Espagueti al Guajillo con Camarones (Creamy Guajillo Prawn Spaghetti)
Spaghetti in a silky red guajillo cream sauce with seared prawns, a beloved Mexican home cooking pasta dish.
Made with Guajillo adobo paste. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time30 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.13 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of well salted boiling water for 1 minute less than the packet says. Keep a mugful of the cooking water, then drain.
9 min - 2
While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat and cook the prawns for 1 to 2 minutes each side, until pink and cooked through. Lift out.
3 min - 3
Lower the heat, add the remaining oil and the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in your ready made guajillo adobo paste (see the base recipe) and fry for 1 to 2 minutes.
- 4
Pour in the cream and 100 ml of the pasta water. Stir and simmer very gently for 3 minutes until the sauce is smooth, glossy and brick red. Do not let it boil hard.
3 min - 5
Add the drained spaghetti and prawns and toss over a low heat for 1 minute, adding a splash more pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
1 min - 6
Serve in bowls with the queso fresco and coriander.
Tips
- Fry the adobo paste in oil before adding the cream. This cooks off the sharp vinegar edge and stops the cream splitting.
- Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer once the cream is in.
- Add pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce coats the spaghetti.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten fresh. Cool leftovers within 1 hour and keep in the fridge for up to 1 day. Reheat gently with a splash of water until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Can I make this gluten free?
Yes. Use gluten free spaghetti, and check the queso fresco label. The sauce and prawns contain no gluten.
Can I make it without cream?
Yes. Use 200 ml of oat cream or coconut cream for a dairy free sauce, and leave out the queso fresco.
Does the sauce split?
It can if boiled hard. Keep the heat low once the cream goes in and the sauce stays smooth.
More made with guajillo adobo paste
Pambazos de Papa, Chorizo y Pollo (Guajillo Dipped Sandwiches)
EFNFTacos de Camarón Adobados con Piña (Adobo Prawn and Pineapple Tacos)
DFEFNFPescado a la Talla (Guerrero Style Guajillo Grilled Fish)
DFEFNFCamarones al Adobo (Guajillo Adobo Prawns)
GFDFEFDouble check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.