Easy Shrimp Pesto Pasta
In case you haven’t noticed, I really love pasta! We have pasta of some sort at least once a week. You should see my pantry, about 1/3 of it is stocked with pasta and noodles. I mean, not to be a hater but zoodles are an abomination! Okay, I’m only kidding. I can’t say that until I’ve actually tried them. Someday I’ll get there but I’m not quite ready yet :). What can I say? I love carbs. They make me full and therefore no longer hangry…or in other words they make me a kind and happy human. Today’s recipe is a shrimp and asparagus pasta that’s been tossed with a homemade basil and parsley pesto, and let me tell you it is oh so good! It is abundantly flavorful thanks to the fresh pesto and a bit of fresh lemon juice, plus you get those delicious and unique flavors from the fresh asparagus and shrimp. So far my family is 2 for 4 that like shrimp (one daughter and myself), and now I just need to get my husband and my other daughter to like it too. But for now I guess it just means more for me. Just like I used to be kind of annoyed by the fact that my husband didn’t like fresh tomatoes so he’d request his serving without, then I just realized once upon a time that that meant more tomatoes for me so there are no complaints there. We all have different taste buds but hopefully yours agree with me on this, because this pesto shrimp asparagus pasta is incredibly delicious!
Shrimp Pesto Pasta Ingredients
If you’ve never made homemade pesto before, don’t fret, it’s super easy! Here’s what you’ll need to make the shrimp pesto pasta. For the homemade pesto, you’ll need:
Fresh basil Fresh parsley Shredded Parmesan Pine nuts Garlic Salt and pepper Olive oil
And for the shrimp asparagus pasta, you’ll need:
Linguine Asparagus Shrimp Olive oil Lemon juice
How to Make Pesto
Add all of the pesto ingredients except the olive oil into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the basil-parsley pesto reaches your desired consistency.
How to Make Shrimp Pesto Pasta
Steam asparagus pieces in steamer basket. Boil linguine in salted water and reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta water before draining. Cook shrimp in a skillet with a little olive oil until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper. Pour lemon juice over shrimp, then add pasta and asparagus. Add pesto to the skillet and toss to combine. If needed, thin the sauce with some of the reserved pasta water.
Can I Use a Pine Nut Substitute in This Recipe?
Yes, if you don’t have pine nuts on hand I recommend adding chopped walnuts instead. And if you have a nut allergy, feel free to omit the nuts entirely.
Can I Make Basil Pesto Instead?
Yes, if you don’t like parsley or don’t have any you can add more basil to the pesto instead of fresh parsley.
Can I Omit the Shrimp?
If you really don’t like shrimp, or if you don’t want to pay the higher price for it, feel free to replace the shrimp with chicken breasts diced into 1-inch cubes, then increase the cooking time by about 6 minutes (or until cooked through).
Can I Use Another Type of Pasta?
Of course! Any long, thicker pasta will work (like fettuccine, spaghetti, tagliatelle, etc.). Avoid anything too skinny, as you need a pasta that can hold its own next to the shrimp and asparagus.
Tips for Making Shrimp Pesto Pasta
For the brightest flavor, use freshly squeezed lemon juice instead of the pre-bottled juice. If you don’t want to steam the asparagus, you could sauté it in a little olive oil before you cook the shrimp. If asparagus isn’t in season, feel free to throw in some fresh spinach or another green of choice. If using frozen shrimp, thaw before cooking. (Also, be sure to use frozen raw shrimp, not the pre-cooked kind).
More Easy Pasta Recipes You’ll Love:
Pesto Spaghetti with Roasted Tomatoes and Grilled Chicken Tortellini with Pesto and Roasted Veggies Easy Gnocchi Shrimp and Asparagus with Lemony Pesto Spaghetti with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Spinach Cajun Chicken Pasta Pasta Carbonara
