Pesto Shrimp Pasta (Easy 15 Minute Dinner)

This pesto shrimp pasta is without doubt one of the best dinners you may make. It’s only a handful of elements; pasta, shrimp, pesto, and some extras, and it comes collectively in about quarter-hour, begin to end. The one actual prep is slicing a number of cherry tomatoes, and all the pieces else is simply cooking pasta and tossing all of it collectively. It’s easy, flavorful, and the form of meal that works any evening of the week.

That is one among my go-to recipes once I’m deep in cooking burnout and want one thing that looks like an actual dinner with out requiring any effort. I depend on meals like this that use easy elements and don’t go away room for error. It’s the form of recipe you can hand off to another person and nonetheless understand it’s going to prove. I make this actually because it’s simple, dependable, and nonetheless one thing everybody really needs to eat.

In the event you’re into simple dinners like this, you may also love my sweet chili chicken rice bowl, blackened salmon tacos with slaw, or pesto shrimp orzo. Similar low-effort vitality, simply completely different flavors to maintain issues fascinating.

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Ingredient highlight

This isn’t a full listing of elements, however a fast overview of a number of the key elements to make this cooking burnout pleasant:

Shrimp (Peeled & Deveined) – Use peeled and deveined shrimp to maintain this recipe really low effort. It saves you 5–10 minutes of prep and makes this a way more practical weeknight meal. I like utilizing massive shrimp, however any dimension works.
Pesto – Use any pesto you like. I normally seize a store-bought choice (Dealer Joe’s is my go-to) to maintain issues easy, however selfmade works nice too. If you wish to make your personal, my cashew arugula pesto is very good right here.

Fork holding pesto shrimp pasta over the bowl.

Suggestions for achievement

One-pot choice (decrease effort) – In the event you don’t need to soiled one other pan, add the shrimp on to the pasta water over the past 2 minutes of cooking. It really works properly, simply word the pasta could decide up a bit of shrimp taste.
Use pre-cooked shrimp – Already cooked shrimp works right here too. Add it over the past 15–30 seconds simply to warmth by way of.
Use what you’ve got for pasta – Any pasta works. I like spaghetti, however this recipe may be very forgiving.

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8 ounces spaghetti
1 pound frozen shrimp peeled and deveined – defrosted
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
8 ounces pesto – I used Dealer Joe’s Kale Cashew Pesto
1 cup cherry tomatoes – sliced in half

Carry a big pot of water to a boil. Add pinch of salt and add the spaghetti. As soon as boiling, cook dinner the pasta based on the package deal instructions. Earlier than straining, reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.

8 ounces spaghetti
Preheat a big skillet over medium warmth. When scorching, spray with some avocado oil or olive oil and add the shrimp. Be certain the shrimp are in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and garlic powder. Prepare dinner 2-3 minutes per facet.

1 pound frozen shrimp peeled and deveined, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
After draining pasta, add the pasta again to the pot and add the cooked shrimp, all the container of pesto and 1 cup sliced tomatoes and stir properly.

8 ounces pesto, 1 cup cherry tomatoes
Add about 1/4 cup of the pasta water to the pot and stir properly. Proceed including extra liquid as wanted till you get the consistency of the sauce you like. Serve scorching.

Recipe ideas

Avoid wasting pasta water – Earlier than draining, reserve about ½–1 cup of pasta cooking liquid. Add a splash as wanted to assist the pesto coat the pasta and shrimp evenly.
Pesto quantities will fluctuate – Each pesto is a bit of completely different. Begin with much less, toss, and add extra till it’s coated the way you prefer it.
Retailer leftovers in an hermetic container for as much as 3 days. You may eat leftovers chilly or warmed again up.

Vitamin Data

Vitamin Info

Quantity per Serving

The place does diet data come from? Vitamin details are offered as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Meals Database.

Course: dinner

Delicacies: Italian

Key phrase: pesto shrimp pasta, pesto shrimp spaghetti, shrimp pesto pasta

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Different Simple Additions

If you wish to change issues up or make this a bit of extra filling, listed here are a number of simple add-ins:

White Beans – Cannellini beans are my favourite right here. They add a bit of additional protein and make the dish extra filling with none additional work.
Solar-Dried Tomatoes – I add these every time I’ve them. They bring about a variety of taste and pair rather well with the pesto.
Cheese – A sprinkle of Parmesan or a bit of feta on prime is all the time a good suggestion.
Crushed Purple Pepper Flakes – Add a pinch in order for you a bit of warmth.
Additional Greens – Toss in some child spinach or arugula on the finish and let it wilt barely. Add a pinch of salt so the greens are seasoned too.