Before I start talking about this Monday morning recipe, I want to stop and thank all our awesome readers here on Port and Fin. This blog started out as a hobby blog between two friends, and it’s so warm and fuzzy knowing that you guys out there are making, trying, sharing, and loving our recipes.
Last week something crazy happened and Finn and I were bombarded with so many loving comments, emails, and feedback on our blog. I posted these Cucumber Gin & Tonic Popsicles last summer and just recently they’ve been getting a lot of views (rightly so… hurry up, Spring!) and it brought a lot of new traffic to our blog. I just want to say HI and THANK YOU and give an awesome HIGH FIVE to all our readers, new and old. We love you!
Alright, enough with the sap, let’s talk about this Shrimp and Tomato Pasta with a Spinach & Basil Pesto.
First off, this pesto is so yummy and tangy and garlicy, it might just be one of my favourite pestos ever. Just look at the lovely colour and texture!
I had a bunch of spinach in my fridge waiting to be used up, so rather than make a pesto with solely basil, I thought I’d toss some spinach in the mix. Turns out, it was a great idea. It doesn’t taste like spinach, but it does give it that lovely colour and it’s a great way to eat your greens! Once you’ve made the pesto (which takes all of 5 minutes) this pasta comes together in as long as it takes to boil the noodles.
While noodles are cooking, saute some baby tomatoes in oil until softened, about 5 minutes, then add in the shrimp and cook until no longer transparent. Drain the noodles and toss with the prepared pesto and shrimp mixture. Top with some freshly grated Parmesan, and you have a simple, easy dinner that comes together within 15 minutes.
This will be one of my dinner staples during the next few weeks so I can say hello to Spring – less time cooking, more time enjoying these warmer temperatures, sunny skies, and lighter evenings.
Is anyone else sick of winter yet? I’m lucky that Vancouver has been having such glorious weather. It’s hard not to be in a chipper mood when the birds are chirping, the daffodils are blooming, and there’s a bowl of this fresh pesto pasta in my lap.
| Shrimp and Tomato Pesto Pasta | Print |
- Pesto:
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves*
- 2-3 cups spinach leaves, rinsed and drained*
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¾ cup shredded parmesan
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 2-4 Tbsp olive oil
- .
- Pasta:
- 500g rotini pasta
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups baby tomatoes, halved
- 1 lb shrimp (defrosted)
- 2 tsp red chilli flakes
- ⅓ cup pesto sauce (recipe above)
- Parmesan cheese, to serve
- To make pesto, preheat oven to 350°F. Toast pine nuts on a baking sheet for 5 minutes until browned and fragrant. Set aside to cool slightly before continuing.
- Combine pine nuts, basil, 2 cups of spinach, garlic, parmesan, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a food processor until finely chopped. Gradually add in the oil, using more or less until desired consistency is reached. If desired, add in another cup of spinach for a thicker pesto. (I used 3 cups)
- Cook pasta according to package instructions.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Saute baby tomatoes for about 5 minutes until softened, then add shrimp and red chilli flakes and saute for another 3-5 minutes until shrimp is no longer transparent.
- Toss together pasta, shrimp mixture, and prepared pesto. Top with parmesan cheese and serve.
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