Shrimp pesto pasta is a restaurant-quality home made meal prepared in simply half-hour. This easy and fast Italian-inspired dinner is made with home made basil pesto or store-bought pesto and is certain to grow to be a household favourite. The shrimp is tremendous flavorful because of smoked paprika, garlic, and lemon juice. Prime the pasta with toasted pine nuts.
30-minute shrimp pesto pasta made with contemporary substances
My household cannot get sufficient of this scrumptious, vibrant, and colourful Italian-style pasta! You possibly can’t go incorrect with the very best home made basil pesto, shrimp seared with smoked paprika and minced garlic, and a handful of toasted pine nuts thrown in for a superb measure! There isn’t any cream and no half-and-half. Whereas this restaurant-worthy most important course appears to be like fancy and complex on a plate, shrimp pesto pasta comes collectively quick, in solely half-hour. Make it on busy weekdays for a easy weeknight meal or serve it when entertaining to impress your visitors. This recipe is straightforward to double or triple – good for serving the group! Like shrimp pasta? Do not miss my refreshing Shrimp Tomato Spinach Pasta in Garlic Butter Sauce or my reader-favorite Shrimp and Mushroom Pasta.
Tips on how to make basil pesto from scratch
Right here is a straightforward recipe for my favourite model of home made basil pesto. This quantity of substances makes about 1 cup or 1.5 cups of basil pesto.
The substances for basil pesto
- 2 cups contemporary basil leaves, packed
- ½ cup pine nuts toasted
- 4 garlic cloves
- ½ cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, freshly shredded
- ½ cup additional virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- salt and pepper to style
The instructions for making basil pesto
- Place all substances (besides salt and pepper) within the meals processor and mix for about 5 minutes or 10 minutes till you get the pesto-like sauce.
- You might need to work in batches.
- If low on basil, you’ll be able to add spinach, arugula, or parsley.
- Add salt to style.
Components you want for shrimp pesto pasta
- Shrimp. I used massive uncooked shrimp (peeled and deveined) – it really works finest on this recipe. Ensure that to area out the shrimp within the skillet when searing. This may be certain that shrimp truly will get seared and never steamed. Additionally, watch the cooking occasions intently to not overcook the shrimp.
- Pasta. You should use any kind of pasta you want: spaghetti, fettuccine, angel hair, or bucatini. It’s also possible to use quick pasta, resembling fusilli, farfalle (bow-tie pasta), or penne. I used pappardelle right here as a result of that is what I had obtainable. Cook dinner the pasta al dente for the very best texture.
- Basil pesto. You may make your personal or use your favourite model. When shopping for pesto on the grocery retailer, I often purchase the refrigerated pesto, Buitoni model. I additionally love the refrigerated basil pesto bought at Entire Meals.
- Pine nuts add superb taste to the pasta. I like to recommend briefly toasting them within the preheated oven at 350 F for simply 5 minutes till calmly browned. They style so significantly better when toasted! However watch them fastidiously, as these nuts can burn shortly.
- Garlic is cooked along with shrimp and it provides a number of taste to shrimp pesto pasta.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice is added to the pasta for a pop of taste.
- Seasonings embody smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
The overview of the recipe directions
The detailed record of the substances, the quantities, and detailed recipe instructions are supplied within the recipe card on the backside of this submit. It is a fast overview of the recipe:
- Make basil pesto from scratch or use a store-bought model.
- Cook dinner the pasta in boiling water in accordance with bundle directions. That often means 8 or quarter-hour. Drain. Whereas the pasta cooks, proceed with the recipe.
- Put together the shrimp by seasoning it with smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. This recipe makes use of 1 lb uncooked shrimp (peeled and deveined) which often equates to 16 or 20 depend.
- Sear the shrimp with olive oil and minced garlic on medium-high warmth for two or 3 minutes on both sides. Ensure that the shrimp usually are not overcrowded to keep away from steaming. You might need to work in batches. When the shrimp is finished, take away it to a plate.
- Add basil pesto to the identical, now empty, pan you used to sear shrimp. Add cooked and drained pasta. Squeeze lemon juice over the pasta. Toss and reheat gently.
- Add cooked shrimp again to the skillet with pasta. Season with salt and pepper. Prime with toasted pine nuts for a wonderful presentation.
Variations and substitutions
- Use different forms of seafood, resembling scallops, lobster meat, crab meat, or salmon.
- Add different protein, resembling cooked skinless and boneless rooster breast, leftover cooked rooster, or rotisserie rooster. Simply throw it along with the pasta, warmth it by way of, and serve!
- Add veggies. Cherry or grape tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, arugula, asparagus, and bell peppers, simply to call a number of.
- Add cheese. You possibly can sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan, Asiago, or Romano cheese on prime of the shrimp pesto pasta.
- Add warmth by sprinkling a number of crimson pepper flakes over the pasta.
Storage and reheating suggestions
As a result of the sauce is made solely with basil pesto, with no cream, this shrimp pesto pasta may be very straightforward to retailer and reheat. It’s also possible to simply make this forward.
- Fridge. Retailer the leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
- Freezer. Freeze it in an hermetic container for as much as 2 months.
- Reheat within the microwave oven. Reheat the refrigerated pesto shrimp pasta in a microwave oven for about 1 minute. Style and reheat for 30 seconds extra, if wanted.
- Reheat on the stovetop. Reheat this dish in a big, high-sided skillet on the stovetop on low-medium warmth. When utilizing this methodology, add a small quantity of basil pesto when reheating, to refresh the sauce and to stop shrimp and pasta from sticking to the underside of the pan.
What to serve with shrimp pesto pasta
Serve pesto shrimp pasta with a slice of heat Italian bread, garlic bread, or olive bread loaf. And serve a contemporary salad, too. I might counsel a primary spinach or arugula salad, sprinkled with toasted nuts (pecans or pine nuts), a small quantity of shredded Parmesan or crumbled goat cheese, and dressed along with your favourite salad dressing! Or, check out my salad suggestions right here:
Different dinner recipes with basil pesto
Basil pesto works effectively with so many substances, resembling pasta and all types of protein, together with shrimp, rooster, or salmon. It’s such a fantastic ingredient for easy-to-make weeknight dinners. Listed here are a few of my favorites:

30-Minute Shrimp Pesto Pasta
Shrimp pesto pasta is a restaurant-quality home made meal prepared in simply half-hour. This easy and fast Italian-inspired dinner is made with home made basil pesto or store-bought pesto and is certain to grow to be a household favourite. The shrimp is tremendous flavorful because of smoked paprika, garlic, and lemon juice. Prime the pasta with toasted pine nuts.
Components
Pasta
- 8 oz pasta pappardelle, fettuccine, spaghetti, and many others
Seared shrimp
- 1 lb uncooked shrimp peeled and deveined massive (16 or 20 depend per 1 pound of shrimp)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic minced
Basil pesto
- ⅓ cup basil pesto
- ⅓ cup pine nuts toasted (non-compulsory)
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Directions
Cook dinner pasta
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Convey a big pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and prepare dinner in accordance with bundle directions (often about 10 or 12 minutes). Drain.
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Proceed with the recipe whereas the pasta is cooking.
Cook dinner the shrimp
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This recipe makes use of 1 lb of huge uncooked shrimp (peeled and deveined) which often means 16 or 20 depend. Season the shrimp with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
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Warmth 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium warmth in a big skillet. Add shrimp and minced garlic and prepare dinner for about 3 minutes on both sides till it is cooked by way of however not overcooked.
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Ensure that the shrimp usually are not overcrowded to keep away from steaming. You might need to work in batches. Take away from warmth. Take away shrimp to a plate.
Meeting
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Add cooked and drained pasta and basil pesto, to the identical, now empty, skillet that you just used to sear shrimp. Stir gently and convey to a simmer for a few minutes to coat pasta with sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
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Add freshly squeezed lemon juice (add simply 1 tablespoon first, style, after which add extra if wanted).
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Add seared shrimp.
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Prime with toasted pine nuts (non-compulsory).
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Season with additional salt and pepper or add crushed crimson pepper flakes, if desired.
Notes
- Add additional toppings, resembling calmly toasted pine nuts, freshly grated Parmesan, Asiago, or Romano cheese, contemporary basil, and different contemporary herbs.
- Toasted pine nuts. Toast them calmly within the preheated oven at 350 F for about 5 minutes or simply a few minutes extra. Watch fastidiously as these costly nuts burn shortly!
- Retailer-bought basil pesto. When shopping for pesto on the grocery retailer, I often purchase the refrigerated pesto, Buitoni model. I additionally love the refrigerated basil pesto bought at Entire Meals.
- Make basil pesto from scratch. Regardless that the store-bought pesto works very well in pasta recipes, I’ve a simple and scrumptious recipe for the very best home made basil pesto created from scratch. Simply scroll up above the recipe card and you will see it! Or here’s a actually detailed recipe for tips on how to make basil pesto from scratch.
- Modify the quantity of basil pesto. This recipe makes use of ⅓ cup of pesto. Be happy so as to add additional tablespoons of pesto to your style.
- Add veggies. I like to recommend cherry tomatoes, spinach, arugula, asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, or mushrooms.
- Add crimson pepper flakes so as to add warmth.
- Modify seasonings. Regardless that the basil pesto tends to be salty, do style the ultimate dish earlier than serving and season it with additional salt and pepper, if wanted.
Diet
Diet Info
30-Minute Shrimp Pesto Pasta
Quantity per Serving
% Each day Worth*
* % Each day Values are based mostly on a 2000 calorie weight loss plan.
The dietary data on this web site is simply an estimate and is supplied for comfort and as a courtesy solely. The accuracy of the dietary data for any recipe on this web site just isn’t assured. It shouldn’t be used as an alternative to an expert nutritionist’s recommendation.
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