Summery Shrimp with Pesto
Description
Serve this summery shrimp with pesto recipe over angel hair pasta with a garlicky pesto when your zucchini and basil plants are at their summer peak.
Ingredients
•
1/2 (12 ounce) package angel hair pasta
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1 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
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2 tablespoons olive oil
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1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more to taste
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1 teaspoon minced garlic, or more to taste
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1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
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1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, or more to taste
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2 tablespoons water, divided, or as needed
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2 tablespoons butter
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3/4 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
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6 scallions, thinly sliced, green and white parts separated
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1 large clove garlic, minced
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2 small zucchini, sliced 1/2-inch thick, or more to taste
Directions
1
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook angel hair pasta in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain; transfer to a bowl and set aside.
2
Add basil leaves, olive oil, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, salt, and black pepper to a blender; pulse and scrape down the sides of the blender. Drizzle in tiny amounts water; pulse and scrape down the sides of the blender. Blend to desired consistency. Set aside.
3
Melt butter in the pasta pot over medium heat. Add shrimp; cook until bright pink and opaque, 3 to 5 minutes. Do not overcook. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
4
Add white and light green scallion parts to the pot; cook about 2 minutes. Add 1 clove minced garlic; cook 1 minute more. Add zucchini; increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stir, and flip occasionally, until starting to brown, about 5 minutes, adjusting the heat until zucchini starts to caramelize, but do not cook until mush.
5
Quickly stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons water while scraping the browned bits of food off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon; cook to reduce remaining liquid, about 30 seconds, then remove from heat. Return shrimp to the pot; stir until evenly combined.
6
Serve shrimp and zucchini over angle hair pasta; garnish with green onion tops. Serve pesto on the side.