Shrimp Pesto Pasta Recipe
Shrimp pesto pasta recipe with basil pesto and broccoli makes one easy weeknight meal. It’s ready in under 30-minutes!
Easy dinner meals are a favorite around here, everything from Ground Turkey Stroganoff to Shrimp Pasta Primavera are simple recipes that make dinner a breeze.
This shrimp pesto pasta is made with linguine, fresh basil pesto, broccoli, and shrimp. It’s a meal that is packed with a ton of flavor and comes together in under 30 minutes.
For best flavor, use homemade pesto or refrigerated pesto from the store. It’s going to be fresher and taste better.
Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this shrimp pesto pasta recipe:
- butter
- shrimp
- linguine
- broccoli
- basil pesto
- red chili flakes
- lemon zest
- lemon juice
- parmesan cheese
How to Make Shrimp Pesto Pasta
Step 1: Cook the pasta and broccoli – cook linguine in salted water according to package directions. In the last 2-3 minutes of cooking, add broccoli and cook until tender. Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water and drain the rest.
Step 2: Cook the shrimp – while the pasta is cooking, heat butter in a large skillet. Season the shrimp thoroughly with salt and pepper. When the butter is melted add shrimp to the pan and cook 2-3 minutes per side or until cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.
Step 3: Add pesto and lemon – to the linguine, add pesto, some of the reserved pasta water, and chili flakes. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese. Taste for salt. The pasta should be saucy and nicely coated with the pesto sauce. At this point, you can stir in more of the reserved pasta water and even a little more of the pesto, if desired.
Step 4: Stir in cooked shrimp – lastly, stir in the cooked shrimp with all the pan juices and gently toss to combine. Serve with more parmesan cheese.
Do you heat pesto before adding it to pasta?
No. The heat from the pasta will be enough to warm up the pesto and release the aroma of the basil. You can add pesto straight from the fridge or at room temperature.
Serving Suggestions
Shrimp and pesto pasta pairs very well with a side salad or roasted vegetables. Keep it simple and fresh. Here are some sides to try:
Got leftover pesto? Try these recipes with pesto:
- Pesto Pasta
- Turkey Pesto Meatballs
- Beet and Cucumber Salad
- Greek Yogurt Pesto Chicken Pasta
- Balsamic Grilled Chicken
Shrimp Pesto Pasta Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Saute
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Shrimp pesto pasta with basil pesto and broccoli makes one easy weeknight meal. It’s ready in under 30-minutes!
Ingredients
- 8 oz. linguine (or spaghetti, fettuccine)
- 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 cup fresh basil pesto, homemade or refrigerated type from the store
- 1/4 tsp. red chili flakes
- 1 tsp. lemon zest, from about 1 lemon
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
Instructions
- Cook linguine in salted water according to package directions. In the last 2-3 minutes of cooking, add broccoli, and cook until tender. Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water and drain the rest. Keep linguine and broccoli in the pot off the heat.
- While linguine is cooking, pat dry the shrimp with a few sheets of paper towels to remove excess moisture. Season with salt and pepper. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Set aside.
- To the linguine, add pesto, some of the reserved water, and chili flakes. Stir gently until the pasta is well coated with the pesto sauce. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese. Taste for salt. Add in more reserved water if desired.
- Stir in cooked shrimp with the pan juices. Serve topped with additional parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Can I make this with frozen broccoli? Yes, you can. Substitute with equal parts of frozen broccoli. Add frozen broccoli to the linguine in the last 2-3 minutes of cooking.
- Leftovers: Leftovers can be refrigerated in a closed container for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 547
- Sugar: 3.2 g
- Sodium: 494.4 mg
- Fat: 23.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 48.9 g
- Protein: 35.6 g
- Cholesterol: 200.4 mg
Keywords: easy shrimp pasta, pesto pasta, summer