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Easy Pesto Shrimp

This pesto shrimp is a dinnertime win! Savory basil pesto is a natural pairing with juicy shrimp; serve with pasta…

This pesto shrimp is a dinnertime win! Savory basil pesto is a natural pairing with juicy shrimp; serve with pasta or rice for an easy dinner idea.

Here’s an idea that has easy weeknight meal written all over it: pesto shrimp! Turns out this bright green, garlicky sauce is the perfect pairing for succulent shellfish. The two flavors go hand-in-hand.

Alex and I were inspired to make this recipe because of the bushy basil plant in our backyard. There’s no better use for a big patch of pesto than a pile of juicy shrimp!

How to make pesto shrimp—in 5 minutes

This is one of those 5-minute easy dinner ideas that saves us on busy weeknights. Every now and then, we like to eat healthy seafood like shrimp or salmon. What we love about shrimp is that it cooks so quickly! All you need is just a few minutes in a skillet and you’ve got dinner. Here are the basic steps to how to make pesto shrimp:

Pat the shrimp dry. This is key before you start cooking: so there’s not too much extra liquid.
Sauté the shrimp 1 to 2 minutes per side. Heat the olive oil, then pop in the shrimp and cook just 1 to 2 minutes per side.
Add pesto for 30 seconds! This gets it beautifully bright green and coats the shrimp in a beautiful sauce. Do not cook any longer than that, or the pesto will darken and turn brown.

Use best quality pesto

The main thing to know about his shrimp pesto recipe:= is to use the best quality pesto! The best, of course, is homemade. But this requires fresh basil, which is not always available. If you can’t make homemade pesto, use the best quality brand you can find. The quality varies a lot between brands, so you may need some trial and error before you find your favorite pesto.

Homemade pesto has the best flavor and color. Make a batch of fresh basil pesto if you can. Other options cashew pesto, walnut pesto or vegan pesto as a dairy-free option.
Or try refrigerated fresh pesto, found in the produce section. In our taste tests, we’ve found this type of pesto tends has better flavor than pesto in jars. It’s often sold in tubes.

Think ahead: thawing frozen shrimp

You can use either fresh or frozen shrimp for this pesto shrimp recipe. Turns out, frozen shrimp can be just as fresh as shrimp from the fish counter at the grocery store! If you can, try to find wild caught shrimp: it’s usually a sustainable option. If you do use frozen, you’ll need to make sure to think ahead to thaw the shrimp before making the recipe. Here’s what to do:

Day before: If you think ahead, simply place the frozen shrimp in the refrigerator overnight.
Day of: Place the shrimp in a large bowl of very cold water for 15 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes to break up clumps that freeze together. The shrimp should defrost in about 15 to 20 minutes.

What to serve with pesto shrimp

Of course, this pesto shrimp isn’t a full meal in 5 minutes. But it gets you much closer to dinner! Here’s what we’d suggest serving with it to round it out into a meal:

Rice: Make a pot of any type of rice, like white rice, basil rice, or coconut rice.
Quinoa: Make a pot of quinoa.
Pasta: Add noodles to make it a full meal; try adding linguine. Or make shrimp pesto pasta.
Couscous or orzo: Couscous and orzo are types of pasta that cooks in just 10 minutes: try this couscous recipe or orzo recipe.
Salad: Make a quick salad, like arugula salad, celery salad or Italian salad.
Beans: Make 5 minute cannellini beans or white beans to add even more protein.
Sauteed vegetables: Try ultra-quick peas with lemon, steamed green beans, sauteed green beans, sauteed broccoli or pan fried broccoli.

Dietary notes

This pesto shrimp recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, and pescatarian.

Easy Pesto Shrimp

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5 from 2 reviews

Pesto shrimp is a dinnertime win! Savory basil pesto is a natural pairing with juicy shrimp; serve with pasta or rice for an easy dinner idea.

Author: Sonja Overhiser
Prep Time: 0 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 4
Category: Main Dish
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian inspired
Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

1 pound large shrimp, deveined (peeled or unpeeled)
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup basil pesto (homemade or purchased)
Lemon, optional

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Instructions

If necessary, thaw the shrimp.
Pat the shrimp dry.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Add the shrimp and salt. Cook the shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes per side until almost opaque, turning them with tongs.
Just before shrimp are fully cooked, add the ¼ cup pesto and continue cooking for 30 seconds, stirring continuously.
Serve immediately. If using storebought pesto, adjust lemon and or salt accordingly.

More easy shrimp recipes

There are lots more easy shrimp recipes that make for a fast dinner! Here are some of our favorites to try:

This garlic butter shrimp has huge flavor in under 10 minutes.
Shrimp stir fry and shrimp fajitas are two classic dinners that take 30 minutes or less.
This BBQ shrimp is fast and easy; perfect for weeknights.
This shrimp pasta or Cajun shrimp pasta are easy to make with big flavors of garlic, lemon, and Parmesan.
Our favorite quick weeknight options are sauteed shrimp, Cajun shrimp or honey garlic shrimp.
This coconut shrimp and shrimp cocktail are fun shrimp appetizers.
Both cilantro lime shrimp and shrimp and broccoli make quick and easy meals.

Perfect Sauteed Carrots

Here are the best sauteed carrots you’ll ever have! The perfect easy side dish, they’re made with just 3 ingredients…

Here are the best sauteed carrots you’ll ever have! The perfect easy side dish, they’re made with just 3 ingredients and done in 10 minutes. As cookbook authors, this is a method we turn to again and again!

Why we love this recipe

Maybe “sauteed carrots” doesn’t sound like an impressive recipe. But believe me, these really are the perfect sauteed carrots! When Alex first made these for me, and I could not believe the flavor. “What is IN these?” I kept asking.

Turns out they’re very simple. These are the most tender, buttery, savory, coins, with a hint of herbaceous fresh thyme and chives. They taste like the best carrots you’ve ever had: but they only have 3 ingredients and take 10 minutes! As two cookbook authors who have made thousands of recipes, these stand out as a fast favorite.

Ingredients to make sauteed carrots

All you need is a handful of ingredients and you’ll have the best sauteed carrots you’ve tasted! We might give up on our roasted carrots altogether, because these carrots are so fast and taste just as good—or better. Here’s what you need:

Carrots: we used medium sized carrots from a large bag, but of course you can use fancy rainbow carrots too! (More about carrots here.)
Olive oil: All you need is olive oil for great carrots—surprisingly, they come out tasting buttery!
Fresh herbs: Fresh thyme is perfect with carrots. We recommend finding fresh herbs for the flavor and beautiful green color against the orange!
Salt: Like every recipe, you’ll also need kosher salt (so it’s 3 ingredients, without the salt).

Tips for how to make sauteed carrots—perfectly

Sauteed carrots are quick and simple; here’s what to do:

Peel and slice the carrots. We like slicing them on the bias (diagonally) for a nice look.
Cover and cook for 4 minutes: no stirring! This is the step that’s different from other sauteed vegetables. For carrots, you’ll cover and cook first. This helps to keep moisture inside the pan and has an effect of steaming while you’re sauteing.
Uncover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring. Sauté comes from the French word “to jump,” so you keep the food moving as much as possible. Add the salt and fresh herbs, and you’re done!

Herbs that pair well with carrots

This sauteed carrots recipe is full of flavor from the fresh herbs, which taste much more vibrant versus dried herbs. You can truly taste a difference! The pop of the green herbs against the bright orange also looks stunning. You can usually find fresh herbs in the refrigerated section in your grocery, or if it’s the season herbs are easy to grow! You can use various fresh herbs in this recipe: here’s what we’d recommend:

Thyme: Thyme pairs well with carrots, so this is our top choice for herbs.
Chives: Chives are also a fantastic flavor combination with carrots. We happened to have some in our garden, so we used a combination of fresh thyme and chives for this recipe.
Basil: Peppery basil would also work.
Oregano: Oregano is similar to thyme, and also pairs well with carrots.
Dill: Dill has a more distinctive flavor, but it’s often paired with carrots since they’re part of the same plant family.

A few variations on sauteed carrots

The flavors of these sauteed carrots are distinctly Mediterranean. If you’d like to change them up to fit well with another cuisine, you can try:

Cumin and lime. Add ¼ teaspoon cumin and spritz with lime juice, and they work with Mexican style meals.
Soy and sesame. Swap the salt for a few shakes of soy sauce, and top with toasted sesame seeds and these carrots work with Asian style meals.
Greek seasoning. Add a few shakes of Greek seasoning instead of the herbs.

Ways to serve sauteed carrots

These sauteed carrots work well as a healthy side dish for lots of different mains! What’s nice is that they’re made on the stovetop, so you can keep the oven free for baking or roasting. Here’s what we’d pair with this tasty vegetable recipe:

Salmon. These would be great with Baked Salmon or Lemon Dill Salmon, especially since they leave the oven free.
Shrimp. Try with Baked Shrimp, Sauteed Shrimp, or Garlic Butter Shrimp.
Chicken. Add these alongside Baked Chicken Breast, Pan Seared Chicken, or Parmesan Crusted Chicken.
Pasta. Add alongside Sun Dried Tomato Pasta, Stuffed Shells, Lasagna Roll Ups, or Broccoli Mac and Cheese.

Dietary notes

This sauteed carrots recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use different types of carrots?

While the recipe may call for a specific type, feel free to use your favorite variety. Rainbow carrots add a beautiful pop of color.

Do I need to peel the carrots?

Peeling is optional, but we prefer peeling carrots for visual appeal.

How do I know when the carrots are done?

The carrots should be tender-crisp when pierced with a fork. They’ll continue to soften slightly as they cool.

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

While best served immediately, you can reheat leftover sauteed carrots gently in a pan or microwave.

Perfect Sauteed Carrots

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.9 from 11 reviews

Author: Sonja Overhiser
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4

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Description

Here are the best sauteed carrots you’ll ever have! The perfect easy side dish, they’re made with just 3 ingredients and done in 10 minutes. As two cookbook authors, this is a method we turn to again and again!