, only good things happen.
Prawn sandwich with kimchi mayo
Bring a little bit of humble sophistication to your next friendly gathering with these delicious prawn sandwiches with kimchi mayo.
Barbecued prawns with brown butter and tamari
Mat Lindsay recipe for barbecued prawns with brown butter and tamari from Ester restaurant in Sydney.
Helly Raichura’s Bengali prawns and seablite (shorshe chingri)
If you have the forethought to soak your mustard seeds overnight, we can guarantee the results are well worth it for the vibrant colour and flavour they lend to the prawns.
Mixed grilled seafood salad with lemon mignonette
Feeling like something fresh this Christmas? Look no further.
Chicken, prawn and chilli pot stickers
If you’re entertaining a crowd, prepare the pot stickers ahead and store, covered with a damp clean tea towel in the refrigerator and cook when required.
Okonomiyaki hotcakes with school prawns
This variation of okonomiyaki combines the fluffy hotcakes you know and love with the traditional Japanese flavours.
Rockmelon, lime and poppy-seed prawn cocktails
We’re saying cheers to a classic with this tweak of the unbeatable prawn cocktail. Thinly mandolined rockmelon adds a sweet touch, which you can always offset with as little or as much Tabasco as you’d like.
Charred prawns on skewers with lime
Because barbecued things on sticks just taste better.
Prawn and sesame toasts
A snack that’s extremely hard to turn down.
Palisa Anderson’s yum makeua (grilled eggplant salad with prawns)
Fire up the barbecue for maximum flavour.
Al Dente’s prawn ravioli
A very luxe pasta indeed.
Tony Tan’s typhoon shelter prawns
Love garlic? Love prawns? You’ll love this.
Vietnamese rice paper rolls
Flavour and freshness with every bite.
Grilled prawns with coconut rice and peach sambal
Add a little luxury to your weeknight dinner.
Louis Tikaram’s Mooloolaba prawn ceviche with green chilli dressing
An ideal summer starter that’s all zing and spice.
Prawn cocktail tower
And that’s a wrap – the perfect self-serve summer dish.
Cutler & Co’s wood-grilled prawns with fried garlic and chilli oil
Things heat up with Andrew McConnell’s wood-grilled prawns with a smoky chilli oil.
Penne with prawns and fra diavolo sauce
Prawns, pasta and big whack of chilli. Sometimes it pays to play with fire.
Prawn and scallop har gow with garlic oil
Strictly traditional, these are not. Delicious? You bet.
Prawns with saffron, chilli and quinoa
A light midweek dinner made easy.
Raes on Wategos’ king prawn sangas
With the added crisp and crunch of prawn crackers.
Prawn, cabbage and soba noodle salad
A quick and easy salad that sings with that sesame-miso dressing.
Wafu pasta: Fettuccine with prawns, tomato and sake-soy butter
An umami-packed combination that just works.
Prawns with black beans, chorizo and chipotle
Top black beans with chorizo and prawns, and serve with coriander and fresh lime.
Ma hor (galloping horses)
This classic Thai appetiser pulls out all the stops.
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Spicy prawn and lemongrass sticks
The sambal packs a mighty punch in these spicy prawn sticks, and using lemongrass stalks in place of skewers adds even more flavour.
Crab, prawn and fennel stew with rouille
Think of this as a simpler version of bouillabaisse with all the flavour, but less work
Prawn, slaw and pico de gallo tacos
You can only say yes to tacos.
Prawn carpaccio with prawn oil
Spanking fresh prawns lend a sweet and clean taste to this summery dish.
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Charred prawns, eggplant and chickpeas with roast tomato vinaigrette
A simple but elegant dish that works beautifully as either a main or a side.
Lau’s Family Kitchen’s prawns and char siu with vermicelli in a claypot
A knockout dish from the family-run Cantonese restaurant in Melbourne.
Prawn and bean salad with preserved lemon dressing
Fresh, light and simple – this salad makes the perfect midweek meal.
Prawn and avocado with lime
With creamy avocado and the zing of lime juice, this Mexican-ish prawn cocktail is perfect for the summer. Just add corn chips.
David Thompson’s prawns baked with vermicelli
“Baked prawns with vermicelli are found mostly in Chinatown in Bangkok, but it deserves to be eaten everywhere,” says Long Chim and Nahm David Thompson.
Caribbean coconut broth with prawns and fried aromatics
You’ll recognise the Southeast Asian influences of Malaysia and Thailand in this delicious broth.
What is the best way to cook prawns?
There’s no definitive best way to cook prawns. Really, it comes down to personal preference. Some like crispy prawns that have been butterflied and cooked over a barbecue for that smoky flavour, while others prefer prawns plumped and primed for a spicy Asian dish.
What can I do with already cooked prawns?
Leftover cooked prawns can be super versatile — you just need to know how to prevent them from becoming rubbery. To do so, you’ll want to gently reheat them or serve them cold. For the latter, prawn cocktails, prawn salads and rice bowls work a treat (we recommend letting the prawns come to room temperature before serving). Meanwhile, if you want your prawns warmed, your go-to dishes will be stir-fries, pastas, fried rice, Thai-style soups and coconut-based curries where you add your cooked prawns in the last minute of cooking.
What can I make for dinner with prawns?
What you can make for dinner with prawns is endless. Whether you’re in the mood for a comforting curry; a lighter dish with fresh, char-grilled prawns and dipping sauce; Asian pork and prawn pot stickers; or simple prawn salads, we’ve got the prawn recipe for you.
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