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Creamy Pesto Pasta with Shrimp

Closeup of Creamy Pesto Pasta with Shrimp on a plate garnished with sliced basil and grated cheese.
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Juicy seared shrimp, pasta, cherry tomatoes, garlic, green basil pesto and fresh basil make up this lightly Creamy Pesto Pasta with Shrimp! It’s easy to make in 25 minutes and perfect for busy weeknights!

Ingredients

Scale

For the Shrimp:

  • 10.6 ounces (10-12 pieces) / 300 grams peeled and deveined Jumbo Shrimp (size 16/20, frozen weight) – thawed, rinsed thoroughly, pat-dried
  • ½ TSP Kosher Salt, to taste
  • ½ TSP freshly cracked Black Pepper, to taste
  • 1 TSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Creamy Pesto Pasta with Shrimp:

  • 1 small / 16-17 grams Asian Red Shallot (or use regular shallot/eschalot or red onion) – finely chopped
  • 1 large clove / 8 grams Garlic – minced
  • 2-3 pieces / 8 grams fresh Red Chilies, to taste (optional – I used Thai Bird’s Eye red chilies but any variety can be used, omit for milder dish, note 1*)
  • 8-9 pieces / 80-84 grams Cherry Tomatoes – halved
  • ≈ ½ cup / 10 grams Fresh Basil Leaves, loosely packed – thinly sliced
  • 5 ounces / 140 grams uncooked Bowtie Pasta (farfalle, or any short-cut pasta shape)
  • ½ TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • ¼ cup / 60 grams Cooking Cream (20% fat, substitute table cream or light cream)
  • 3 TBSP / 50 grams Green Basil Pesto (store-bought or homemade, I used M&S Green Basil Pesto)
  • ¼ cup / 20 grams freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (or Parmesan cheese)
  • ¼ cup + 2 TBSP reserved Pasta Cooking Water, more as needed
  • ½ TSP Kosher Salt, to taste
  • ½ TSP freshly cracked Black Pepper, to taste
  • ½ – 1 TSP Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
  • ¼ TSP ground Cayenne (optional – omit for a milder dish), to taste
  • To Serve: more freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (or Parmesan cheese), to taste, reserved fresh Basil

Instructions

Prep:

  1. Prepare the shrimp: Thaw the frozen shrimp and rinse thoroughly. Pat-dry and add to bowl. Season with kosher salt and black pepper and set aside.
  2. Prepare the fresh ingredients: Chop/slice the shallot, garlic, red chilies (if using), cherry tomatoes and basil as indicated in the ‘ingredients’ section. Use a block grater to grate the cheese. Measure out the cooking cream in a measuring cup.

Creamy Pesto Pasta with Shrimp:

  1. Cook the pasta: Cook the bowtie pasta al-dente in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside. (I like to run cold water over the pasta to prevent it from sticking and cooking further but this is optional.)
  2. Sear the shrimp: Heat 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil in a medium-sized deep sauté pan or deep edged skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned shrimp and spread the pieces out in the pan. Allow to sear for 1-2 minutes, then flip and cook the other side for another 1-2 minutes or until just cooked. Transfer to a clean bowl and set aside.
  3. Sauté the aromatics: To the same pan, add ½ tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté for 30 seconds or until starting to soften. Then add the chilies and sauté for 20-30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Build the creamy pesto sauce: Lower the heat and slowly pour in the cooking cream. Add the grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, green basil pesto and ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking water. Mix well to combine. The sauce will start to thicken.
  5. Stir in the seasonings: Stir in the kosher salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and ground cayenne (if using). Switch off the heat to prevent the sauce from boiling.
  6. Add the pasta and shrimp: Add the cooked pasta, 2 tablespoons reserved pasta water, and cooked shrimp. Mix until everything is evenly coated in the sauce. If the sauce thickens too much, add more reserved pasta water as needed and mix until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
  7. Add the basil and cherry tomatoes: Turn the heat back on and set to medium-low. Stir through most of the fresh basil (reserve some for garnish) and cherry tomatoes. Switch off the heat.
  8. Serve: Divide evenly onto plates and garnish with more freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese if desired and the remaining fresh basil. Serve immediately.

Notes

  1. Fresh Red Chilies. Use more or less to tailor this dish to your heat level preference. You can leave them out completely for a milder dish or if dining with children. Same goes for the crushed red pepper flakes and ground cayenne.
  2. Use a good quality green pesto. I used a high quality store-bought jarred green pesto from Marks & Spencer (M&S). It’s made with Italian basil, garlic, olive oil, pine kernels, cashew nuts, Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Romano cheese. The garlic and basil flavors are very pronounced and I love this brand! Use any high-quality green pesto you love, either store-bought or homemade.
  3. Add more pasta water as needed. When the starches of the pasta in the pasta cooking water combines with the oil from the pesto, it emulsifies and thickens. This creates the much-desired glossy pesto sauce. Don’t be shy and add more water as needed to reach your desired sauce consistency!
  4. Storing and reheating leftovers. Store leftovers in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, add a small splash of water to the dish and microwave on high for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot throughout. Garnish with grated cheese and fresh basil after reheating.
  5. Double the recipe. This recipe makes enough for 2 servings. Double the recipe ingredients if you’d like to make 4 servings to feed a family or make it for meal prep. (Click ‘2x’ at the top of the recipe card to display double the ingredient amounts.) The flavors intensify and taste great the next day so it’s perfect for an easy reheatable lunch or dinner during the week.
  6. Nutritional information does not take into account any additional cheese you may choose to use to garnish.
  7. See the ‘Variations’ section in the post above if you’d like to customize this creamy pesto shrimp pasta dish.
  8. If you’re looking for more pesto recipes, try my Chili Pesto Pasta with Chicken or Tomato Ricotta Pesto Pasta!

Nutrition

Find it online: https://thatspicychick.com/creamy-pesto-pasta-with-shrimp/