Perfect for busy weeknights, family dinners, or even date nights, this Pesto Shrimp Pasta comes together quickly and is ready in about 30 minutes!
The delicious Pesto Shrimp Pasta is all about the flavor combination of zesty pesto, white wine, garlic, pasta and mushrooms. Succulent shrimp pasta, bursting with flavor, is ready in just 30 minutes!
You will love how easy it is to make this pasta dish in a few simple steps and with just a handful of ingredients. With its bright and a creamy texture, this is my go-to pasta recipe for a special occasion. Not too rich, yet filling and comforting recipe.
How to make pesto shrimp pasta
First, let's put shrimp in a mixing bowl and rub in seasoning mixture. Mix well to make sure to coat shrimp well. Add shrimp to the hot pan and cook for about 3 minutes, turning once midway, until shrimp is pink and cooked through.
The key to successfully cooking shrimp is to not overcook it. If you cook shrimp for too long it will get tough. Shrimp cooks quickly and as soon as the flesh changes from opalescence to opaque, they're done. It should be only 2 or 3 minutes depending on the size.
The next step is to brown the mushrooms using plenty of oil to help quickly evaporate any water that mushrooms will sweat out. All you have to do to cook the mushrooms right is to not overcrowd the pan and stir frequently.
It's important to add minced garlic only in the last few minutes, when mushrooms are almost ready.
Now it's time to add cooked shrimp that we removed earlier back into the pan. Once the shrimp is added, add basil pesto, deglaze with wine and add chicken broth. On medium heat, mix everything to combine and reheat the shrimp. Remove from heat.
Now bring a large pot of water to boil, add pasta and cook it al dente. You can also cook pasta ahead of time but I like my pasta fresh.
Add cooked pasta to the skillet with the mushrooms and shrimp, and stir until pasta is fully coated in sauce. Reheat well on low heat (you can also cover the pan with the lid to retain the heat).
Tips for success
- Don't overcook shrimp. Shrimp cooks quickly and as soon as the flesh changes from opalescence to opaque, they're done. It should be only 2 or 3 minutes depending on the size.
- Make sure to preheat the pan before adding the oil and shrimp. Use the large and hot pan.
- Don't overcrowd the pan with mushrooms (or shrimp).
- Add a bit of salt to the mushrooms as you cook them.
- Resist the urge to move the mushrooms too soon. You want to get a little browning on the mushrooms by cooking them undisturbed for about 2 minutes.
FAQ
How much pesto should I use? The pasta here turned out to have an appetizingly warm color, not the usual greenish "pesto tint" since I only used ⅓ cup pesto and plenty of liquids, including white wine to offset the "green". Based on the reader reviews, you can go even lower on pesto (¼ cup) and still get a great taste How to make shrimp seasoning
How do I make shrimp taste better. To make the best shrimp seasoning, it's all in the details: salt, italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and paprika will do the trick!
What kind of wine should I use? Use any dry white wine that you would normally drink. I prefer to use Pinot Grigio because it's significantly cheaper than other wines. Other good options include Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.
How much wine do I need? You won't need much - only enough to deglaze when adding pesto. I used ¼ cup of wine, but you can use up to ½ cup.
Can I use cooking wine? Because cooking wine contains a significant amount of sodium and not enough wine, I do not recommend it.
More delicious shrimp recipes
- Hawaiian Shrimp
- Dynamite Shrimp Appetizer
- Cajun Stuffed Shrimp
- Instant Pot Orzo with Shrimp, Tomatoes and Feta
- Garlic Shrimp Pasta in Red Wine Tomato Sauce
Pesto Shrimp Pasta
Ingredients
Main Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb shrimp, (peeled and deveined)
- 10 oz white mushrooms, (sliced)
- ⅓ cup basil pesto
- 4 garlic cloves, (minced)
- ¼ cup dry white wine, (plus more if needed)
- ½ cup sodium free chicken broth, (adjust salt if not sodium free)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Seasoning Mixture:
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning, (thyme, oregano, basil - combined)
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- chopped fresh basil
Pasta:
- 10 oz fettuccine pasta (use gluten free for gluten free version)
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Put shrimp in a mixing bowl and rub in seasoning mixture. Mix well to make sure shrimp is coated well. Add to the hot pan and cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side, turning once midway, until shrimp is pink and cooked through. Remove shrimp from the skillet.
- Add second tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Once the pan is hot, add sliced mushrooms and ¼ teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring, until mushrooms release liquid and reduce in volume and get soft, for about a minute or two.
- Add minced garlic for the last few minutes, when mushrooms are almost ready. Next add wine. Cook for 1-2 minutes and then add back the cooked shrimp.
- Add pesto and stir. Finally, add the stock and allow to reduce, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to boil, add pasta and cook it according to instructions. Drain the pasta, but do not rinse.
- Add pasta to the skillet and stir until pasta is fully coated in sauce.
- Allow to warm for 2 minutes, and then portion and serve. Season with more salt and additional red pepper flakes, if desired.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only. This information comes from online calculators. Although whatsinthepan.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Video
Notes
Carolyn Darling says
Oh my goodness, just tried this and YUM!!!!
Olya says
Yum is what I like!