This pesto shrimp pasta is likely one of the best dinners you can also make. It’s only a handful of components; 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 every part else is simply cooking pasta and tossing all of it collectively. It’s easy, flavorful, and the sort of meal that works any night time of the week.
That is one in every of my go-to recipes after I’m deep in cooking burnout and want one thing that appears like an actual dinner with out requiring any effort. I depend on meals like this that use easy components and don’t go away room for error. It’s the sort of recipe you might hand off to another person and nonetheless understand it’s going to end up. I make this actually because it’s simple, dependable, and nonetheless one thing everybody really desires to eat.
If you happen to’re into simple dinners like this, you may additionally love my candy chili rooster rice bowl, blackened salmon tacos with slaw, or pesto shrimp orzo. Similar low-effort power, simply completely different flavors to maintain issues fascinating.
Ingredient highlight
This isn’t a full checklist of components, however a fast overview of a few of the key components 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 real looking weeknight meal. I like utilizing massive shrimp, however any dimension works.
- Pesto – Use any pesto you like. I often seize a store-bought choice (Dealer Joe’s is my go-to) to maintain issues easy, however home made works nice too. If you wish to make your personal, my cashew arugula pesto is particularly good right here.
Suggestions for achievement
- One-pot choice (decrease effort) – If you happen to 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 nicely, simply be aware 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 way of.
- Use what you’ve gotten for pasta – Any pasta works. I like spaghetti, however this recipe could 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
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Deliver a big pot of water to a boil. Add an excellent pinch of salt and add the spaghetti. As soon as boiling, cook dinner the pasta in line with the package deal instructions. Earlier than straining, reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
8 ounces spaghetti
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Preheat a big skillet over medium warmth. When scorching, spray with some avocado oil or olive oil and add the shrimp. Ensure 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
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After draining pasta, add the pasta again to the pot and add the cooked shrimp, your complete container of pesto and 1 cup sliced tomatoes and stir nicely.
8 ounces pesto, 1 cup cherry tomatoes
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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 like. Serve scorching.
- 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’ll be able to eat leftovers chilly or warmed again up.
Vitamin Info
Vitamin Information
Quantity per Serving
The place does vitamin information come from? Vitamin information are offered as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Meals Database.
Different Simple Additions
If you wish to swap 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 each time I’ve them. They create plenty 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 Pink Pepper Flakes – Add a pinch if you need a bit of warmth.
- Further 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.
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