Garlic Shrimp with Chilli Pesto Pasta is a fast, flavorful weeknight dinner featuring tender spaghetti, bright homemade chilli pesto and juicy garlic shrimp. This dish is simple to prepare, attractive on the plate and perfect if you want a fresh shrimp-and-pasta recipe to serve family or guests.
Shrimp cooks quickly and pairs beautifully with pasta. What elevates this recipe is the vibrant green chilli pesto and the final toss of baby spinach and watercress, which add freshness and color. It’s an easy dish that still looks impressive.
Garlic Shrimp with Chili Pesto Pasta
Hello — I’m Nicky from Kitchen Sanctuary. With warmer days and fresh greenery all around, I wanted to create a bright, refreshing pasta. The result is this lively plate of spaghetti tossed in a green chilli pesto with garlicky, pepper-seasoned shrimp and a squeeze of lemon to finish.
What Is Pesto Used For
Pesto is extremely versatile: stir it through pasta, use it as a stuffing for chicken or pork, fold it into dips, or spoon it over vegetables. Traditional pesto blends basil, olive oil, pine nuts and parmesan for an earthy, vibrant sauce — and making it at home gives a fresher flavor than most jarred options.
Can I Use Store-Bought Pesto?
Yes. Store-bought pesto works fine, though homemade pesto is quick to make and tastes fresher if you have a food processor or blender available.
Difference Between Prawns and Shrimp
Prawns and shrimp are different species, but they can be used interchangeably in recipes. They differ slightly in anatomy—prawns have claws on three pairs of legs while shrimp have them on two—and they may look different, but either will work well in this dish.
Do You Cook Shrimp With the Tails On or Off?
I usually remove the tails to make the dish easier to eat, but keeping the tails on can enhance presentation if you prefer.
How to Devein Shrimp
Peel the shrimp first by twisting off the legs and shell. To devein, make a small slit along the back with a paring knife to expose the dark vein, then lift it out with a toothpick or skewer. Some shrimp are sold already deveined, so check the packaging. Rinse deveined shrimp under cold water before cooking.
How to Make Garlic Shrimp with Chilli Pesto Pasta
Start by cooking the spaghetti according to package instructions. While the pasta cooks, blitz the pesto ingredients in a food processor or mini chopper until combined and smooth. When the pasta is almost ready, heat oil in a pan over high heat and season the shrimp with black pepper. Cook shrimp 1–2 minutes per side until they begin to turn pink, lower the heat, add garlic and cook for about a minute more. Drain the pasta, reserving a little cooking water. Add the spaghetti, pesto and about 2 tablespoons of reserved pasta water to the pan with the shrimp, toss to combine, then remove from the heat. Toss in baby spinach and watercress until wilted, divide between bowls and serve with lemon wedges.
More Seafood Recipe Ideas
- Grilled Sesame Shrimp and Vegetables
- Shrimp Creole
- Air Fryer Shrimp
Is This Recipe Good for Meal Prep?
Yes. This pasta stores well and tastes great both warm and cold. To prevent the greens from wilting, add spinach and watercress to the container just before serving or pack them separately for lunchboxes.
Are you a shrimp fan?
Nicky lives in Cheshire, UK with her husband and two children. She blogs at Kitchen Sanctuary where she shares family-friendly recipes and photography.
Try a related favorite: Chicken Pesto Pizza.
Garlic Shrimp with Chilli Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 7 oz dried spaghetti 200g
Chilli Pesto
- 1 cup basil packed
- 1 clove garlic peeled and roughly chopped
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 1 green chilli chopped (remove seeds if you prefer milder)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan
- pinch salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Shrimp
- 1 tbsp oil
- 16 raw shrimp / king prawns deveined, heads/tails removed
- pinch ground black pepper
- 1 large clove garlic peeled and minced
To Serve
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach packed
- 1 cup watercress packed
- wedges of lemon
Instructions
- Boil water and cook the spaghetti according to package directions.
- While the spaghetti cooks, combine basil, garlic, pine nuts, chilli and half the oil in a food processor or mini chopper. Pulse until combined. Add the remaining oil, parmesan, a pinch of salt and pepper and the lemon juice. Pulse again, taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Set aside.
- When the pasta is almost ready, heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Season the shrimp with ground black pepper and add to the pan. Cook 1–2 minutes per side until they begin to turn pink. Reduce the heat and add the minced garlic, cooking and stirring for about 1 minute.
- Drain the pasta, reserving a little cooking water. Add the spaghetti, pesto and about 2 tablespoons of reserved pasta water to the pan with the shrimp and toss to combine. Turn off the heat, add the spinach and watercress and toss until coated in pesto. Divide between two bowls, garnish with lemon and serve.
Equipment
- Non-stick skillet
- Food processor or mini chopper
- Garlic press (optional)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate from an online calculator and not a substitute for professional advice.
Did you make this recipe?
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