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Creamy Pesto Pasta with Shrimp combines butter, cream, parmesan and basil pesto to create a delightful pasta dish that’s perfect any night of the week.
Do you have those recipes that you just love, but no one in your house does? That’s pretty much the case with all shrimp recipes around here.
Eric and Elle won’t touch anything other than cocktail shrimp, but I will pretty much eat shrimp in any form. Especially when it’s served over pasta like this Creamy Pesto Pasta with Shrimp.
WHAT IS CREAMY PESTO PASTA?
If you love fettuccine alfredo, you’ll love this creamy pesto pasta sauce.
That’s because this pasta is essentially fettuccine alfredo with pesto added to it!
That’s right – I took an alfredo base and stirred in some of my Fresh Basil Pesto to brighten it up and make it pair perfectly with shrimp.
After all, seafood pairs perfectly with bright flavors. Think about how often you see fish, shrimp and other shellfish served with citrus and herbs, like in Chipotle Lime Shrimp Soft Tacos or Herbed Shrimp Orzo Salad.
HOW TO MAKE THIS CREAMY PESTO PASTA WITH SHRIMP
Just like Goat Cheese Pasta with Chicken and Rosemary, this pasta looks fancy but actually uses just a few simple ingredients:
- 1 pound linguine or fettuccine pasta
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1/2 cup basil pesto
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Here’s how this is gonna go. Melt your butter and then add the cream, salt and pepper. After that cooks together for a little while, you’ll add a whole lotta parmesan cheese.
Ya know what’s better than butter, cream and parmesan? All of those things with some basil pesto mixed in. So stir in the pesto and let your sauce thicken.
Add in the shrimp and let the sauce continue to cook until the shrimp have cooked through, another 5 minutes or so.
Toss the sauce with your cooked pasta and serve with extra parmesan or a sprinkle of fresh herbs.
CAN YOU REHEAT CREAMY PESTO PASTA?
If you’ve ever tried to reheat creamy pasta sauces, you might have noticed that they tend to separate and get kind of oily.
That’s not to say that you can’t or shouldn’t reheat leftover Creamy Pesto Pasta! Just keep in mind that if you zap it in the microwave, the texture won’t be what it was when the pasta was fresh.
I’d recommend reheating the pasta in the oven. It’ll take longer, but the sauce is more likely to stay stable this way. It still won’t be as perfect as it was the day before, but it’s less likely to completely split.
Here’s how you do it:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F or so. Put the pasta in a glass oven-safe dish and add a few drops of water.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for about 10 minutes. Stir the pasta, recover with the foil, and bake for another 10 minutes.
- If needed, add a few more drops of water during baking to keep the pasta from drying out.
The pasta should be warmed through, but give it a stir to make sure. You can always heat it for a few more minutes, covered, if needed.
CAN YOU FREEZE THIS PASTA SAUCE?
If you’re concerned about having too much pasta sauce, you can try freezing some for later.
Just remember that since the sauce is cream-based, it might be trickier to reheat than something like Homemade Meat Sauce would be.
I recommend freezing JUST the sauce, before adding it to the pasta. After making the sauce, let it cool and package it in freezer-safe zip-top bags, with as much air pressed out as possible.
Freeze the creamy pesto sauce for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use it, let the sauce thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
To reheat the sauce, add it to a saucepan and give it a good whisk. Place the pan over low heat and let it heat slowly, whisking almost constantly to bring the sauce back together.
WAYS TO CHANGE UP THIS RECIPE
I really love pairing this pesto pasta sauce with shrimp. But if you don’t like or can’t eat shrimp, you can still enjoy this sauce!
To adapt this recipe, just leave out the shrimp and try serving the pasta with some of these additions instead:
- Roasted chicken
- Broccoli or asparagus
- Sun dried tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
- Seared scallops
- Crab or lobster
Served up alongside a loaf of crusty bread and some Extra Virgin Olive Oil Herb Dip, this Creamy Pesto Pasta is sure to become one of your favorite recipes!
Creamy Pesto Pasta with Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 pound linguine or fettuccine pasta
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- ½ cup basil pesto
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook according to package directions (about 10-12 minutes), or until al dente; drain.
- While the pasta is boiling, melt butter in a deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add in garlic and sauté the garlic for one minute. You do not want the garlic to brown, so definitely keep your eye on the pan.
- Stir in cream, and pepper. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Slowly stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano into the cream sauce, stirring until thoroughly incorporated. Stir in the pesto, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until thickened.
- Stir in the shrimp, and cook until fully pink, about 5 minutes. Serve over the hot linguine.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I tried your recipe and omg!! I love it so much. My family loves it so much. I make it once a week now.
So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Sarah! Thanks so much for coming by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie
I came for the pesto with pasta with stump that instead I will make with chicken- I saw that you said people were mean to you- that’s just not cool! Your recipes look great and I hope that you have an awesome day!
Thanks so much for stopping by, Natalie! I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Happy Baking!
-Jamie
Hello! I’m usually not a commenter, but I will be today. I have always enjoyed your blog posts and respect anyone who works so hard at something so creative and beautiful. I’m so sorry that nasty behavior from some is even an issue.
I hope you have a great day and get nothing but positive remarks from here on out!
Thanks so much for your kind words, Mindy. I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Happy Baking!
-Jamie
I totally understand your points! I never want to be rude or crumpy with other people (at least I try to be calm in some unpleasant situations). Because I don’t want to get annoyed or being irritated by others, it might destroy the moment or the day. Sometimes, I don’t understand why some people just swear and be crumpy even with little things. I pity them. Anyways, your food is amazing and I always find ways to enjoy them xo Have a great week!!
– Natalie
Thanks so much for stopping by, Natalie! I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Happy Baking!
-Jamie
Love this post, and the recipe sounds incredible as well :) I stumbled upon your website tonight for the first time. I’ve read three recipes and I can’t wait to cook them! Everyone needs more kindness. You’ve got a great style. Looking forward to following your future posts and catching up on some old ones!
Thanks so much for stopping by, Roxanne! I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Happy Baking!
-Jamie
Wow, some people clearly have issues :-(
I think your creations are wonderful … so as your personality and your blog and I’m glad I started to read it a long time ago! :-)
Thanks so much for stopping by, Monica, and for your kind words! I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Happy Baking!
-Jamie
I recently came across your blog. Those popcorn bars did look beautiful. In fact, they caught my attention. I am sorry that someone was so incredibly rude to you. It just doesn’t make sense. I don’t usually comment on blogs, but thought that in this case I would send well wishes from Michigan. May you be encouraged by the kindness of others and grateful that you’re not filled with bitterness like the person who messaged you. Have a great evening!
Thanks so much for stopping by, DR! I hope you love the popcorn bars as much as we do! I really appreciate you taking the time to comment. Have an amazing day!
-Jamie
This is one of my favourite pasta dishes. I can’t wait to try out this recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much for stopping by! I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Happy Baking!
-Jamie
Your post is quite funny about the pathetic reader who left a “drop dead” message. Don’t mind those people. Maybe she’s short of saying that to herself. Bless her soul. So I chanced upon your moist banan cake recipe. Will try it out. Thanks for the recipe!
OMG – looks so delish but very very caloric – will probably make this a little skinnier by cooking pasta in milk and stock but generous on pesto and cheese (hey! gotta live a little)
AND on the note about the nasty email – you are so right to delete and move on – as I have told all my children (HS is rough); these people are COWARDS and hide behind the curtain of their electronic anonymity. Trust me they would never dare say this to your face so shake it off even if it is disturbing and confusing.
Thanks so much for stopping by, Nicole! I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Happy Baking!
-Jamie