Shrimp Pesto Pasta

This recent shrimp pesto pasta comes collectively in simply 20 minutes. Pan-seared shrimp, juicy grape tomatoes, and vibrant basil pesto are tossed with scorching pasta for a easy, flavorful dinner you’ll love.

Taste: Juicy shrimp, vibrant pesto, and frivolously charred tomatoes make each chew recent and flavorful.
Why It Works: Cooking the shrimp and tomatoes individually retains the shrimp tender whereas letting the tomatoes focus their sweetness with out watering down the sauce.
Approach: Blistering the tomatoes brings out their pure sweetness and provides depth, protecting the flavors easy and recent.
Really useful Instruments: A large skillet to cook dinner the shrimp, and a pot to cook dinner the pasta.
Swaps: Use your favourite form of pasta or swap shrimp for hen, scallops, crab, or lobster.

Shrimp, oil, pesto, oregano, spaghetti, grape tomatoes, salt, and pepper with labels to make Shrimp Pesto Pasta

What You’ll Want:

Spaghetti: Use common or entire wheat spaghetti, or swap in any lengthy pasta like linguine, fettuccine, or tagliatelle.
Shrimp: Recent or frozen medium shrimp work greatest. Purchase peeled and deveined to avoid wasting time, then thaw (if wanted) and pat dry for the perfect sear. Massive shrimp might have an additional 30 seconds per facet.
Grape Tomatoes: Blister the tomatoes on excessive warmth for the sweetest, juiciest taste. Cherry tomatoes work too.
Pesto: Each homemade and store-bought pesto work. If utilizing store-bought, select one with actual basil and olive oil, and style first. Some manufacturers are salty, so it’s possible you’ll not want further salt.
Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan melts extra easily than pre-shredded and offers the perfect taste.
Seasonings: Salt, pepper, and dried oregano hold it easy. Add a pinch of purple pepper flakes for warmth (optionally available), and end with recent basil.

A skillet of cooked shrimp to make Shrimp Pesto Pasta

Burst cherry tomatoes cooking in a skillet to make Shrimp Pesto Pasta

From Begin to End

This recipe strikes shortly, so it helps to have all the pieces prepped earlier than you begin cooking.

Cook dinner pasta al dente (agency) and reserve slightly pasta cooking water (to loosen the pesto if wanted).
Season shrimp, sear, and put aside (full recipe under).
Blister tomatoes, take away the pan from the warmth, then add pasta and toss with pesto.
Add shrimp again in and prime with Parmesan and recent basil.

A skillet of Shrimp Pesto Pasta with some of the pasta wrapped around a fork

Pat the shrimp very dry earlier than searing in order that they brown properly as an alternative of steaming.
Add the pesto when the pan is off the burner, in order that it retains its vibrant and zesty coloration and taste.
In case your pesto is thick, skinny it with a tablespoon or two of heat pasta water earlier than tossing so it coats the pasta evenly.
It’s necessary to not overcook the shrimp. It solely wants a few minute per facet. When the shrimp flip pink and curl right into a C form, they’re performed; take away them from the warmth instantly.

Leftovers Made Straightforward

For meal prep, you should definitely retailer the shrimp individually in an hermetic container for as much as 4 days. Leftovers are nonetheless scrumptious saved collectively, too. Freezing shouldn’t be really useful.

Pesto might darken slightly within the fridge, however the taste remains to be nice. Reheat over low warmth simply till warmed by way of, so the shrimp keep tender. Add a splash of water to loosen the pesto sauce.

Shrimp Lovers’ Favorites

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image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook dinner Time 15 minutes

Complete Time 25 minutes

Carry a big pot of salted water to a boil. Cook dinner spaghetti in keeping with bundle instructions till al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water and drain; put aside.
Whereas pasta is cooking, pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Season with oregano, salt, and pepper.
Warmth 1 tablespoon olive oil in a big skillet over medium-high warmth. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook dinner 1–2 minutes per facet or till vibrant pink and simply cooked by way of. Switch to a plate and put aside.
In the identical skillet, scale back the warmth to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and grape tomatoes. Cook dinner till they start to blister and burst, stirring sometimes, about 6-8 minutes.
Take away the skillet from the warmth and add 2 tablespoons pasta water. Scrape up any brown bits.
Add pasta, shrimp with any juices, and pesto. Toss effectively to coat, including extra pasta water as wanted.
Style and season with further salt or pepper if wanted.
Prime with Parmesan and recent basil or a squeeze of lemon if desired.

Dry the shrimp effectively in order that they sear as an alternative of steaming, which releases juices as an alternative of holding them in.
Add the pesto after the pan is off the warmth to maintain its vibrant style.
Cook dinner the shrimp a few minute per facet and pull it off the warmth as quickly because it turns pink and curls right into a C form. An O form is overcooked.

Diet data supplied is an estimate and can fluctuate primarily based on cooking strategies and types of substances used.

Course Appetizer, Dinner, Entree, Pasta, Seafood

Delicacies American

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