25 Minute Creamy Pesto Shrimp
Creamy Pesto Shrimp is a quick 25-minute dinner made with shrimp, pesto, parmesan cheese, and cherry tomatoes.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 –3 cloves garlic minced
- 2/3 cup half-and-half divided
- 1 pound medium or large uncooked shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 cup pesto store-bought or homemade
- Optional fresh basil for garnish
- Optional extra parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic and 1/3 cup of the half-and-half. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the halved cherry tomatoes and continue cooking until the shrimp are almost fully pink on both sides.
- Add the remaining half-and-half, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese.
- Stir continuously and cook for another minute until the cheese melts into the sauce.
- Ensure the shrimp are fully cooked and opaque. If needed, cook for an additional minute.
- Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Immediately stir in the pesto while the mixture is still hot. This helps preserve the fresh basil flavor of the Creamy Pesto Shrimp.
- Serve immediately over pasta, rice, or zucchini noodles.
- Garnish with fresh basil and additional parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- Serve with fettuccine, linguine, rice, cauliflower rice, or zucchini noodles.
- Add red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
- Substitute cherry tomatoes with grape tomatoes if preferred.
- A squeeze of extra lemon juice before serving brightens the flavors.