Orecchiette Tossed in Pesto with Shrimp and Spinach
It isn’t a good day if I don’t eat pasta. Most days we eat it at lunch. Orecchiette with Shrimp, Pesto and Spinach is a great dish for family or to entertain with. It is elegant and flavourful. If it is your main and only dish, serve a salad and some bread.
Many pasta dishes incorporate fresh ingredients. I toss cherry tomatoes and fresh spinach in this pasta once cooked. Toss everything together and bring to the table on a pretty platter. The wow factor of this dish is that your guest will think that you cooked all day.
It is so easy to cook when the ingredients are simple and on-hand. I always keep some infused olive oil and it comes in handy. Fresh spinach is always in my refrigerator and today I bought these fresh cherry tomatoes.
I aways have fresh pesto on hand. I keep it frozen in my refrigerator; this basil grows locally at our greenhouses and farms in Leamington, Ontario.
I use large jumbo shrimp and I like to clean them myself.
It looks like a meal even before it cooks. I bought a freshly baked baguette today.
Simply season that shrimp and add a little infused olive oil.
A little bit of cream cheese goes a long way and adds a velvet texture to any dish.
The shrimp meets the sauce.
Quickly toss in the fresh ingredients.
Plated and yummy!!
Orecchiette Tossed in Pesto with Shrimp and Spinach
An elegant and quick dish that you can serve to company.
Ingredients
- 250 gr penne
- 4-6 tbsp prepared Pesto
- 2 cups shrimp shelled, deveined and sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 2 tbsp cream cheese
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
- extra Parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
-
Put a large pot on to boil for the pasta.
When the pot boils put in the pasta and let cook to al dente.
In a large pan place the olive oil and add the shrimp with the Italian seasoning.
Let the shrimp pink-up.
Remove from pan and add the cream cheese with the pesto.
Warm-up and let the cream cheese melt.
Return the shrimp to the pan.
Add in the pasta and you might want to use some of the pasta water to thicken the sauce.
Remove from heat.
Add the cherry tomatoes and the spinach and toss into the pasta.
Garnish with parmesan cheese.
Recipe Notes
This recipe is easy to double. 250 grams should feed 3 people, if it is the only course. I use 500 gr for 6 people. Serve a salad and bread with it. 🙂
Great idea of adding some cream to pesto.
Yes, the creaminess added another level of flavour. Thanks!!