Shrimp Pesto Pasta

Why I Love This Recipe

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, including this pasta with shrimp and pesto.

• Delicious Flavor – This shrimp pesto pasta packs in the flavor with juicy shrimp, zesty lemon, nutty Parmesan cheese, and refreshing basil pesto. For the best flavor, use homemade basil pesto or refrigerated pesto from the store.
• Easy and Quick to Make – You’ll have dinner in under 30 minutes! That makes this dish perfect for busy weeknights and elegant enough to serve as a romantic dinner for two.
• Extremely Customizable – This pasta dish is balanced with delicious flavors, but you can adjust the ingredients as you like. Try substituting the broccoli for other vegetables, making it creamy similar to shrimp corn pasta, or adding or subbing for another protein. The options are limitless!

Ingredients and Substitutions

This simple shrimp pasta recipe uses a handful of common ingredients for a complete and delicious dish. 

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.

Recipe Tips

With my key tips and customization suggestions, you can create delicious and nutritious shrimp pasta with pesto.

• Reserve pasta water. Adding the starchy pasta water will give you a beautifully silky sauce and help the sauce adhere to the pasta.
• Sauté the shrimp separately. To prevent overcooking the shrimp, sauté separately from the broccoli and pasta and add to the pasta at the end.
• Add garlic. Add garlic to the pan when sautéing the shrimp to add more depth to the dish.
• Make it creamy. Add some heavy cream or half-and-half to the pesto sauce to make the dish creamier. You can also add more flavor with garlic cream sauce or lemon garlic cream sauce.
• Serve with extra Parmesan. For added cheesiness, sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese over the top of the pasta before serving.
• Top with pine nuts. Toast some pine nuts in a dry pan until golden brown and sprinkle them over the top of the pasta before serving for added crunch and nuttiness.

Storage

While this basil pesto shrimp pasta is best served fresh, if you have leftovers, you can transfer it to an airtight container and place it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. 

Reheat on the stovetop with a splash of water or cream to loosen the sauce. You want to ensure it’s heated through but avoid overcooking the pasta or shrimp, as it will alter the texture. It is not recommended to freeze the leftovers as the pasta may become mushy and lose its texture.