This Creamy Shrimp Pesto Pasta recipe is a quick and easy 20 minute meal with a sublime sauce that’s full of flavor. A dish that’s lovely enough for a fancy dinner party, but perfect for a busy weeknight meal!
You guuuuuys…I’ve got another fantastic easy meal for you! This Shrimp Pesto Pasta is not only crazy delicious, but it only takes 20 minutes to make. Major weeknight win!
I consider kielbasa a miracle ingredient because it’s already precooked, delicious, and can easily elevate so many dishes in a snap. Well, I think the same thing about pesto sauce.
Pesto can easily transform so many foods with barely even trying. I love to use a little folded into scrambled eggs, in tortellini soup, on my pizza dough sometimes instead of red sauce, and whisked together with mayo for a killer sandwich spread. And obviously it’s so perfect for pasta. In this pesto shrimp recipe, it gets mixed with butter, half-n-half, and Parmesan for a new twist on Alfredo sauce.
My homemade pesto sauce recipe is so ridiculously easy to whip up and keep in the fridge, but you can totally buy it and eliminate even another step!
How to make this Shrimp Pesto Pasta
There’s only a few basic steps to this quick and easy dinner. (The complete detailed recipe is at the bottom of the post.)
- Cook up your pasta.
- Simultaneously, make your pesto cream sauce.
- Simmer the shrimp in the sauce.
- Smother the cooked pasta with the sauce.
DONE. The result is a light and creamy sauce with a great blend of flavors, perfect for serving over so many things, not just pasta.
Ingredients you need for this Shrimp Pesto Pasta
- Linguine (you can certainly use a different pasta, if you prefer)
- 1 pound large shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- Butter (I always cook with unsalted, but salted is fine)
- All-purpose flour (you need this to thicken the sauce)
- Half-n-half (<< that’s equal parts heavy cream and whole milk)
- Parmesan Cheese (use the fresh stuff for best flavor!)
- Pesto sauce (<< this is my homemade recipe, but store-bought is totally fine!)
- Black pepper and cracked red pepper flakes
Recipe Variations
This recipe is so simple and wonderful the way it is written, but there are some tweaks that can work well, too!
- Extra-virgin olive oil can replace the butter.
- Add in a 15 ounce can petite diced tomatoes (drained) to the sauce for another layer of flavor.
- Sliced mushrooms can be added to the sauce while it simmers.
- Sun dried tomato pesto instead of basil pesto would also be so delicious!
- Try scallops instead of shrimp.
- For vegetarians, this sauce is wonderful over zucchini noodles, steamed asparagus, broccoli, or cauliflower.
- This recipe can easily be halved.
How To Store leftovers
- To store: transfer any extra to a storage container and allow to cool completely (a skin might form on the surface of the sauce and it might thicken to a paste-like consistency, but that’s normal. Don’t fret! ) Secure with a tight fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: transfer to a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Gently warm over low heat, or in 30-second intervals in the microwave, until warmed, stirring occasionally. It will soften and return to a sauce as it warms. If the sauce seems too thick, whisk in a splash of milk until the sauce is to your liking.
Creamy Shrimp Pesto Pasta almost appears fancy, but is so crazy easy to put together. Serve it as is, or with a crisp leafy salad.
Other 20 Minute Meals with pasta that we love!
- Spaghetti Carbonara (one pot!)
- Creamy Pasta with Bacon and Peas (family favorite!)
- Tomato and Tortellini Soup (only 15 minutes!)
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Creamy Shrimp Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound linguine
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (not table salt)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cracked red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup pesto sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 pound large shrimp , peeled and deveined, thawed if frozen
- Fresh torn basil , for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil; cook your linguine according to package directions, al dente.
- In the meantime, melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add in the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour, stirring until fully incorporated and no lumps remain.
- Bump up the heat just slightly and slowly whisk in the half-and-half, Parmesan, salt, black pepper, and cracked red pepper. Cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. (Make sure your sauce isn’t boiling or it will curdle, and don’t stop whisking or you run the risk of the sauce sticking and burning.)
- Whisk in the pesto and add the shrimp; cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp turn pink, about 4 minutes.
- Drain the pasta and either (1) add to the skillet with the sauce and toss to coat, or (2) divvy up pasta in bowls and then pour the sauce on top.
- Garnish with fresh basil. Delicious!
Notes
- Half-n-half is equal parts heavy cream and whole milk.
- For recipe variations, please refer to the full article.
- This recipe can easily be halved following the same ratios.
- To store: transfer any extra to a storage container and allow to cool completely (a skin might form on the surface of the sauce and it might thicken to a paste-like consistency, but that’s normal. Don’t fret! ) Secure with a tight fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: transfer to a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Gently warm over low heat, or in 30-second intervals in the microwave, until warmed, stirring occasionally. It will soften and return to a sauce as it warms. If the sauce seems too thick, whisk in a splash of milk until the sauce is to your liking.
Nutrition
Other Notes
If I had pesto or pesto ingredients, I’d make this tonight. Looks so good.