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One of the greatest foods to enjoy during the summer is fresh garden herbs. We keep a variety of herbs in our garden each summer, it’s a great way to save money since buying fresh herbs in a grocery store are pricey, especially for the small amount that you get. Herbs are an easy and healthy way to add so much flavor to so many dishes.
I am no garden expert, however we have learned a lot about gardening in the past couple of years. If you only have space, or time, to garden one thing I recommend herbs. Especially basil. To me, basil is the ultimate taste of summer. Plus, there are so many things you can do with it. Not just pesto related! One of my favorite ways is to make a simple caprese salad. Tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, a little drizzle of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper. The easiest, no cook, summertime meal ever!
This summer we have 3 basil plants and they are growing like crazy. The thing with herbs is the more you harvest them, the more they will grow, and the better they will do. This alone makes me want to move to a warmer climate so that I can grow fresh herbs all year round. Or, at the very least, to have a greenhouse. Garden goals. I am always coming up with ways to make use of my fresh basil. Having 3 plants, and it needing to be harvested one to 2 times a week…that’s a lot of basil. One of the best ways to use up fresh basil, or any leafy herb for that matter, is to make pesto.
Basil pesto is the iconic, traditional type of pesto. However, you can use any leafy herb you like, or a variety of herbs. Such as cilantro, mint, chives, or even sage. So. Much. Flavor!!
What better way to showcase an herb pesto then to toss it into a pasta? Summer pesto pasta here we come!
This summer pesto pasta has soft spaghetti noodles, with crunchy sauteed zucchini, juicy shrimp, tender sauteed mushrooms, sweet and crunchy grape tomatoes, and a ton of pesto! The ideal summertime pasta, if you ask me!
Can you use store bought pesto to make this pesto pasta?
The answer, yes, of course you can.
If you don’t have access to a large amount of affordable basil, or other fresh herbs, then store bought pesto is the way to go. If you are lucky enough to find some freshly made pesto in the deli section of your grocery store then I would recommend that. But, if your only option is a jarred pesto then of course, use that. Make what you have work. Your pesto pasta will be delicious either way.
However, if you have the chance to make a homemade pesto yourself, that will yield the freshest, most delicious pesto pasta. And making your own pesto is surprisingly easy. Plus, you can customize the pesto to your liking. Use any kind of leafy herbs you like, and any kind of nuts or seeds you have on hand. The fun part is you could really change up your pesto pasta every time you make it just by making a different flavor of pesto. I have suggestions of what you can use in the recipe below.
Ingredients for summer pesto pasta:
Homemade pesto
- garlic cloves
- roasted nuts or seeds (I used almonds)
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- juice of a lemon
- 2 cups of leafy herbs (basil, mint, chives, cilantro, sage, or a combo)
- 1/4 cup spinach or arugula – helps to give the pesto a bright green color
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
Pasta
- shrimp, peeled
- salt and pepper
- avocado oil, butter, or ghee
- mushrooms
- zucchini
- 8 ounces pasta
- cherry tomatoes
Optional garnishes
- Parmesan cheese
- fresh herbs (whatever kind used in the pesto)
That’s it. Nothing too crazy to make this summer pesto pasta. Yet, it’s super impressive and fresh tasting.
You can even make the pesto in advance. Store it it in a jar with a thin layer of olive oil on top to keep the herbs from browning, and you’ve got fresh pesto waiting for you!
I know you’re going to love this recipe! It’s packed with healthy summer veggies and herbs. It has a nice lean protein from the shrimp, and it makes one delicious summertime dinner. You can easily keep this recipe gluten free by using gluten free pasta. I personally love to use chickpea pasta. It tastes great and has less carbs and more protein then traditional wheat pasta.
Seriously, chickpea pasta has been a game changer for me. I went from rarely making pasta to making it all of the time. I just feel so much better when I eat chickpea pasta. I don’t get that uncomfortable lump in my stomach that I get from traditional pasta. Can’t say enough about it.
Guys, take advantage of all those beautiful summertime herbs and veggies while they’re still here, make this summer pesto pasta with shrimp. You won’t regret it.
Long live summer. Please never leave!
Long live my fresh basil plants. There is so much to love.
More summer inspired recipes with shrimp:
- shrimp spring roll bowls with tahini sauce
- sheet pan pineapple shrimp fajitas with avocado crema
- Mexican shrimp cocktail
- loaded caprese salad with shrimp
- kimchi fried rice with shrimp
Hey did you make this recipe? Do me a favor and leave a comment down below, along with a star rating to tell me what you thought. I would love to hear from you. Thanks!
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Summer Pesto Pasta with Shrimp
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: entree, dinner, healthy, seafood, easy
- Method: saute, boil
- Cuisine: gluten free, egg free, superfood,
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Summer pesto pasta is loaded with summer veggies and fresh herb pesto, plus shrimp. This meal is the perfect way to enjoy summer’s beautiful fresh flavors.
Ingredients
Homemade pesto (see notes)
- 1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup roasted almonds (or sub any toasted nuts or seeds you prefer)
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 to 3/4 lemon, juiced
- 2 cups herbs (basil, mint, chives, or cilantro – can use a combo of herbs too)
- 1/4 cup spinach or arugula (helps to make the pesto a nice bright green color)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Shrimp
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and de-vained
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or grapeseed oil (for cooking)
Remainder of the pasta
- 1 tablespoon butter, ghee, or avocado oil
- 8 ounces mushrooms, quartered
- 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced (I like to use a mandolin)
- 8 ounces pasta (I used spaghetti, but any shape of pasta you like works)
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
Optional garnishes
- Parmesan cheese
- fresh herbs (whatever kind of herbs you used in the pesto)
Instructions
- Make the pesto (if making – see notes for options): To the bowl of a food processor, add the minced garlic, and roasted almonds. Pulse until the nuts have broken down a little. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and pulse until small chunks remain (careful not to turn it into a paste). Add the herbs, spinach or arugula, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pulse until the herbs have broken down into small bits, about 1 minute – scrape down sides as needed. Stream in the olive oil while the food processor is running. The pesto should be thick and creamy, yet a little chunky (see photo in post). Either transfer to a bowl to use later with the pasta if making the pasta right away. Or transfer the pesto to a jar an add a thin layer of olive oil over the top of the pesto to keep the herbs from turning brown. Store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Prepare: Before getting started prepare all your ingredients as instructed above. Peal the shrimp, if needed. Cut the mushrooms and zucchini. And get a large pot of water started boiling for your pasta. If the water comes to a boil before you’re ready to use it then turn off the heat, keep the lid on and it will reach a boil really quickly, once you’re ready to cook the pasta.
- Cook the shrimp: Begin heating a large skillet over medium heat. Pat the shrimp dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Once the pan is heated up add the avocado oil, enough to coat the pan well. Add the shrimp in single layer and cook about 2 minutes, on one side, or until the shrimp starts curling in on itself. Flip the shrimp with tongs and cook on the other side for another minute, or until the shrimp is pink, opaque and has curled in on itself. Remove from the pan, to bowl to set aside.
- Cook the veggies: To the same pan that the shrimp was cooked in add the butter, ghee, or avocado oil. Add the mushrooms and cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms have gotten nice and tender. Remove the mushrooms from the pan to a dish and set aside. Add the zucchini, and a bit of salt to release the liquid. Cook the zucchini about 3 to 5 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender, yet still crunchy.
- Cook your pasta: Once the mushrooms are almost done cooking, start cooking your pasta according to package directions. Cook it until it’s al dente (About 1 to 2 minutes less then instructed). Use a measuring cup, or mug to reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Drain the pasta once cooked.
- Bring it all together: Keep the skillet heated over low heat. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water, use a wooden spoon to scrape off any cooked on bits. Add the pasta, most of the pesto sauce (start with about 3/4 of a cup), add the mushrooms back in and toss to combine. Allow the water to simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Once the pesto is well combined with the pasta water and everything is well mixed, turn off the heat, and toss in the cooked shrimp and the sliced tomatoes.
- To serve: Transfer the pasta to serving bowls, or plates, making sure to get a nice combo of all the ingredients. Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese, and/or fresh herbs. Serve immediately.
- Leftovers: Makes pretty good re-heated leftovers. Just know that the pesto may turn a more olive green then a bright green, but still tastes great.
Notes
Pesto: You can use store bought pesto instead of homemade. You will need about 3/4 to 1 cup of pesto. Keep in mind that homemade pesto can be made up to 2 days in advance. store it in a jar in the fridge with a thin layer of olive oil over the top to keep the herbs from browning. Basil is traditional for pesto, but I have made pesto using any of the herbs I mentioned above and all are delicious, just depends on your flavor preference or what you have in your garden/on hand.
Gluten free: to keep this recipe gluten free make sure to use a gluten free pasta. I really like Banza pasta (made from chickpeas). It is higher in protein and lower in carbs then standard pasts.
This was delicious and my family loved it! Thank you so much for sharing!
So glad to hear that you and your family liked it. Thanks for the kind review. 🙂