Description
This Thai Shrimp Basil Pesto Pasta is a vibrant and flavorful dish that combines fresh Thai basil pesto with succulent seared shrimp and al dente pasta. Featuring a unique blend of herbs, nuts, lime juice, and fish sauce, this recipe offers a delicious twist on traditional pesto, perfect for a quick 25-minute dinner that serves four.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 oz fettuccine or linguine
Shrimp
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon oil (for searing)
Thai Basil Pesto
- 2 cups fresh Thai basil leaves (or regular basil)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup roasted cashews or peanuts
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce or soy sauce
- 1/3 cup olive oil or sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Additional
- 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
- Garnish: extra basil leaves, red chili or bell pepper slices
Instructions
- Prepare the pesto: In a blender or food processor, combine fresh Thai basil leaves, garlic, roasted cashews, lime juice, fish sauce or soy sauce, chili flakes, salt, and black pepper. Blend while slowly drizzling in olive or sesame oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine or linguine and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta well.
- Sear the shrimp: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the peeled and deveined shrimp and cook for 1–2 minutes per side until they turn pink and are cooked through. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside.
- Toss pasta with pesto: In the same skillet, add the cooked pasta and the prepared pesto sauce. Toss to coat the pasta evenly. Gradually add the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen and thin the sauce to your desired consistency.
- Combine and garnish: Fold the seared shrimp into the pasta and pesto mixture. Garnish with extra fresh basil leaves and slices of red chili or bell pepper for added color and flavor. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
- Use Thai basil for an authentic flavor, but regular sweet basil is a good substitute if unavailable.
- Roasting the cashews or peanuts beforehand enhances the nutty flavor of the pesto.
- Adjust the amount of chili flakes to suit your preferred heat level or omit for a milder taste.
- Reserving pasta water is key to achieving a silky pesto sauce that clings well to the noodles.
- This dish can be made vegetarian by substituting shrimp with tofu and omitting fish sauce.
