Simple Pesto Shrimp

January 29, 2026

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This scrumptious pesto shrimp comes collectively in 5 minutes for a straightforward weeknight dinner! The juicy shrimp is coated in vibrant basil pesto for a easy meal that’s stuffed with taste.

Right here’s an concept that has straightforward weeknight meal written throughout it: pesto shrimp! This shiny inexperienced, garlicky sauce is the right pairing for succulent shellfish. The 2 flavors go hand-in-hand.

I used to be impressed to make this recipe due to the fuzzy basil plant in our yard. There’s no higher use for a giant patch of pesto than a pile of juicy shrimp! It’s additionally nice utilizing prime quality bought pesto.

5 Star Reader Evaluations

“This recipe is excellent with great taste. We had pesto we had made a number of days in the past. Loved it with a salad and selfmade miso dressing. YUMMY!” -Aileen

“Superb! It was the simplest recipe we’ve made and undoubtedly a weeknight dinner meal. It will likely be a weeknight staple at my home.” -Jorge

Easy methods to Make Pesto Shrimp in 5 Minutes

That is a type of 5-minute straightforward dinner concepts that saves me a lot time on busy weeknights. Every now and then, I wish to eat wholesome seafood like shrimp or salmon. What I really like about shrimp is that it cooks so shortly! All you want is just some minutes in a skillet, and also you’ve acquired dinner. Listed here are the fundamental steps for making pesto shrimp:

Pat the shrimp dry. That is key earlier than you begin cooking, so there’s not an excessive amount of further liquid.
Sauté the shrimp 1 to 2 minutes per facet. Warmth the olive oil, pop within the shrimp, and cook dinner for 1 to 2 minutes per facet.
Add pesto for 30 seconds! Coat the shrimp on this sauce for a superbly shiny inexperienced visible and a fair higher taste. Don’t cook dinner any longer than that, or the pesto will darken and switch brown.

Shrimp in pesto sauce on a plate with a lemon wedge

Use the Finest High quality Pesto

It’s essential to make use of the highest quality pesto for this shrimp dish. One of the best, in fact, is selfmade. However this requires recent basil, which isn’t at all times obtainable.

In the event you can’t make selfmade pesto, use the highest quality model you could find. The standard varies rather a lot between manufacturers, so chances are you’ll want some trial and error earlier than you discover your favourite pesto.

Home made pesto has the perfect taste and shade. Make a batch of recent basil pesto in the event you can. Different choices embrace cashew pesto, walnut pesto, or vegan pesto as a dairy-free possibility.
Strive refrigerated recent pesto, which may be discovered within the produce part. In my style exams, I’ve discovered any such pesto tends to have a greater taste than pesto in jars. It’s typically bought in tubes.

Suggestions for Thawing Frozen Shrimp

You should utilize both recent or frozen shrimp for this recipe. Frozen shrimp may be simply as recent as shrimp from the fish counter on the grocery retailer! In the event you can, attempt to discover wild-caught shrimp, because it’s often a sustainable possibility. In the event you use frozen shrimp, you’ll must assume forward to thaw the shrimp earlier than making the recipe. Right here’s what to do:

Day earlier than: In the event you assume forward, merely place the frozen shrimp within the fridge in a single day.
Day of: Place the shrimp in a big bowl of chilly water for quarter-hour. Stir each 5 minutes to interrupt up clumps that freeze collectively. The shrimp ought to defrost in about 15 to twenty minutes.

What Sides to Serve

After all, this pesto shrimp isn’t a whole meal in 5 minutes. Nevertheless it will get you a lot nearer to dinner! Right here’s what I recommend serving with to create a full meal:

Rice: Make a pot of any kind of rice, like white rice, basil rice, or coconut rice.
Quinoa: Make a pot of quinoa.
Pasta: Add noodles to make it a full meal; attempt including linguine. Or make shrimp pesto pasta.
Couscous or orzo: Couscous and orzo are forms of pasta that cook dinner in simply 10 minutes: do this couscous recipe or orzo recipe.
Salad: Make a fast salad, like arugula salad, celery salad, or Italian salad.
Beans: Make 5-minute cannellini beans or white beans so as to add much more protein.
Sauteed greens: Strive ultra-quick peas with lemon, steamed inexperienced beans, sauteed inexperienced beans, sauteed broccoli, or pan-fried broccoli.

Make-Forward and Storage Suggestions

Pesto shrimp is greatest served instantly whereas the sauce is shiny inexperienced and the shrimp are tender. Nonetheless, you’ll be able to retailer leftovers refrigerated for as much as 3 days. The pesto shade will darken throughout storage however it should nonetheless style scrumptious.

Reheat leftovers in a skillet over low warmth for a minute or two till warmed via. I like so as to add a splash of water or extra pesto to refresh the sauce, because it turns into thicker throughout storage.

Dietary Notes

This pesto shrimp recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, and pescatarian.

Incessantly Requested Questions

Can I take advantage of frozen shrimp for this recipe?

Most shrimp are flash-frozen proper after they’re caught, so frozen is usually very recent. Simply ensure that to thaw them fully earlier than cooking: both in a single day within the fridge or in a bowl of chilly water for quarter-hour. Crucial step is patting them fully dry earlier than they hit the pan. Right here’s tips on how to thaw shrimp.

Why did my pesto flip brown?

This occurs when pesto is cooked too lengthy or at too excessive a temperature. Basil is delicate and oxidizes shortly when uncovered to warmth, which causes a brown shade. The trick is so as to add your pesto solely within the final 30 seconds of cooking and preserve it shifting within the pan.

What’s the perfect pesto to make use of for this recipe?

I’ve examined this recipe with each selfmade and store-bought pesto. If in case you have recent basil rising in your backyard, making your personal basil pesto offers you the brightest taste and shade.
Once I’m shopping for pesto, I like to make use of the refrigerated type in tubes (often discovered within the produce part) quite than jarred pesto. These are inclined to have higher shade, brisker taste, and don’t style as salty. Manufacturers like Rana or Buitoni are my go-to picks.

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