Shrimp And Veggie Pesto Pasta Salad
This pesto pasta salad is a super easy and delicious dinner option. It features pasta of your choice, fresh basil pesto, zucchini, summer squash, and juicy shrimp.
I get my recipe inspiration from every little aspect of my life. Sometimes, I would be laying in bed, trying to go to sleep and an awesome idea would pop into my head. I’ve started keeping a notepad by my bed so I can write down all the ideas. I also have a desktop full of post-its. Too many ideas swirling in my head!
This is my latest idea that was actually inspired by a great magazine. I get All You Magazine almost every month at Target. It’s a great little magazine that’s like several magazines in one.
What inspired me most about the July issue, is their pasta 101 article. It’s a several-page spread that talks about different pasta types and tips on cooking each pasta. It also has a recipe for each pasta type that they cover. I can’t wait to try their tortellini recipe and rice noodle recipe.
I just got a bowl of fresh basil from my herb garden and I knew that I just had to make a pesto pasta salad. Since it’s summer, vegetables make a perfect addition to pasta and potato salads. Shrimp make an ideal compliment this pasta salad!
Nothing can be better than a pasta salad made with fresh veggies, shrimp and homemade pesto!
Shrimp And Veggie Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
Pesto (makes about 3/4 cup of pesto):
- 2 cups basil leaves packed
- 2 large gloves of garlic
- 2/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup walnuts or pine nuts
- 1/2 cup virgin olive oil may need to add a little more after blended
Pasta:
- 12 oz Cellentani pasta uncooked, makes about 3 cups cooked
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1 medium summer squash
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil to cook the veggies
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley
- 1 lb uncooked medium shrimp
- 1 tbsp olive oil to cook the shrimp
- 2 tbsp olive oil to mix into pasta
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to directions, drain and set aside.
- Chop and saute the vegetables with some salt, pepper and dill weed. Add the cooked veggies to the pasta.
- Cook the shrimp with minced garlic and a little bit of salt and pepper. Add shrimp to pasta.
- In the medium bowl, mix pasta, shrimp and veggies. Add 3 tbs of pesto, 2 tbs of oil and some salt and pepper. Mix well.
- This pasta salad can be served cold or warm as a pasta bowl.
Nutrition
All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
to make the pesto, do you just blend all of those ingredients together?
Hi Kelly,
Yes, just combine the ingredients for pesto in a blender and pulse until all combined and fine.
Here are a couple of links for you: https://www.willcookforsmiles.com/2011/08/pesto.html
https://www.willcookforsmiles.com/2014/06/lemon-pistachio-arugula-pesto.html
I hope you enjoy it!
Thank you 🙂
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for–a shrimp pasta salad with everything. I plan on using some of the rotini (corkscrew) noodles to hold more of the dressing. I am not all that fond of macaroni.
I have been an All You subscriber for YEARS! i just love it! This pasta salad looks so good Lyuba! Pinned!
Thanks so much, Trish!
Lyuba, this salad looks and sound incredible – I LOVE shrimp! 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing at Best of the Weekend! Pinning to our party board! We love having you join us and hope to see you this Friday – have a fabulous week!
Oh, thank you, Cindy!