Summery Shrimp with Pesto

Serve this sautéed shrimp over angel hair pasta with garlicky pesto when your zucchini and basil plants are at their summer peak in July and August.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 35 mins
• Calories: 424 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more to taste
• 1 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic, or more to taste
• 2 tablespoons water, divided, or as needed
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced, green and white parts separated
• 2 small zucchini, sliced 1/2-inch thick, or more to taste
• 0.5 (12 ounce) package angel hair pasta
• 0.25 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
• 0.125 teaspoon ground black pepper, or more to taste
• 0.75 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook angel hair pasta in boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Step 2

Add basil leaves, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper to a blender. Pulse and stir down. Drizzle in tiny amounts of water and continue to pulse and stir down, then blend to desired consistency. Set aside.

Step 3

Melt butter in the empty pasta pot over medium heat. Sauté shrimp in hot butter until bright pink and opaque, 3 to 5 minutes; do not overcook. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Step 4

Add white and light green parts of scallions to the pot and sauté over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add garlic; sauté for 1 minute more. Add zucchini and sauté over medium-high heat, stirring and turning occasionally, until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Adjust the heat so zucchini starts to caramelize, but do not cook to mush.

Step 5

Quickly stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons water with a wooden spoon to release the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook for 30 seconds to reduce remaining liquid, then remove from heat. Return shrimp to the pot and stir until evenly combined.

Step 6

Spoon shrimp and zucchini over cooked pasta to serve. Garnish with green onion tops. Serve with pesto on the side.