Garlic Butter Prawns with Lemonade Marinade (Easy, Sweet & Savoury Recipe)

This is hands down one of my favourite dishes to cook—mainly because it’s ridiculously easy and only needs four ingredients. Most of the time, we already have everything at home… except the soda. We rarely drink it, so when we do pick some up just for this recipe, there’s zero guilt involved.

We’re not the most health-conscious household (we try to resist sweets!), but we balance it out by keeping meals simple and flavourful. And this one? It's a no-fuss kind of comfort food I end up making about once a month.

Heads up: While the prep is easy, I wouldn’t call this a “quick” cook. The total time depends on how many prawns you’re working with (gotta get that perfect sear!) and reducing the marinade into a glossy, garlicky sauce takes a little patience.

What I love most about savoury cooking—especially this dish—is that you don’t need to be exact with measurements. Just trust your tastebuds.

Ingredients:

• 500g raw peeled prawn meat (I used the ones from Coles)
• 70g fresh garlic (pre-packed, since they were out of bulbs)
• 2 tbsp butter (roughly)
• 250ml Sprite (or any lemonade-style soda)

Let’s cook!

1. Marinate the prawns.

Since the prawns are already peeled and deveined (thanks, Coles!), place them in a container and pour in the Sprite. Let them marinate for 15–30 minutes. No need to overthink the timing—this isn’t the kind of marinade that needs to sit overnight.

2. Prep the garlic.

Mince the garlic. A small food chopper works wonders if you want to save time.

3. Sauté the garlic.

Heat a pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Once melted, add the garlic. You can add it all at once or divide it up if you’re cooking the prawns in batches (like I usually do).

4. Cook the prawns.

Add the prawns to the pan, being careful not to overcrowd. Cook them in batches if needed—it took me about 3 minutes per batch. They’re quick to cook, but they deserve attention so they stay juicy and tender.

5. Reduce the marinade.

Once all the prawns are cooked and set aside, pour the leftover Sprite marinade into the same pan. Let it simmer until it reduces and thickens slightly.

6. Bring it all together.

Return the cooked prawns to the pan and stir gently to coat them in the reduced marinade.

7. Serve and enjoy.

Turn off the heat, plate it up, and you’re done.

This one’s definitely an easy cook, but don’t rush the star of the dish—the prawns. Cook them just right, and you’ll get that juicy bite every time. The flavour leans on the sweeter side, thanks to the natural prawn sweetness and the lemonade marinade. If you’re after a little kick, add a touch of chilli for a sweet-spicy twist.