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Pesto shrimp and pasta

10
9
9
SmartPoints® value per serving
Total Time
35 min
Prep
15 min
Cook
20 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy
Pesto and shrimp are a wonderful flavor combo for a reason. Plus, both take just minutes to prepare. This beautiful and satisfying dish comes together in just 35 minutes. To make the pesto, all you have to do blend all the ingredients together until the sauce forms. It features classic pesto ingredients, such as lots of fresh basil, grated Parmesan, chopped walnuts, garlic, and lemon zest. Then you cook the shrimp in a skillet along with grape tomatoes and more garlic until the shrimp is opaque, which takes less than 5 minutes. All that's left to do is toss the shrimp, pesto, and farfalle together in a big bowl and dinner is ready to go.

Ingredients

Uncooked bow tie pasta

½ pound(s), (farfalle)

Basil

2 cup(s), fresh leaves, loosely packed

Water

⅓ cup(s)

Grated Parmesan cheese

3 Tbsp

Chopped walnuts

2 Tbsp

Extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp

Extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp

Garlic clove(s)

3 medium clove(s), minced

Lemon zest

1½ tsp, grated

Table salt

¼ tsp

Uncooked shrimp

1 pound(s), large peeled and deveined

Grape tomatoes

2 cup(s), halved

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, transfer to large serving bowl, and keep warm.
  2. Meanwhile, to make pesto, combine basil, water, Parmesan, walnuts, 1 tablespoon oil, 2 garlic cloves, lemon zest, and salt in food processor and process until smooth, adding more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed. Set aside.
  3. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and remaining garlic and cook, stirring often, until shrimp are just opaque in center and tomatoes are heated through, about 2 minutes longer.
  4. Add shrimp mixture and pesto to pasta and toss to combine. Serve at once.
  5. Per serving (about 1¾ cups)