This pesto pasta salad is a super easy and delicious dinner option. It features pasta of your choice, fresh basil pesto, zucchini, summer squash, and juicy shrimp.
I get my recipe inspiration from every little aspect of my life. Sometimes, I would be laying in bed, trying to go to sleep and an awesome idea would pop into my head. I’ve started keeping a notepad by my bed so I can write down all the ideas. I also have a desktop full of post-its. Too many ideas swirling in my head!
This is my latest idea that was actually inspired by a great magazine. I get All You Magazine almost every month at Target. It’s a great little magazine that’s like several magazines in one.
What inspired me most about the July issue, is their pasta 101 article. It’s a several-page spread that talks about different pasta types and tips on cooking each pasta. It also has a recipe for each pasta type that they cover. I can’t wait to try their tortellini recipe and rice noodle recipe.
I just got a bowl of fresh basil from my herb garden and I knew that I just had to make a pesto pasta salad. Since it’s summer, vegetables make a perfect addition to pasta and potato salads. Shrimp make an ideal compliment this pasta salad!
Nothing can be better than a pasta salad made with fresh veggies, shrimp and homemade pesto!
Shrimp And Veggie Pesto Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- Pesto:
- Makes about 3/4 cup of pesto
- 2 cups basil leaves packed
- 2 large gloves of garlic
- 2/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup walnuts or pine nuts
- 1/2 cup virgin olive oil may need to add a little more after blended
- Pasta Salad:
- 6 oz Cellentani pasta uncooked, makes about 3 cups cooked
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1 medium summer squash
- 1/2 tbs chopped dill weed
- 1/2 tbs olive oil to cook the veggies
- 6 oz raw medium shrimp
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 tbs olive oil to cook the shrimp
- 2 tbs grapeseed oil or olive oil
- salt pepper
- 3 tbs of pesto
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to directions, drain and set aside.
- Chop and saute the vegetables with some salt, pepper and dill weed. Add the cooked veggies to the pasta.
- Cook the shrimp with minced garlic and a little bit of salt and pepper. Add shrimp to pasta.
- In the medium bowl, mix pasta, shrimp and veggies. Add 3 tbs of pesto, 2 tbs of oil and some salt and pepper. Mix well.
- This pasta salad can be served cold or warm as a pasta bowl.
Notes
2Momma2 says
You have me drooling! This looks sooo good. I keep wondering which would be best cold or hot – guess I’ll have to try it both ways! Yum!
Kristin
ExploringDomesticity.blogspot.com
lyuba says
Yay, that was the plan 🙂
Thank you!
Carla says
Ahhh I love shrimp and I love pasta, so what could be better than a new salad combination on a hot humid day in Florida!
lyuba says
Thank you!
bonnie@uncommon designs says
Seriously YUMMY Lyuba!! Looks so great! Love All You!
lyuba says
Thank you so much, love!
kelley @ Miss Information says
Looks so yummy Lyuba, and the photo’s are beautiful
lyuba says
Awww, thank you, Kelley!
Amelia says
This looks so fabulous! I love pesto pasta salads, but have never put shrimp in mine. Can’t wait to make this!
lyuba says
Thanks so much, Amelia!
Paula@SweetPea says
I enjoyed the July issue of All You while at the beach. The Pesto Pasta Salad recipe caught my eye and I’ll be sure to try it after reading your review. I made the garlicy broccoli pasta from the July issue and it was great!
lyuba says
Sounds yummy! Thank you, Paula!
Susan D says
yummmmm, hope you’ll bring this to my Sunday Funday Linky Party tomorrow!!
*Susan @ Adventures in my Kitchen
soozind.blogspot.com
lyuba says
Thanks so much, Susan!
Lisa @ Cooking with Curls says
That is an awesome looking pasta dish! I love all of the flavors. I usually have ideas pop into my head while I’m in the shower! Now I just need to find a waterproof board to hang on the wall so I can write them all down 🙂
lyuba says
That would be an awesome project, Lisa! Hope you work on that 🙂
Thanks so much!
Jeni says
I love pasta salad, and this sounds really good!
lyuba says
Thank you, Jeni!
Jen Nikolaus says
This really looks amazing! I love pasta salad! I feel the same way you do – I’ll be falling asleep and then BAM an idea pops in my head. Love post-its! 🙂 Thanks for another great recipe, Lyuba!
~Jen @ Yummy Healthy Easy
lyuba says
Haha, yeap!
Thank you so much, Jen!
Krista @ joyfulhealthyeats says
Looks delicious Lyuba! I love fresh homemade pesto with shrimp, add in some noodles and you got yourself a rocking dish! 🙂 Great recipe. 🙂
lyuba says
Thank you so much, Krista!
Miz Helen says
What a great salad for a hot summers evening. Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a great week!
Come Back Soon,
Miz Helen
lyuba says
Thank you so much, Miz Helen!
Cindy Eikenberg says
Lyuba, this salad looks and sound incredible – I LOVE shrimp! 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing at Best of the Weekend! Pinning to our party board! We love having you join us and hope to see you this Friday – have a fabulous week!
lyuba says
Oh, thank you, Cindy!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I have been an All You subscriber for YEARS! i just love it! This pasta salad looks so good Lyuba! Pinned!
lyuba says
Thanks so much, Trish!
Nancy says
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for–a shrimp pasta salad with everything. I plan on using some of the rotini (corkscrew) noodles to hold more of the dressing. I am not all that fond of macaroni.
Kelly says
to make the pesto, do you just blend all of those ingredients together?
lyuba says
Hi Kelly,
Yes, just combine the ingredients for pesto in a blender and pulse until all combined and fine.
Here are a couple of links for you: https://www.willcookforsmiles.com/2011/08/pesto.html
https://www.willcookforsmiles.com/2014/06/lemon-pistachio-arugula-pesto.html
I hope you enjoy it!
Thank you 🙂