Shrimp Pesto Pasta

This recipe for shrimp pesto pasta is spaghetti tossed in a flavorful pesto sauce, then topped with sauteed shrimp and tomatoes. A fresh and easy dinner that’s quick to make and packed with flavor!

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If you’ve been reading her for a while, you know I’m ALL about the easy dinner ideas. It doesn’t get much simpler than this shrimp pesto pasta! The whole thing is ready in about 20 minutes, you can’t beat that!

I like to use spaghetti for my shrimp pesto pasta, but linguine or fettuccine would also be great. While the pasta is boiling, I cook up my shrimp. After the noodles are done, I simply toss the pasta with the shrimp, pesto, add some tomatoes and cheese, and dinner is served!

So here’s my little secret: I don’t make my own pesto. Yes, you can make your own pesto, but there are so many high quality store bought versions these days that I feel like it’s not always worth the extra time and effort. My favorite pesto is the Kirkland brand at Costco, it comes in a jar in the refrigerated section. The refrigerated store bought pesto tends to be superior in flavor to the shelf stable type, so go for the fresh stuff whenever possible!

This pesto pasta recipe gets finished off with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese, fresh tomatoes and herbs. I went with parsley because that’s what I had on hand, but you could also use basil or even just skip the herbs if you don’t happen to have them on hand. Another awesome addition to this dish would be pine nuts, or even some sauteed zucchini!

I’m definitely going to be turning to this shrimp pesto pasta when I need a speedy dinner. If you add a loaf of bread and a green salad, it’s even fancy enough for company!

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4.5 from 8 votes

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Shrimp Pesto Pasta

This recipe for shrimp pesto pasta is spaghetti tossed in a flavorful pesto sauce, then topped with sauteed shrimp and tomatoes. A fresh and easy dinner that's quick to make and packed with flavor!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 627 kcal

Author Dinner at the Zoo

Ingredients

• 10 ounces dry spaghetti can also use linguine or fettuccine
• 3/4 cup basil pesto
• 1 pound medium to large shrimp peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or equal parts garlic powder dried basil and dried oregano)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
• Optional garnish: chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions.
2. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the shrimp.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over high heat. Add the shrimp and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
4. Cook for 2-4 minutes or until shrimp are just pink and opaque. Turn off the heat.
5. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the shrimp. Stir in the pesto.
6. Add the cherry tomatoes and parmesan cheese to the pan. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Shrimp Pesto Pasta

Amount Per Serving

Calories 627 Calories from Fat 270

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 30g 46%

Saturated Fat 4g 20%

Cholesterol 177mg 59%

Sodium 671mg 28%

Total Carbohydrates 57g 19%

Dietary Fiber 5g 20%

Sugars 4g

Protein 40g 80%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Things You’ll Need (or Want!)

Pasta Pot I love how this pasta pot has a strainer insert that you can just lift out when the noodles are cooked – no more carrying a heavy hot pot across the kitchen to strain it!

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Shrimp Peeler & Deveiner This handy tool makes quick work of the not so pleasant task of peeling and deveining shrimp.

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Everyday Pasta Cookbook My family would happily eat pasta every day and this cookbook has a lot of great recipes to mix things up a bit at dinnertime!

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