This pesto shrimp pasta is one of the easiest dinners you can make. It’s just a handful of ingredients; pasta, shrimp, pesto, and a few extras, and it comes together in about 15 minutes, start to finish. The only real prep is slicing a few cherry tomatoes, and everything else is just cooking pasta and tossing it all together. It’s simple, flavorful, and the kind of meal that works any night of the week.
This is one of my go-to recipes when I’m deep in cooking burnout and need something that feels like a real dinner without requiring any effort. I rely on meals like this that use simple ingredients and don’t leave room for error. It’s the kind of recipe you could hand off to someone else and still know it’s going to turn out. I make this often because it’s easy, reliable, and still something everyone actually wants to eat.
If you’re into easy dinners like this, you might also love my sweet chili chicken rice bowl, blackened salmon tacos with slaw, or pesto shrimp orzo. Same low-effort energy, just different flavors to keep things interesting.
Ingredient spotlight
This is not a full list of ingredients, but a quick overview of some of the key ingredients to make this cooking burnout friendly:
- Shrimp (Peeled & Deveined) – Use peeled and deveined shrimp to keep this recipe truly low effort. It saves you 5–10 minutes of prep and makes this a much more realistic weeknight meal. I like using large shrimp, but any size works.
- Pesto – Use any pesto you love. I usually grab a store-bought option (Trader Joe’s is my go-to) to keep things simple, but homemade works great too. If you want to make your own, my cashew arugula pesto is especially good here.
Tips for success
- One-pot option (lower effort) – If you don’t want to dirty another pan, add the shrimp directly to the pasta water during the last 2 minutes of cooking. It works well, just note the pasta may pick up a little shrimp flavor.
- Use pre-cooked shrimp – Already cooked shrimp works here too. Add it during the last 15–30 seconds just to heat through.
- Use what you have for pasta – Any pasta works. I like spaghetti, but this recipe is very forgiving.
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- 8 ounces spaghetti
- 1 pound frozen shrimp peeled and deveined – defrosted
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 ounces pesto – I used Trader Joe’s Kale Cashew Pesto
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes – sliced in half
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a good pinch of salt and add the spaghetti. Once boiling, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Before straining, reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
8 ounces spaghetti
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Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, spray with some avocado oil or olive oil and add the shrimp. Be sure the shrimp are in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and garlic powder. Cook 2-3 minutes per side.
1 pound frozen shrimp peeled and deveined, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
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After draining pasta, add the pasta back to the pot and add the cooked shrimp, the entire container of pesto and 1 cup sliced tomatoes and stir well.
8 ounces pesto, 1 cup cherry tomatoes
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Add about 1/4 cup of the pasta water to the pot and stir well. Continue adding more liquid as needed until you get the consistency of the sauce you love. Serve hot.
- Save some pasta water – Before draining, reserve about ½–1 cup of pasta cooking liquid. Add a splash as needed to help the pesto coat the pasta and shrimp evenly.
- Pesto amounts will vary – Every pesto is a little different. Start with less, toss, and add more until it’s coated how you like it.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can eat leftovers cold or warmed back up.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database.
Other Easy Additions
If you want to switch things up or make this a little more filling, here are a few easy add-ins:
- White Beans – Cannellini beans are my favorite here. They add a little extra protein and make the dish more filling without any extra work.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes – I add these whenever I have them. They bring a lot of flavor and pair really well with the pesto.
- Cheese – A sprinkle of Parmesan or a little feta on top is always a good idea.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes – Add a pinch if you want a little heat.
- Extra Greens – Toss in some baby spinach or arugula at the end and let it wilt slightly. Add a pinch of salt so the greens are seasoned too.
