Quick Shrimp Pesto Pasta With Garlic And Tomatoes
This quick and easy pesto shrimp pasta piles big juicy shrimp and sweet cherry tomatoes atop a bed of linguini, all coated with a garlicy basil pesto sauce. It’s herby, spicy, and comes together in just 30 minutes, with only a handful of ingredients.
Servings: 6
Calories: 539kcal
Ingredients
- 16 oz linguini (reserve 1 cup of the pasta water after boiling)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ⅔ cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup basil pesto (homemade pesto or store-bought)
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup fresh basil chopped
- 2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
- Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente (this is about 1 minute less than the cooking time on your package instructions). Important! Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining. We’ll add it at the end, if needed, to help loosen and bind the sauce.
- While the pasta is cooking, place a large skillet over medium heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil, then the cherry tomatoes. Cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Turn the heat to medium-high and add the shrimp to the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cooking time. The shrimp should turn from translucent to opaque and pink. Add the minced garlic and saute for about 1-2 minutes more.
- Add the lemon juice and the pasta to the pan, then stir in the pesto sauce, being sure to coat the noodles in the sauce. If your sauce is quite thick, add the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to loosen the sauce, until you reach your desired consistency.
- Serve the pasta in bowls and top with crushed red pepper flakes, chopped fresh basil, shredded Parmesan cheese, and extra pine nuts or walnuts if desired.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. I don't recommend freezing this recipe.
- Time savers: use peeled and deveined shrimp and store-bought pesto sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 539kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 515mg | Potassium: 427mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1132IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 2mg
