A light and fresh choice with Creamy Pesto Shrimp Pasta perfect for the Summer. A delicious combination of fresh pesto and tenderly fried shrimp!
Looking for another Summer seafood recipe? Make our Linguine with Red Clam Sauce with fresh cherry tomatoes!
Looking for more summer pasta recipes? Try our Italian Summer Pasta with Zucchini or Busiate with Pesto Trapanese.
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Pesto Preferences
I love pesto. It is one of my absolute favorite flavors. Creamy Pesto Shrimp Pasta is so delicious and the texture works perfectly with the shrimp. The key to a good pesto with pasta is starchy pasta water. It makes the texture of the pesto creamy but not too oily.
Adding the pasta water to the pasta and pesto and letting the pasta finish cooking in the pan allows the sauce to thicken and develop, similar to our Artichoke Pesto Pasta.
The creamy pesto shrimp pasta can be done with whatever pesto you have! If you don't have enough basil, you can make Pea pesto. Plus if you have extra, you can make Pesto Stuffed Chicken.
Substitutions and Ingredient Notes
Shrimp. Don't buy pre-cooked shrimp unless you're in a real pinch. It can be tasteless, gummy, and off-putting. You don't have to peel your own shrimp if you don't want either though. Meet in the middle and go for a peeled and deveined shrimp that you can marinate.
Pesto. I love pistachio pesto because pistachio is my favorite flavor, plus I always keep pistachio on hand.
Pasta. Farfalle is my go-to with this recipe. But really whatever shape you would prefer can work. Rigatoni or penne can work fine in this pasta but I prefer a flat pasta like orechiette if I have options for substitutions.
*Please see the recipe card below for more information on ingredients.
How to make Creamy Pesto Shrimp Pasta
The best part about the recipe is that it's simple and you can use whatever pesto you have on hand. I always make more pesto than I need so I can freeze it.
Pistachio Pea Pesto
Step 1: Start by combining the garlic, pistachios, salt, and basil in a food processor and pulse until well combined. Then add lemon juice and slowly pour in EVOO until you reach a smooth consistency. Then add the parmesan cheese.
The pesto shouldn't be completely smooth. It'll be creamy with a little lumpiness to it.
Shrimp and Pasta
Step 2: One of the most important steps is to marinate shrimp. This will yield the most flavorful shrimp and leave some good brown bits on the bottom of the pan for the sauce. Marinate the shrimp with 2 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and minced garlic in the refrigerator for up to 1 hour. (marinate for at least 15 minutes if you're in a rush)
Step 3: In a large saucepan on medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sear the shrimp on both sides in batches and then set aside. The shrimp will take 60-90 on each side. Once the shrimp is opaque, it is cooked through.
Step 4: In a medium pot, bring water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water with 2-3 tablespoon salt. Boil the pasta until 1 minute before al dente as directed on the package. Save pasta water on the side for the sauce.
Step 5: In the same large saucepan, lower the heat to medium-low. Add 1 cup of the starchy pasta water to the pan. Then return the shrimp to the pan along with the strained farfalle.
Step 6: Add the pesto and combine. Continue to slowly add more pasta water to reach a creamy texture. If you add too much water, just let the sauce sit on the heat for an extra minute or two and it will thicken up.
Creamy pesto shrimp pasta is a great weeknight meal. If I'm in a rush I marinate the shrimp for the time it takes me to make the pesto. I'm the king of making quick pasta for dinner like Pasta with Peas and Pancetta or 15-Minute Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil.
I love to get a dish on the table that has protein AND carbs for my family like this one though. Then I can serve this with some vegetables like Garlic Parmesan Green Beans or Sauteed Rapini with Garlic to complete the meal.
Pro-Tips
- Adding the pasta water to the pasta with pesto will make the pesto more of a creamy sauce. This is exactly what you want when it comes to a dish like this.
- When searing the shrimp you want to get a good sear but avoid overcooking it. Make sure the pan is hot. It should take less than 90 seconds per side to cook the shrimp through.
- Don't overcrowd the pan with too much shrimp because the shrimp will cool down the pan and end up being steamed, not seared.
Recipe FAQs
Reheating shrimp or any other fish is always best done on a pan. Bring a pan to medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and reheat the food in the pan. Add a little bit of water if the sauce seems too thick.
Yes! There are so many ways to spice up this recipe with some more veggies! You can add broccoli, asparagus, or even more peas! I would recommend steaming the vegetable first and then sauteing it in the pan after the shrimp is finished searing.
More Quick Pasta Recipes
If you loved this recipe, you would love some of our other easy and quick pasta! Check them out below. Also, you can find us on Instagram @vindelgiudice or Tiktok @alwaysfromscratch.
📖 Recipe
Creamy Pesto Shrimp Pasta
Equipment
- food processor
- large sauce pan
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 lb farfalle
- 2 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 3-4 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
For the Pesto
- 3 cups basil
- 2 cloves garlic, whole
- ½ cup raw pistachios
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 cup EVOO
Instructions
For the Pesto
- Combine garlic, pistachios, salt, and basil in a food processor and pulse until well combined. Add lemon juice and then slowly add in EVOO until you reach a smooth consistency. Then add the parmesan cheese.
Shrimp and Pasta
- Marinate shrimp with 2 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and minced garlic in the refrigerator for up to 1 hour.
- Remove the shrimp from the fridge. In a large saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high heat. Sear the shrimp on both sides for 60-90 seconds in batches and then set aside.
- In a medium pot, bring water to a boil for the pasta. Boil the pasta until 1 minute before al dente as directed on the package. Save the pasta water.
- In the same large saucepan, lower the heat to medium-low. Add ½ a cup of the starchy pasta water to the pan. Then return the shrimp to the pan along with the strained farfalle. Add the pesto and combine everything. Continue to add more pasta water to reach a creamy texture. Remove from the heat and serve.
Notes
-
- Adding the pasta water to the pasta with pesto will make the pesto more of a creamy sauce. This is exactly what you want when it comes to a dish like this.
- When searing the shrimp you want to get a good sear but avoid overcooking it. Make sure the pan is hot. Don't overcrowd the pan with too much shrimp.
- If you're looking for pesto recipes try either of ours: Pistachio Pesto or Pea Pesto.
Vinny
An easy and creamy pesto pasta dish we love to have whenever we make pesto! Hope you enjoy!