It’s been a little while since I posted a pasta recipe, which is super strange, since we eat pasta all the time. It is definitely one of those foods that I could not live without. I guess it’s a good thing I TRY to run a lot, otherwise I may turn into a noodle. So pesto is definitely one of my favorite ingredients to put on pasta, and I’m not talking about the store-bought kind. I’ve tried store-bought pesto, and I personally just don’t think it’s very good (also…it’s expensive!). Maybe it’s because I have been severely spoiled with the homemade stuff; not to mention, that it’s just about as easy to make as it is to pick it up off the shelf at the grocery store. This creamy pesto pasta with garlic butter shrimp is a must-have for your next pasta night!
This recipe is all very simple and because it’s Friday and I want to get my weekend on, I’m going to keep things short and sweet today.
PSA: By getting my weekend on, I mean that I plan on moving straight from my office to my PJs to the couch to eat popcorn, drink beer and watch movies all night/weekend long.
Don’t judge me.
Like I mentioned above, I really do love all things pasta. There’s just something about it that screams comfort to me, and when these low temperatures start to make themselves known to the world, all I want is a big old plate of pasta.
I broke this recipe down into 3 steps, but I promise that each one of them is very easy, so don’t be afraid by the recipe’s length!
The first step: the pesto. It’s your traditional pesto, but with arugula added into the mix. I LOVE arugula in my pesto. I love that bitterness, and I really think it compliments the basil. To a blender or food processor you add the ingredients for your pesto: arugula, basil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, garlic and oil. After that, just blend away. This is the perfect recipe to store in the fridge or even freeze for a later time. Later on, you will heat this pesto up in a saucepan with a little bit of half and half, which is essential to the creaminess of this dish.
The second step: the shrimp; also, VERY VERY EASY! This is a simple garlic butter shrimp recipe. Shrimp is sautéed in butter with salt, pepper, and creole seasoning. Once cooked through, the shrimp is removed from the pan, and to the same pan you make the “sauce.” Garlic, chicken broth and MORE butter make a delicious bed for this shrimp. Toss the shrimp back in the sauce and that’s it!
The third step: make the pasta. If you don’t know how to do this by now, I think you and I should have a little chat. Prepare the pasta as you normally would. I like linguine with pesto, but any noodle you have on hand will do just fine. Toss the pasta with the pesto and top with shrimp. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
My stomach is growling just thinking about it! Recipe for this creamy pesto pasta with garlic butter shrimp is below! I hope you guys have a wonderful weekend. Now, time for those PJs!
Ingredients
For the Pesto
- 1/2 cup baby arugula
- 3/4 cup fresh basil
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- salt and black pepper
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil more if needed for thinning
For the Garlic Butter Shrimp
- 1 pound medium to large shrimp peeled and cleaned completely
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter divided
- salt and black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon creole seasoning
- 6 cloves of garlic finely minced
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
For the Pasta
- 1 pound dry linguine pasta
- salt
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated (for topping)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley shopped (for topping)
Instructions
Pesto
- In the pitcher of your blender or bowl of your food processor, add the arugula, basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, pine nuts and a dash of salt and pepper. Blend, while slowly drizzling in the olive oil until the pesto comes together and is smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if you need to. If you need more olive oil, drizzle more until the pesto is smooth. Set aside until you are ready to use, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Garlic Butter Shrimp
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp and season with salt, pepper and creole seasoning. Cook until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from heat with a slotted spoon, leaving the stove on. Add the garlic to the pan, and cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the chicken broth and cook over medium-high heat until most of the chicken broth has cooked out, about 5-6 minutes. Add the remaining butter and melt. Add the shrimp back to the pan, toss to coat and turn off the heat. Set aside.
Pasta
- Meanwhile, prepare your pasta by bringing a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- While your pasta is cooking, add your pesto to a large saucepan. Heat over medium heat and add the half and half. Stir to combine and cook for 5-6 minutes or until completely warmed through. Add the al dente linguine straight to the pan with the pesto and toss to combine.
- Serve the pasta by topping with garlic butter shrimp, parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
- Enjoy!
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6 Comments
Looks excellent! I will make this “my own” by using orzo pasta instead of linguini…but I’m sure it will be just as tasty!
Will be making this recipe soon. I’m gonna substitute the linguine with penne instead. I will take a picture and share the outcome. But I know it will be good because who doesn’t love pesto?
I made this and OMG it was awesome. I am making it again tonight for dinner. My husband is looking forward to having it again too. I have many different flavors of pesto in my freezer; arugula, cilantro, basil, spinach, and oregano and any one of the them would go with this dish.
I used my arugula pesto, I did not have half and half only heavy cream which I used. Totally recommend using heavy cream. I tossed the shrimp with the seasoning in a bowl instead of adding it to the skillet for more even flavor.