Pasta with pesto and shrimp

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Pasta with pesto and shrimp
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801
Calories per serving
  • Lactose Free
  • Energy Kcal 801
  • Carbohydrates g 68.8
  •   of which sugars g 4.6
  • Protein g 26.6
  • Fats g 43.5
  •   of which saturated fat g 10.5
  • Fiber g 2.9
  • Cholesterol mg 104
  • Sodium mg 609
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Prep time: 40 min
  • Cook time: 10 min
  • Serving: 4
  • Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

Shrimp pesto pasta is a really, really good dish hailing from the stunning region of Liguria. It's where the Mediterranean Sea kisses lush basil fields. And look, this shrimp pasta recipe blends the vibrant green flavor of classic basil pesto with the delicate texture of fresh shrimp. In Liguria, making pesto is like an art—seriously good—traditionally done by hand with a mortar to bring out its creamy texture and sharp basil aroma. Adding shrimp gives it a moist, slightly sweet seafood flavor, just like a summer by the Italian coast. For a twist, maybe try other seafood like tuna—pretty much keeping that coastal vibe. It is about mixing tradition with the refreshing sea breeze to create something rooted and kinda innovative.

Imagine a dish with a lively golden hue. And the scent? Super herby. Pesto pasta with shrimp is perfect if you're seeking something familiar but a bit adventurous. The sauce hugs each bite, giving you a burst of basil and a tangy note from the cheese. The shrimp? Firm and juicy. Italian cooks swear by homemade pesto for its authentic flavor—trust me, you'll taste the difference in its richness and those crispy bits where the pasta meets the pan. So here's the thing, this seafood pasta pairs well with simple sides, but it shines on its own as a light meal. Fills you up without being heavy.

Next time you're craving an easy yet elegant dish, try this easy shrimp pasta from Liguria. Whether you're a fan of garlic, basil, or fresh seafood, you'll find yourself reaching for seconds, especially when it's warm out and you want something as fresh and flavorful as this. Enjoy this taste of the Italian coast—really—and let it take you to a place where every bite is a celebration of fresh ingredients and regional tradition.

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INGREDIENTS

801
Calories per serving
Linguine pasta 11.3 oz (320 g)
Shrimps 0.9 lb (400 g)
Extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp (30 g)
Garlic 1 clove
Brandy 1.75 oz (50 g)
for the genovese pesto
Garlic 1 clove
Coarse salt to taste
Extra virgin olive oil 7 tbsp (100 g)
Basil 2 oz (50 g)
Pecorino cheese 1.8 oz (50 g) - grated
Pine nuts 1 tbsp (15 g)
Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 0.8 cup (70 g) - grated
Preparation

How to prepare Pasta with pesto and shrimp

To prepare the pasta with pesto and shrimp, start by preparing the pesto (for the complete procedure you can check our Genoese pesto (Pesto alla genovese) recipe): carefully clean the basil leaves with a clean cloth (if you are not sure of the origin of the basil, you can gently dip the leaves in a bowl filled with cold water to rinse them. Then let them dry completely on a clean cloth. Then take a mortar and crush the peeled garlic with some coarse salt: when you have obtained a creamy mixture, add the basil leaves along with more coarse salt 1. With the pestle, crush the basil by rotating the pestle and mortar in opposite directions 2: a bright green liquid should come out of the leaves. Add pine nuts and cheese while continuing to crush. Finally, add the olive oil in a thin stream 3, continuing to mix the ingredients well with the pestle until you obtain a homogeneous sauce. Set the pesto aside.

Then bring the pasta water to a boil and when it reaches boiling point, salt it. In the meantime, focus on cleaning the shrimp (for more detail, you can check our cooking school article on How to clean shrimp). Take the shrimp and rinse them quickly under plenty of cold water. Then gently detach the head 4, and remove the legs and shell, along with the tail. Proceed by cutting along the back and using a small knife, remove the intestine 5, being very careful not to break it. At this point, the shrimp are ready: cut them into small pieces 6 and set them aside.

Now take a large non-stick pan, pour in the olive oil and let a whole clove of garlic brown 7 which you can easily remove once golden 8. Add the shrimp to the pan 9.

Deglaze with brandy and let it evaporate 10, seasoning with salt 11 and pepper. Cook the pasta 12.

and when the pasta is still slightly al dente, drain it (keeping aside at least 2-3 ladles of cooking water) and add it directly to the pan with the shrimp 13; add a ladle of pasta cooking water 14 to finish cooking and prevent it from drying out too much: let it cook, stirring for a few moments until completely absorbed. When ready, turn off the heat and add the pesto 15,

add a little more pasta cooking water if needed 16 and mix the ingredients well 17. At this point, your pasta with pesto and shrimp is ready to be plated 18 and served!

Storage

We suggest consuming the pasta with pesto and shrimp as soon as it's ready. If you have leftovers, you can transfer them to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. However, you can store only the pesto in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days, also in an airtight container, covering the sauce with a layer of oil.

We do not recommend freezing the prepared pasta. However, if you wish and have used fresh, not defrosted ingredients, you can divide the pesto into small pre-portioned jars and freeze it for up to 1 month. To use it, just defrost it in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

Tip

Now we want to reveal some variants to cater to your guests' tastes: if they prefer milder flavors, you might opt for a delicate zucchini pesto or an original Pasta with Pistachio Pesto and Shrimp instead of the classic genovese pesto or, on the contrary, if your guests are lovers of strong flavors, you might sauté the garlic along with some hot chili pepper to flavor the shrimp!

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.
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