Shrimp Pesto Pasta

Why you’ll love this shrimp pesto pasta

This recipe is made with minimal ingredients and it basically an effortless preparation besides searing the shrimp. It’s a perfect meal for a busy spring weeknight plus, it will lead you through summer with a simple recipe that wont over heat your kitchen. This is a great recipe for when your garden is bursting with fresh tomatoes this summer.

If you love shrimp pasta, we bet you’ll love trying out our other dishes like our cajun shrimp and sausage pasta, shrimp yaki udon, old bay shrimp scampi, and jerk shrimp pasta.

Looking for more quick and delicious recipes? Check out our buttery lemon pasta, Thai basil pesto, and spinach ricotta pasta.

Ingredients & substitutions

• Shrimp – It’s best to use a peeled and deveined shrimp, with or without the tails. We like to use at least a large if not jumbo shrimp, just so they are a substantial addition to the pasta plus, it gives a little more wiggle room for cooking.
• Cherry tomatoes – Opt for ripe, firm cherry tomatoes for the best taste and texture. When cooked lightly, they soften just enough to release their natural juices. You could use a grape tomato or another variety of tomato, but we recommend that you stick with smaller sized tomatoes with the skin preserved.
• Pesto sauce – Any store bought pesto would work well here. We used Kirkland’s brand for this recipe. If you feel up for making your own pesto try following our recipe for genovese pesto.
• Ricotta cheese – This adds a creamy decadent texture to the sauce that pairs very well with the pesto sauce.

The following is a detailed overview of the recipe steps with added tips and tricks for recipe success. For a simplified and printable version, including ingredient amounts and more formal instructions, see the recipe card below.

How to make this shrimp pesto pasta

Pan sear the shrimp. In a large cast iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Sear the shrimp for 1-2 minutes on each side. This works best if there is space in the skillet so cook the shrimp in batches if needed. The shrimp will turn opaque and pink when they are done cooking. Remove them and set them aside while you prepare the tomatoes and sauce.

Blister the Tomatoes. In the same skillet, add a bit more olive oil if you need it and lower the heat to medium. Sauté the garlic for about 30 seconds until fragrant and add the cherry tomatoes. Allow the tomatoes to blister and release their juices, cooking them for about 3-4 minutes. Stir them while they are cooking slightly, but not too much or you will prevent them from blistering.

Combine the sauce. When the tomatoes are blistered, add the pesto sauce and ricotta cheese to the skillet. Stir well to combine and add a splash of pasta water if needed. Stir the pasta and shrimp into the sauce until well coated. Garnish with chopped fresh basil and grated Italian cheese, we love pecorino romano for this.