30-Minute Shrimp Pesto Pasta – Julia’s Album

Shrimp Pesto Pasta is a restaurant-quality home-cooked meal that is ready in just 30 minutes. It A simple and quick Italian-inspired dinner Made with Homemade basil pesto Or store-bought pesto and is sure to become a family favorite. The shrimp is super tasty thanks to smoked paprika, garlic and lemon juice. Roasted pine nuts on top of the pasta.

30 minute shrimp pesto pasta made from fresh ingredients

My family can’t get enough of this delicious, vibrant and colorful Italian style pasta! You can’t go wrong with the best homemade basil pesto, seared shrimp with smoked paprika and minced garlic, and a handful of toasted pine nuts thrown in for good measure! No cream and no half and half. While the restaurant-worthy main course looks fancy and sophisticated on the plate, Shrimp Pesto Pasta comes together quickly, in just 30 minutes. Make it on busy weekdays for a simple dinner or serve it while entertaining to impress your guests. This recipe is easy to double or triple – perfect for serving a crowd! Like shrimp pasta? Don’t miss the refreshing Shrimp Tomato Spinach Pasta in Garlic Butter Sauce or my reader favorite Shrimp and Mushroom Pasta.

How to make basil pesto from scratch

Here is a simple recipe for my favorite version of homemade basil pesto. This amount of ingredients makes about 1 cup or 1.5 cups of basil pesto.

The ingredients for basil pesto

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• ½ cup roasted pine nuts
• 4 cloves of garlic
• ½ cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, freshly grated
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper to taste

The instructions for making basil pesto

• Place all the ingredients (except salt and pepper) in the food processor and mix for about 5 or 10 minutes until you get the pesto-like sauce.
• You may need to work in groups.
• If the amount of basil is low, you can add spinach, arugula or parsley.
• Add salt to taste.

The ingredients you need for shrimp pesto pasta

• shrimp. I used large raw shrimp (peeled and deveined) – it works best in this recipe. Be sure to space the shrimp in the pan when searing. This will ensure that the shrimp are actually seared and not steamed. Also, pay close attention to the cooking times so as not to overcook the shrimp.
• pasta. You can use any type of pasta you like: spaghetti, fettuccini, angel hair or buccinti. You can also use short pasta, such as fusilli, parfala (butterfly pasta) or penne. I used pappardella here because that’s what I had. Cook the pasta al dente for the best texture.
• Basil pesto. You can make your own or use your favorite brand. When buying pesto at the grocery store, I usually buy the refrigerated pesto, the Buitoni brand. I also love the refrigerated basil pesto sold at Whole Foods.
• pine nuts Add amazing flavor to pasta. I recommend roasting them briefly in a preheated 350F oven for just 5 minutes until lightly browned. They taste much better when roasted! But watch them carefully, as these nuts can burn quickly.
• garlic Cooked together with shrimp and it adds a lot of flavor to shrimp pesto pasta.
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice Added to pasta for added flavor.
• spices Include smoked paprika, salt and pepper.

Overview of recipe instructions

The detailed list of ingredients, quantities, and detailed recipe instructions are provided on the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here’s a quick rundown of the recipe:

• Make basil pesto from scratch Or use the store-bought version.
• Cook the pasta in boiling water according to package instructions. This usually means 8 or 15 minutes. drain. While the pasta is cooking, continue with the recipe.
• Prepare the shrimp by seasoning with smoked paprika, salt and pepper. This recipe uses 1 kg of raw shrimp (peeled and deboned) which is usually equal to 16 or 20 counts.
• Sear the shrimp with olive oil and minced garlic on medium-high heat for 2 or 3 minutes on each side. Make sure the shrimp are not too dense to prevent steaming. You may need to work in groups. When the shrimp is ready, remove it to a plate.
• Add basil pesto To the same pan, now empty, in which you used to sear shrimp. Add cooked and drained pasta. Squeeze lemon juice over the pasta. toss and heat gently.
• Add cooked shrimp back to the pan with pasta. Season with salt and pepper. Top with toasted pine nuts for a beautiful presentation.

Variations and substitutions

• Use other types of seafoodsuch as oysters, lobster meat, crab meat or salmon.
• Add another protein, such as cooked chicken breast without skin and bone, leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken. Just toss it together with the pasta, heat it up and serve!
• Add vegetables. Cherry or grape tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, arugula, asparagus and peppers, just to name a few.
• Add cheese. You can sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan, Asiago or Romano cheese on the shrimp pesto pasta.
• Add heat by scattering some red pepper flakes on the pasta.

Storage and reheating tips

Because the sauce is made with only basil pesto, no cream, this Shrimp Pesto Pasta is very easy to store and reheat. You can also easily prepare it in advance.

• refrigerator. Keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• freezer. Freeze it in an airtight container for up to two months.
• Reheat in the microwave oven. Reheat the pesto shrimp pasta in the refrigerator in the microwave for about a minute. Taste and heat for another 30 seconds, if necessary.
• Reheat on the stove. Heat this dish in a large pan with high sides on the stove over low-medium heat. When using this method, add a small amount of basil pesto when reheating, to refresh the sauce and prevent shrimp and pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

What to serve with shrimp pesto pasta

Serve shrimp pesto pasta with a slice of warm Italian bread, garlic bread or a loaf of olive bread. And they also serve a fresh salad. I would suggest a basic spinach or arugula salad, sprinkled with toasted nuts (pecans or pine nuts), a small amount of grated parmesan or crumbled goat cheese, and dressed with your favorite salad dressing! Alternatively, take a look at my salad recommendations here:

More recipes for dinner with basil pesto

Basil pesto works well with so many ingredients, such as pasta and all kinds of proteins, including shrimp, chicken or salmon. This is such a great ingredient for easy to make dinners. Here are some of my favorites:

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