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The main dish, Mediterranean

Linguine with langoustines and fresh tomato

Linguine with langoustines is an Italian pasta dish for 6, with a tomato sauce infused with langoustine heads. It takes 35 minutes of active work, the sauce is made in the morning, and only the pasta and tails cook at the last minute. Medium difficulty, about €11.20 per person, the key is not overcooking the langoustines.

Glossy linguine with beautiful pink langoustines, an Italian plate you serve at the very last minute.

Linguine with langoustines and fresh tomato
For
6 people
Work
35 min
Total time
55 min
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€11.20
Calories per person
620 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

This dish smells like the Mediterranean the moment garlic and chili hit the olive oil. The tomato sauce, infused with crushed langoustine heads, picks up a shellfish depth you won't get from plain tomato sauce. The tails, seared for barely a minute, stay tender and pink, sitting on linguine glossy with sauce.

It asks for a bit of focus right before serving, but most of the work happens well ahead of time. It's a great choice for a summer dinner with friends, served as a generous starter or a light main, alongside a green salad and a glass of chilled white wine. Mon Chou helps you time everything so it's ready before your guests arrive.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 3 steps, 55 min
  3. Before the guests arrive 1 step, 5 min
  4. When it's time to serve 2 steps, 12 min

In the morning, peel the langoustines, make the tomato sauce infused with the heads, and keep everything chilled. Right before your guests arrive, chop the parsley and get the pasta water boiling. At serving time, cook the linguine, quickly sear the tails in the hot sauce, and serve right away.

The ingredients

6 people

Fish counter

  • Raw langoustines 18

Pantry

  • Linguineoften in the pantry 550 g
  • Dry white wine 10 cl
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 8 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 2 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 2 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Ripe tomatoes 800 g
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Chili pepper 1
  • Flat leaf parsley 0.5 bunch

Allergens Shellfish, Gluten

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Peel the langoustines, keeping the heads, then refrigerate the tails. 25 min

    Keep the heads, they make all the flavor of the sauce.

  2. Heat the oil with the garlic and chili, add the heads and crush them with a spoon, then deglaze with the white wine. 10 min

    Press them well, all the coral and flavor come out at this point.

  3. Add the crushed tomatoes, let simmer for 15 minutes, then strain the sauce through a fine sieve and set aside. 20 min

    Press hard on the heads in the sieve, the sauce turns velvety.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Chop the parsley and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 5 min

    The water should taste as salty as the sea, it seasons the pasta.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Cook the linguine al dente, reserving a cup of pasta water before draining. 9 min

    Drain them 1 minute before the package time, they'll finish cooking in the sauce.

  2. Sear the langoustine tails for 1 minute in the hot sauce, add the pasta and a bit of pasta water, then scatter with parsley. 3 min

    The langoustines should barely cook through, or they'll turn tough.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick langoustines that smell clean and of the sea, this is the ingredient that makes or breaks the dish.
  • Always save a cup of pasta water, it binds the sauce to the linguine without adding any extra fat.
  • Cook the langoustines only at the very last moment, they should stay translucent in the center or they'll turn rubbery.

The variations

  • Swap the langoustines for large raw peeled shrimp, the flavor will be less delicate but the dish still works well.
  • For a vegetarian version, make the tomato sauce without the heads, add a bit of tomato paste for depth, and toss in grilled zucchini.
  • For a simpler dinner, use frozen pre-peeled langoustine tails, you save 25 minutes of work.

What to serve it with

  • Green salad with lemon
  • Crusty bread for the sauce
  • Chilled dry white wine

Storage

The sauce keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container, but it's best to cook the langoustines and pasta just before serving. Once assembled, the dish doesn't freeze and doesn't reheat well, the langoustines turn rubbery.

Questions about this recipe

Can I use shrimp instead of langoustines?

Yes, large raw peeled shrimp work well in this recipe. The sauce will be slightly less delicate, since langoustine heads add more flavor, but the result is still great.

How do I know when the langoustines are cooked through?

One minute in the hot sauce is enough, the tails should turn pink and stay tender. If they cook longer, they shrink and turn rubbery.

How should I plate this for guests?

Serve the linguine in large shallow bowls, arrange the langoustine tails on top so they show, and scatter fresh parsley just before bringing it to the table.

Can I make the sauce further ahead than the same morning?

The tomato sauce can easily be made the day before and kept in the refrigerator. Just warm it gently before searing the langoustine tails in it at serving time.

Can linguine with langoustines and fresh tomato be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 35 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 3 steps, before the guests arrive, 1 step, when it's time to serve, 2 steps.

How long does it take to make linguine with langoustines and fresh tomato?

Allow 55 min in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 35 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "medium".

How many calories are in linguine with langoustines and fresh tomato?

About 620 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does linguine with langoustines and fresh tomato cost?

About €11.20 per person, that's €67.20 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains shellfish, gluten. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

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