Pesto Shrimp Pasta (Simple 15 Minute Dinner)

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 couple of cherry tomatoes, and every thing else is simply cooking pasta and tossing all of it collectively. It’s easy, flavorful, and the type of meal that works any evening of the week.

That is one in all my go-to recipes after I’m deep in cooking burnout and want one thing that seems 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 type 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 needs to eat.

When 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. Identical low-effort vitality, simply totally different flavors to maintain issues attention-grabbing.

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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 reasonable weeknight meal. I like utilizing massive shrimp, however any dimension works.
Pesto – Use any pesto you’re keen on. 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 individual, my cashew arugula pesto is particularly good right here.

Fork holding pesto shrimp pasta over the bowl.

Ideas for achievement

One-pot choice (decrease effort) – When you don’t wish to soiled one other pan, add the shrimp on to the pasta water over the last 2 minutes of cooking. It really works nicely, simply be aware the pasta might choose up somewhat shrimp taste.
Use pre-cooked shrimp – Already cooked shrimp works right here too. Add it over the last 15–30 seconds simply to warmth by.
Use what you will have 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

Carry 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 accordance with the bundle 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, all the 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 differ – Each pesto is somewhat 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 possibly can eat leftovers chilly or warmed again up.

Vitamin Data

Vitamin Info

Quantity per Serving

The place does vitamin data come from? Vitamin info 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 somewhat extra filling, listed here are a couple of simple add-ins:

White Beans – Cannellini beans are my favourite right here. They add somewhat 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 quite a lot of taste and pair very well with the pesto.
Cheese – A sprinkle of Parmesan or somewhat feta on high is at all times a good suggestion.
Crushed Purple Pepper Flakes – Add a pinch in order for you somewhat 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.