There’s one green I’m happy to welcome into my life now and then.
I actually really enjoy arugula. Well, as much as someone who isn’t a full-on veggie fanatic can enjoy a green.
One of the earliest recipes I posted here was an arugula and asiago pesto. Prepared that way, I truly adore arugula — its peppery bite adds immediate character to a dish. I’m convinced I’d eat more vegetables if I simply drizzled them with arugula pesto more often.
It had been far too long since I made a fresh batch of pesto, and I knew exactly how I wanted to use it.
Ever since I made the crispy shrimp tacos, I couldn’t stop thinking about that perfectly crisp shrimp. We’ve made the shrimp multiple times in the past week and a half because it’s so flavorful and, importantly, fast and easy. It’s one of those recipes that tastes like you put in much more effort than you actually did.
So, I cooked the shrimp, boiled some pasta, stirred in the pesto and had a complete meal in minutes. The bowl holds many layers of flavor — peppery arugula, nutty cheese, savory browned shrimp and a touch of cream to round everything out.
Rather than use straight pesto, I turned it into a cream sauce — because, honestly, cream makes everything better. If you prefer to skip the cream, the dish will still be delicious, but the sauce becomes silkier and more luxurious with it.
This is one of my greenest dishes — vibrant, fresh and full of bright flavor.
Crispy Shrimp Pasta
Leave a Review »
Ingredients
Crispy Shrimp Pasta
- 1 pound raw, deveined shrimp (tails removed)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 pound whole wheat fettuccine, or pasta of choice
Arugula Pesto Cream Sauce
- 1 6- ounce bag of arugula
- 1/3 cup asiago cheese, you can sub parmesan if you’d like
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/4 cup olive oil + more if needed
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
Crispy Shrimp Pasta
-
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
-
Pat the shrimp dry and season with the garlic powder, salt and pepper. Put the flour in a shallow bowl and dredge the shrimp lightly so they have a thin coating. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When hot, sear the shrimp until golden and cooked through, about 2–3 minutes per side. Add the drained pasta to the skillet or a large bowl, toss with the shrimp and spoon the pesto cream sauce over everything. Garnish with additional grated cheese if desired and serve immediately.
Arugula Pesto Cream Sauce
-
In a food processor, combine the garlic, arugula and asiago. Pulse until combined, then stream in the olive oil a little at a time until the mixture becomes a smooth pesto. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the pesto to a bowl and stir in the heavy cream until fully incorporated and smooth. Adjust seasoning if needed and then toss with the pasta and shrimp just before serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Share your photo and tag the account that inspired the recipe, and feel free to post to your own social channels. I always love seeing your versions and appreciate every single one.
I’m counting this as fifty servings of veggies. That sounds fair.