Pesto Shrimp Pasta (Simple 15 Minute Dinner)

This pesto shrimp pasta is without doubt one of the best dinners you can also make. It’s only a handful of substances; pasta, shrimp, pesto, and some extras, and it comes collectively in about quarter-hour, begin to end. The one actual prep is slicing a couple of cherry tomatoes, and all the things else is simply cooking pasta and tossing all of it collectively. It’s easy, flavorful, and the type of meal that works any night time of the week.

That is one in every of my go-to recipes once I’m deep in cooking burnout and wish one thing that appears like an actual dinner with out requiring any effort. I depend on meals like this that use easy substances and don’t go away room for error. It’s the type of recipe you may hand off to another person and nonetheless comprehend it’s going to end up. I make this actually because it’s straightforward, dependable, and nonetheless one thing everybody truly needs to eat.

Should you’re into straightforward dinners like this, you may also love my sweet chili chicken rice bowl, blackened salmon tacos with slaw, or pesto shrimp orzo. Identical low-effort vitality, simply totally different flavors to maintain issues fascinating.

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Ingredient highlight

This isn’t a full checklist of substances, however a fast overview of a few of the key substances 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 lifelike weeknight meal. I like utilizing massive shrimp, however any measurement works.
Pesto – Use any pesto you’re keen on. I normally seize a store-bought choice (Dealer Joe’s is my go-to) to maintain issues easy, however do-it-yourself works nice too. If you wish to make your individual, my cashew arugula pesto is particularly good right here.

Fork holding pesto shrimp pasta over the bowl.

Suggestions for achievement

One-pot choice (decrease effort) – Should you don’t wish to soiled one other pan, add the shrimp on to the pasta water over the past 2 minutes of cooking. It really works nicely, simply word the pasta might 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 means 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

Convey a big pot of water to a boil. Add pinch of salt and add the spaghetti. As soon as boiling, prepare dinner the pasta in response to 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. Make certain the shrimp are in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and garlic powder. Cook dinner 2-3 minutes per aspect.

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, the complete container of pesto and 1 cup sliced tomatoes and stir nicely.

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

Recipe suggestions

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 totally 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’ll be able to eat leftovers chilly or warmed again up.

Diet Data

Diet Info

Quantity per Serving

The place does diet data come from? Diet details are supplied 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 below are a couple of straightforward add-ins:

White Beans – Cannellini beans are my favourite right here. They add a bit of further protein and make the dish extra filling with none further work.
Solar-Dried Tomatoes – I add these at any time when I’ve them. They create a variety of taste and pair rather well with the pesto.
Cheese – A sprinkle of Parmesan or a bit of feta on high is all the time a good suggestion.
Crushed Crimson Pepper Flakes – Add a pinch if you’d like 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.