I present shrimp, veggie and pesto pasta that arrives on the table as a glossy, herb-flecked tangle of pink prawns and vibrant vegetables that makes everyone ask for seconds.
I obsess over shrimp pesto pasta because it hits every crave I get after a long day. The shrimp stay snappy against silky basil pesto, bright and herbaceous.
I love how the pesto clings to each strand, glossy and fragrant. But mostly I adore the way simple ingredients feel like a small, indulgent reward.
Fast, bold, and stupidly satisfying. One forkful and I’m already planning the next night I’ll make it.
No regrets. Worth every messy, saucy bite, right now.
Dinner that tastes restaurant-level without the ego, and you can polish the bowl clean easily and call it a win.
Ingredients
- Pasta: comforting carb base that soaks up pesto and juices.
- Shrimp: juicy protein, quick-cooking and kinda fancy.
- Olive oil: adds silkiness and helps everything brown.
- Butter: gives a tiny rich, comforting finish.
- Garlic: punchy aroma that wakes the whole dish.
- Mushrooms: meaty chew and earthy depth.
- Spinach: bright green freshness that wilts down nicely.
- Basil pesto: herby, garlicky backbone — use what tastes good.
- Parmesan: salty, umami dust that ties flavors together.
- Pine nuts: crunchy toastiness, optional but worth it.
- Lemon zest: bright spark, lifts heavy flavors.
- Lemon juice: fresh tang that cuts richness.
- Red pepper flakes: subtle heat, wakes up your palate.
- White wine or broth: adds gentle acidity and depth.
- Salt: essential flavor booster — don’t skip.
- Black pepper: warm bite and subtle spice.
- Olive oil spray: light finish and glossy look.
- Extra Parmesan: because sometimes you just want more.
Ingredient Quantities
- 12 oz pasta (linguine or spaghetti), could use whole wheat if you want
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined, medium to large size
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra if needed
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 oz cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
- 4 cups baby spinach, packed (you can wilt more if you like)
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup basil pesto, store bought or homemade, use what tastes good
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted (optional but nice)
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1/4 cup dry white wine or light chicken broth, optional
- Salt, about 1 tsp for the pasta water and 1/2 tsp for cooking, adjust to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, about 1/2 tsp or to taste
- Olive oil spray or a little extra oil for finishing, optional
How to Make this
1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add about 1 tsp salt, then cook 12 oz pasta until just shy of al dente per package directions; reserve 1 cup pasta water, drain and set pasta aside.
2. While pasta cooks, pat 1 lb shrimp dry and season with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes; zest and juice 1 lemon and set aside.
3. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium high heat; when butter foams, add 3 minced garlic cloves and 8 oz sliced mushrooms, cook until mushrooms are golden and any liquid mostly evaporated, about 5 to 6 minutes.
4. Push mushrooms to the side, add shrimp in a single layer, sear 1 to 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque; if using, splash 1/4 cup dry white wine or light chicken broth to deglaze the pan and scrape up browned bits, let it reduce a minute.
5. Add 4 cups packed baby spinach to the skillet, toss until wilted; if it seems dry, add a few tablespoons of reserved pasta water to help wilt and loosen things up.
6. Lower heat to medium low, stir in 1/2 to 3/4 cup basil pesto and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, mixing until sauce is smooth; add lemon zest and about half the lemon juice, taste and adjust.
7. Add the drained pasta to the skillet, toss thoroughly to coat, adding reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce clings but is not soupy; season with more salt or pepper if needed.
8. If using, toast 2 tbsp pine nuts in a dry small pan until fragrant and golden, watch them cause they burn fast; sprinkle them over the pasta along with extra Parmesan.
9. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil or a quick spray if you like, squeeze remaining lemon juice over top for brightness, then serve hot with extra pepper and grated cheese on the side.
10. Tip: don’t overcook the shrimp, they keep cooking a bit after you remove them from heat; and if your pesto is very salty, cut back on the added salt and use more pasta water to loosen the sauce.
Equipment Needed
1. Large pot for boiling pasta (with lid)
2. Colander for draining pasta
3. Large skillet (10 to 12 inch) for shrimp, mushrooms and sauce
4. Small skillet for toasting pine nuts
5. Tongs or pasta fork for tossing and serving
6. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula for stirring
7. Chef’s knife and cutting board for mushrooms, garlic and lemon
8. Measuring cups and spoons plus a microplane or fine grater for lemon zest
FAQ
Shrimp Pesto Pasta With Spinach And Mushrooms Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Pasta (12 oz): swap for 12 oz whole wheat or chickpea pasta if you want more fiber and protein, or use 10 oz fettuccine for a thicker noodle feel. Cooking time may change so check often.
- Shrimp (1 lb): use 1 lb scallops, firm white fish chunks or cubed tofu for a vegetarian option; adjust cooking time since fish and tofu cook differently and tofu wont brown the same.
- Basil pesto (1/2 to 3/4 cup): swap with arugula or spinach pesto for a peppery or milder flavor, or use 1/2 cup toasted sunflower seed or walnut pesto if you dont have pine nuts or basil.
- Pine nuts / Parmesan (2 tbsp pine nuts, 1/2 cup parm): sub toasted chopped almonds or walnuts for pine nuts, and swap pecorino romano or grated asiago for parm if you want sharper saltiness, use same volume but taste and salt may vary.
Pro Tips
1. Pat the shrimp super dry and don’t crowd the pan. If they steam they wont get that nice sear, so cook in batches if needed. Also pull them off right when they turn pink because they keep cooking a bit.
2. Reserve more than you think of the pasta water. A few tablespoons at a time will save a sauce that’s too thick and helps the pesto and parm cling. Don’t dump it all in at once, add slowly until it feels silky.
3. Taste the pesto before you salt. Some store-bought ones are plenty salty, so start light and adjust after everything’s combined. Lemon juice brightens things, add gradually so it doesn’t overpower.
4. Toast the pine nuts and handle them fast. They go from perfect to burnt in seconds, so stay by the stove and shake the pan. If you’re short on time, chopped almonds or walnuts work fine too.
5. Finish with cold butter or an extra splash of olive oil off the heat for gloss and richness. Little swirl of butter, toss, then rest a minute — makes the sauce silkier and brings flavors together.
Shrimp Pesto Pasta With Spinach And Mushrooms Recipe
I present shrimp, veggie and pesto pasta that arrives on the table as a glossy, herb-flecked tangle of pink prawns and vibrant vegetables that makes everyone ask for seconds.
4
servings
847
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large pot for boiling pasta (with lid)
2. Colander for draining pasta
3. Large skillet (10 to 12 inch) for shrimp, mushrooms and sauce
4. Small skillet for toasting pine nuts
5. Tongs or pasta fork for tossing and serving
6. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula for stirring
7. Chef’s knife and cutting board for mushrooms, garlic and lemon
8. Measuring cups and spoons plus a microplane or fine grater for lemon zest
Ingredients
12 oz pasta (linguine or spaghetti), could use whole wheat if you want
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined, medium to large size
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra if needed
1 tbsp unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
4 cups baby spinach, packed (you can wilt more if you like)
1/2 to 3/4 cup basil pesto, store bought or homemade, use what tastes good
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted (optional but nice)
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/4 cup dry white wine or light chicken broth, optional
Salt, about 1 tsp for the pasta water and 1/2 tsp for cooking, adjust to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, about 1/2 tsp or to taste
Olive oil spray or a little extra oil for finishing, optional
Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add about 1 tsp salt, then cook 12 oz pasta until just shy of al dente per package directions; reserve 1 cup pasta water, drain and set pasta aside.
- While pasta cooks, pat 1 lb shrimp dry and season with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes; zest and juice 1 lemon and set aside.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium high heat; when butter foams, add 3 minced garlic cloves and 8 oz sliced mushrooms, cook until mushrooms are golden and any liquid mostly evaporated, about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Push mushrooms to the side, add shrimp in a single layer, sear 1 to 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque; if using, splash 1/4 cup dry white wine or light chicken broth to deglaze the pan and scrape up browned bits, let it reduce a minute.
- Add 4 cups packed baby spinach to the skillet, toss until wilted; if it seems dry, add a few tablespoons of reserved pasta water to help wilt and loosen things up.
- Lower heat to medium low, stir in 1/2 to 3/4 cup basil pesto and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, mixing until sauce is smooth; add lemon zest and about half the lemon juice, taste and adjust.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet, toss thoroughly to coat, adding reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce clings but is not soupy; season with more salt or pepper if needed.
- If using, toast 2 tbsp pine nuts in a dry small pan until fragrant and golden, watch them cause they burn fast; sprinkle them over the pasta along with extra Parmesan.
- Finish with a drizzle of olive oil or a quick spray if you like, squeeze remaining lemon juice over top for brightness, then serve hot with extra pepper and grated cheese on the side.
- Tip: don’t overcook the shrimp, they keep cooking a bit after you remove them from heat; and if your pesto is very salty, cut back on the added salt and use more pasta water to loosen the sauce.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 455g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 847kcal
- Fat: 45.3g
- Saturated Fat: 10.5g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Polyunsaturated: 6.5g
- Monounsaturated: 18.5g
- Cholesterol: 226mg
- Sodium: 1080mg
- Potassium: 839mg
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Fiber: 7.5g
- Sugar: 2.5g
- Protein: 41g
- Vitamin A: 3750IU
- Vitamin C: 20mg
- Calcium: 238mg
- Iron: 5.3mg
