Easy Shrimp Pesto Pasta
This recipe creates tender shrimp marinated in savory basil pesto and tossed with cooked farfalle pasta, chopped artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, and crumbled feta.
This recipe creates tender shrimp marinated in savory basil pesto and tossed with cooked farfalle pasta, chopped artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, and crumbled feta.
- 2 pounds medium-sized shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 (6.35 oz.) jar basil pesto divided
- 1 (14.5 oz.) box farfalle (bowtie) pasta
- 1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts in water chopped
- 1 (12 oz.) jar roasted red peppers in water diced
- 1 (6 oz.) container crumbled feta (i use fat free)
- optional for garnish: fresh parsley chopped
- Carbohydrate 0 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (113g)
- Sodium 0 mg
- Sugar 0 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Calories 0 calories
Step-by-step
- Combine shrimp and ½ the jar of basil pesto in a large baggie or bowl to marinate.
- Cook pasta according to package instructions; drain.
- While pasta cooks, heat about 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large skillet and cook shrimp about 2 mins and flip to allow shrimp to cook for another couple of minutes. While shrimp and pasta are cooking, I chop and dice the artichoke hearts and red pepper. This recipe moves very quickly and shrimp cooks really fast. Believe me, you don't want overcooked shrimp. If you're cooking 2 pounds of shrimp, like I did, you may need to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your skillet.
- Stir together cooked pasta, shrimp, artichoke, red pepper and remaining pesto in a large serving bowl. Gradually, stir in the feta and garnish with parsley, if desired.
Shrimp does the heavy lifting in this dish, providing lean protein and absorbing the concentrated aromatics of basil, garlic, and oil from the pesto marinade. Managing heat transfer efficiently is critical when working with shellfish because crustacean muscle fibers tighten rapidly above 140 degrees Fahrenheit, turning rubbery in seconds. Two pounds of shellfish will overcrowd a standard 12-inch skillet, lowering the pan temperature and causing the seafood to steam instead of sear. Cook the shrimp in two distinct batches using high heat, allowing roughly two minutes per side until the exterior turns opaque and the flesh curls into a loose C-shape. A wide-surface stainless steel or cast iron skillet works best here to promote rapid moisture evaporation and secure proper browning without sticking. Farfalle pasta holds dense sauces well within its pinched center, but drain it one minute shy of the package instructions if holding the dish for service, as residual heat will continue softening the starch. Toss the ingredients immediately after cooking to coat the warm pasta surfaces evenly with the remaining raw pesto and crumbled feta before the starches cool and set.
