This pesto shrimp pasta is without doubt one of the best dinners you can also make. It’s only a handful of elements; 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 part else is simply cooking pasta and tossing all of it collectively. It’s easy, flavorful, and the form of meal that works any night time of the week.
That is one in all my go-to recipes once I’m deep in cooking burnout and wish one thing that seems like an actual dinner with out requiring any effort. I depend on meals like this that use easy elements and don’t go away room for error. It’s the form of recipe you might hand off to another person and nonetheless realize it’s going to end up. I make this actually because it’s straightforward, dependable, and nonetheless one thing everybody truly needs to eat.


When you’re into straightforward dinners like this, you may also love my candy chili hen rice bowl, blackened salmon tacos with slaw, or pesto shrimp orzo. Similar low-effort power, simply completely different flavors to maintain issues attention-grabbing.
Ingredient highlight
This isn’t a full record of elements, however a fast overview of a few of the key elements 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’re keen on. I normally seize a store-bought possibility (Dealer Joe’s is my go-to) to maintain issues easy, however do-it-yourself works nice too. If you wish to make your personal, my cashew arugula pesto is particularly good right here.


Suggestions for fulfillment
- One-pot possibility (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 properly, simply word the pasta could choose up a bit 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
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Convey a big pot of water to a boil. Add a very good 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. Make sure the shrimp are in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and garlic powder. Cook dinner 2-3 minutes per facet.
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, all the container of pesto and 1 cup sliced tomatoes and stir properly.
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 properly. Proceed including extra liquid as wanted till you get the consistency of the sauce you’re keen on. 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 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 may eat leftovers chilly or warmed again up.
Diet Data
Diet Info
Quantity per Serving
The place does vitamin data come from? Diet 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 extra filling, listed here are a couple of straightforward add-ins:
- White Beans – Cannellini beans are my favourite right here. They add a bit 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 carry a whole lot of taste and pair rather well with the pesto.
- Cheese – A sprinkle of Parmesan or a bit feta on prime is all the time a good suggestion.
- Crushed Crimson Pepper Flakes – Add a pinch if you need a bit 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.








