Low Fat Prawn Pasta with Smoky Tomato Sauce
This low-fat prawn pasta combines juicy king prawns, peas and spaghetti in a smoky tomato sauce. It cooks in one pan and finishes with lemon and a cooling, fat-free garlic and paprika yogurt.
Quick answer: This low-fat prawn pasta recipe for gallbladder combines king prawns, spaghetti, peas, and a smoky tomato sauce. It uses just one teaspoon of olive oil and fat-free yogurt instead of cream, with approximately 3g of fat per serving.
Prawns are naturally low in fat and provide useful protein, making them a practical alternative to creamy pasta sauces or dishes made with fatty meat. The finished dish contains approximately 3g of fat per serving, although this will vary depending on the products and portion sizes you use.
Everyone’s tolerance differs when they experience gallbladder symptoms, so begin with a portion that feels manageable for you.
Why you’ll enjoy this Pasta recipe
Naturally low in fat
Made without cream or butter
Ready in approximately 40 minutes
Cooked in one pan
Contains lean protein and vegetables
Uses affordable freezer and cupboard ingredients
Smoky and satisfying without being overly rich
Ingredients
For the Low Fat prawn pasta
1 teaspoon olive oil or a little low-calorie cooking spray
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed and divided
200g spaghetti
3 tablespoons tomato purée, divided
3 teaspoons smoked paprika, divided
½–1 teaspoon ground black pepper, according to taste
1 × 400g tin chopped tomatoes
400ml boiling water, plus extra if required
160g frozen peas
200g king prawns, thawed if frozen
Zest and juice of ½ unwaxed lemon
A little salt, if required
For the smoky yogurt topping
3 tablespoons fat-free natural or Greek-style yogurt
1 teaspoon reserved tomato purée
1 teaspoon reserved smoked paprika
¼ of the crushed garlic
Optional garnish
Freshly chopped parsley
An extra squeeze of lemon
A small amount of finely grated Parmesan, if tolerated
How to make low-fat prawn pasta
Soften the onion
Heat one teaspoon of olive oil in a large, deep frying pan or shallow casserole over medium heat.
Add the chopped onion and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring regularly, until it starts to soften. If it begins sticking to the pan, add a splash of water.
Add the pasta and sauce ingredients
Break the spaghetti into shorter pieces if necessary so it fits comfortably in the pan.
Reserve approximately one-quarter of the crushed garlic for the yogurt topping. Add the remaining garlic to the pan with:
- Two tablespoons of tomato purée
- Two teaspoons of smoked paprika
- The black pepper
- The chopped tomatoes
- 400ml boiling water
Stir everything together and make sure the pasta sits mostly below the liquid.
Simmer the pasta
Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook for approximately 15–20 minutes, or until the spaghetti is almost tender.
Stir often to stop the pasta sticking together or catching on the bottom. Add a little more boiling water if the sauce becomes too dry before the pasta finishes cooking.
Add the peas and prawns
Stir the frozen peas and prawns into the pasta.
If using pre-cooked prawns, cook for 3–5 minutes until piping hot. Don’t cook them for too long, as they can become rubbery.
If using raw prawns, cook them until fully opaque, pink and piping hot throughout. Follow the cooking instructions on the packaging.
Add the lemon
Stir in the lemon zest and juice. Taste the sauce, then add a little salt or extra seasoning if needed.
Remove the pan from the heat and leave the pasta to stand for 2–3 minutes. This gives the sauce time to thicken and coat the spaghetti.
Make the smoky yogurt topping
While the pasta rests, combine the fat-free yogurt with:
The reserved crushed garlic
One tablespoon of tomato purée
One teaspoon of smoked paprika
Divide the pasta between four bowls and add a spoonful of the smoky yogurt mixture to each serving.
Garnish with parsley and an extra squeeze of lemon, if desired.
Rachel’s tips
Use only as much oil as you need
The original version of this recipe used two tablespoons of olive oil. Olive oil contains mostly unsaturated fat, but it is still high in total fat. I now use just one teaspoon or a little cooking spray, adding water if the onions start to stick.
Stir the pasta regularly
This one-pan pasta releases starch directly into the tomato sauce. Stirring it often keeps the spaghetti separate and helps create a smooth, glossy sauce.
Add water gradually
Different pasta brands and shapes absorb different amounts of liquid. Keep some freshly boiled water nearby and add a little at a time if the sauce thickens before the pasta becomes tender.
Adjust the smoked paprika
Three teaspoons create a clear smoky flavour. Begin with less if you prefer a milder sauce. Make sure you use smoked paprika, not hot chilli powder, unless you know you tolerate spicy food.
Avoid overcooking the prawns
Pre-cooked prawns only need enough time to heat through. Add them towards the end so they stay tender.
Is prawn pasta low in fat?
Prawns are naturally low in fat and provide protein. However, prawn pasta can become high in fat when it contains cream, butter, large amounts of olive oil, cheese or pesto.
This version uses:
One teaspoon of oil for four servings
A tomato-based sauce instead of cream
Fat-free yogurt instead of crème fraîche
Prawns rather than fatty sausage or bacon
Only optional, carefully portioned cheese
A lower-fat meal may be easier for some people with gallstones to tolerate, but it cannot remove gallstones or treat an inflamed or blocked gallbladder.
Ingredient substitutions
Prawns
You can replace the king prawns with:
A mixed seafood selection
Pieces of white fish
Tuna in spring water, added near the end
Cannellini beans or butter beans for a fish-free option
Check that seafood mixtures do not contain added oil or a high-fat sauce.
Spaghetti
Regular or wholewheat spaghetti will both work. You can also use linguine or another long pasta, although you may need to adjust the water and cooking time.
Gluten-free pasta may absorb liquid differently and soften quickly, so follow its packaging instructions carefully.
Fat-free yogurt
Fat-free natural or Greek-style yogurt creates a fresh, cooling topping. You can also use fat-free mayonnaise, but check the label because nutritional values vary between brands.
Garlic
Leave out the garlic or reduce the amount if you don’t tolerate it well. The recipe will still have plenty of flavour from the tomato, smoked paprika and lemon.
Peas
Replace the peas with spinach, chopped courgette, sweetcorn or finely diced peppers. Add spinach during the final few minutes so it has just enough time to wilt.
What to serve with smoky prawn pasta
This pasta already contains protein, carbohydrates and vegetables, so you can serve it as a complete meal.
For a little extra colour, serve it with:
A simple green salad with lemon juice
Steamed green beans
Roasted peppers or courgettes made with minimal oil
Steamed broccoli
A small piece of crusty bread, if desired
Traditional garlic bread can be high in fat because it usually contains a generous amount of butter or oil. If you want bread on the side, try toasted ciabatta rubbed with a cut garlic clove and topped with chopped parsley.
Parmesan is optional. Use a small measured amount or leave it out if cheese tends to trigger your symptoms.
Storage and reheating
Refrigerating leftovers
Cool leftover prawn pasta promptly and place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator within two hours of cooking. For the best quality and a cautious approach with cooked seafood, eat it within one day.
Store the yogurt topping separately where possible.
Reheating
Add a splash of water before reheating because the pasta will keep absorbing the sauce in the refrigerator.
Reheat it thoroughly until piping hot throughout. Only reheat the pasta once.
Freezing
I don’t recommend freezing the completed dish. Cooked pasta can become very soft, and previously frozen prawns may develop a tougher texture when frozen and reheated again.
If you are unsure how pasta fits into your diet, my guide to following a low-fat diet for gallstones explains portions, food labels and practical lower-fat swaps.
Low Fat Prawn Pasta with Smoky Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat one teaspoon of olive oil in a large, deep frying pan or shallow casserole over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring regularly, until it begins to soften. Add a splash of water if the onion starts sticking to the pan.
- Break the spaghetti into shorter pieces if necessary so it fits comfortably in the pan.
- Reserve approximately one-quarter of the crushed garlic for the yogurt topping. Add the remaining garlic to the pan with: Two tablespoons of tomato purée, Two teaspoons of smoked paprika, The black pepper, The chopped tomatoes and 400ml boiling water
- Stir everything together, making sure the pasta is mostly submerged in the liquid.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook for approximately 15–20 minutes, or until the spaghetti is almost tender.
- Stir frequently to stop the pasta from sticking together or catching on the bottom. Add a little more boiling water whenever the sauce becomes too dry before the pasta has finished cooking.
- Stir the frozen peas and prawns into the pasta.
- If using pre-cooked prawns, cook for 3–5 minutes until they are piping hot. Avoid cooking them for too long, as this can make them rubbery.
- If using raw prawns, cook until they are fully opaque, pink and piping hot throughout. Follow the cooking instructions on the packaging.
- Stir in the lemon zest and juice. Taste the sauce and add a little salt or additional seasoning if required.
- Remove the pan from the heat and leave the pasta to stand for 2–3 minutes. This allows the sauce to thicken and coat the spaghetti.
- Make the smoky yogurt topping
- While the pasta rests, combine the fat-free yogurt with: crushed garlic, 1tbsp tomato puree, 1 tsp smoked paprika.
- Divide the pasta between four bowls and add a spoonful of the smoky yogurt mixture to each serving.
- Garnish with parsley and an extra squeeze of lemon, if desired.
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Frequently asked questions
Yes. Defrost frozen prawns safely according to the packaging instructions before adding them. If using pre-cooked prawns, heat them until piping hot. Cook raw prawns until they are fully opaque and pink throughout.
Yes. Chopped tomatoes create the main sauce in this recipe, while fat-free yogurt provides a creamy-tasting finish without adding cream. Add the yogurt as a topping rather than boiling it in the tomato sauce.
Reduce the smoked paprika to one or two teaspoons. You can add more after tasting, but you can’t remove it once it’s in the sauce.
Smoked paprika adds a warm, smoky flavour but usually isn’t very hot. Check the label carefully and avoid hot paprika or chilli powder unless you want a spicy result.
The dish tastes best immediately after cooking because the pasta continues to absorb the sauce as it sits. You can chop the onion, crush the garlic and prepare the smoky yogurt topping in advance.
This recipe contains less fat than many creamy prawn pasta dishes and may suit some people managing food-related gallstone symptoms. However, individual tolerance varies. Start with a manageable portion and keep track of ingredients that seem to trigger symptoms.
Diet cannot dissolve gallstones or treat complications. Seek medical advice for recurring symptoms and urgent help for severe or persistent pain, fever, jaundice or repeated vomiting.
