Tender, juicy, garlic-marinated shrimp brushed with a bright pesto sauce and piled high on creamy Parmesan risotto with fresh tomatoes and herbs sprinkled on it all. Wow wow wow! Diving in now!

---

There are several things we could say and then just stop and you'd of course run to the kitchen with no explanation because YUM. Like, "creamy parmesan risotto" or "tender, juicy, garlic & lemon marinated jumbo shrimp" or "pan-seared and draped in a bright lush pesto." 

But honestly, what if all of that was part of the same dish and you were already head over heels about it?

It's true, it's true. The risotto is tender and rich and feels so special, the subtly sweet perfection of the quick marinated shrimp is sealed in with a golden brown sear. The pesto, oh the pesto…fresh, zippy, full of warm summer basil flavor. This one's a treat.

In This Post: Everything You Need For Pesto Shrimp

Ingredients You'll Need For This Pesto Shrimp and Parm Risotto

Lots of simple yet strong flavors here to bring this gem together. You just know when you see a list including butter, garlic, Parmesan, and pesto that you are in for a REAL FUN JOURNEY AHEAD. Here's what you're grabbing for this:

For the Parmesan Risotto

• butter
• garlic or shallot (or both! yes, please)
• arborio rice (DeLallo's arborio rice is absolutely perfect for this!)
• white wine 
• chicken broth
• Parmesan cheese

For the Pesto Shrimp

• jumbo shrimp
• garlic
• olive oil
• salt
• lemon zest (optional)
• jarred pesto (we love DeLallo brand with our whole hearts!)
• fresh juicy tomatoes (Roma or beefsteak are great)
• fresh herbs for topping

The white wine offers a slight acidic element to balance the richness of your risotto, enhancing the flavor. But if you're looking to skip it, you can just replace it with more broth plus a little lemon juice.

Sometimes people will also use unsweetened white grape or apple juice with a splash of citrus, a splash of apple cider vinegar, or white/red wine vinegar in place of wine in a recipe like this.

Let's Get Cooking

There are a few steps to this one and though it is still quite simple, we're dealing with risotto here, so speed isn't the name of the game.

1. Marinate. Place the shrimp, garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and lemon zest in a bowl or plastic bag. Mix it all together so the shrimp is soaking up every bit of that flavor goodness. An hour or more is ideal but if you at least get it going while you cook your risotto, you're still golden.
2. Risotto. Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet and then sauté the garlic/shallots until soft and fragrant. Add the arborio rice, and stir to coat with butter. Splash in your white wine for sizzle time and then add your broth and play the stir-simmer-repeat game for a bit until soft and creamy. Finish with Parmesan, salt, and pepp.
3. Pesto Shrimp: Heat your skillet and olive oil over medium-high heat (if you're using nonstick). Toss your shrimp and cook for a couple minutes per side, depending on their size. In the last minute or so of cooking, start brushing on that beautiful DeLallo pesto to coat the shrimp (don't do this too early – we want to preserve that peak pesto yumminess!)

Then you'll pile those juicy seared pesto shrimp on your bed of risotto. Add some bright pops of chopped fresh tomatoes and herbs, one more lemon squeezer across the top, and you are basically royalty. SO GOOD.

Different Ways To Cook Shrimp For This Recipe

Because we love the little, like, flavor seal that the direct heat creates for the shrimp & pesto situation, our preferred methods for cooking the shrimp here are:

• pan-fried in a nonstick skillet: That's what we did here and it's very, very simple.
• grilled on a skewer: Grill weather abounds now, so you could also sear these jumbo beauties that way. Maybe you want to poke some cute little cherry tomatoes on there while you're at it? We can't imagine that would disappoint!

Poaching is also definitely an option if that is your preferred method! We just can't get enough of that sear over here though.

What To Look For When Buying Pesto

Have you met our truest best friend of pastas and jarred sauces, DeLallo? What dreamboats they are. Just, they never disappoint!

Sometimes jarred pestos can be kind of overly creamy and a dullish green, which can feel a little meh when you are hoping for wow. But DeLallo's jarred pesto is much brighter, fresher, less creamy, and the flavor is definitely very wow.

It uses handpicked basil, olive oil, crunchy pine nuts & cashews, garlic, Pecorino Romano AND Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses, so HELLO FLAVOR PARADE! Def recommend getting a few jars of this on hand for yourself.

And because pesto doesn't require any kind of cooking/heating, it really, really is best to just use at the very end of cooking to maximize all of its fresh flavors!

Instead, just a hefty swath over that hot seared shrimp and all that olive oil, bright fresh basil, zippy garlic, creamy pine nut, and Parmesan flavor just soars into your hearts and tastebuds.

Things To Serve With This Pesto Shrimp

We really, really recommend the MEGA yummy Parmesan risotto here. We used the authentic Italian arborio rice from DeLallo and it really just makes this dish. There's nothing like it!

Other options for serving, if you're wanting to play a game of mix-and-match with this meal, include:

Pesto Shrimp and Parmesan Risotto: Frequently Asked Questions

Print

Thanks to DeLallYeso for sponsoring this recipe!

---

More Recipes For Pesto Lovers

This website may contain affiliate links and advertising so that we can provide recipes to you. Read my privacy policy.

This orange creamsicle salad is creamy and insanely delicious! It is a refreshing side for any occasion and is something that everyone will go crazy over!

I love a delicious salad, and you can't beat it when you have creamy fluff and marshmallows involved! Try similar salads like this strawberry cheesecake salad, this best-ever ambrosia salad or this delicious Oreo fluff dessert salad.

Orange Creamsicle Salad Recipe

Get ready for your tastebuds to experience the most delicious jello salad! I know, I know. This salad has no greens, and really, the only healthy thing in it is the mandating oranges but hear me out! The fluffy, creamy base made with cool whip, pudding, and jello is actual heaven. Once that is mixed together, and the mandarin oranges and mini marshmallows are added… Well… Let's just say that you will be hooked!

I actually love salads like these, especially during the summer months! They go so well at potlucks and BBQs and everyone will gobble it right up. Plus, since you have to chill it before serving, it's a great recipe to make ahead of time. I will sometimes make it the night before so that I can just grab it and go when I need it. It's absolutely delicious. You must try it!

Ingredients in Orange Creamsicle Salad

This short list of ingredients mixes together to be such a great side dish! Check out the list of ingredients at the bottom of the post for exact measurements! I can't wait for you to try it.

• Orange Jell-O: This is what gives off that overall orange flavor.
• Water: You will mix the water in with the orange jello.
• Vanilla Pudding: The pudding adds a sweet flavor to balance out the tangy jello.
• Cream Cheese: Leave your cream cheese out on the counter for a few minutes before you mix it in so that it can come to room temperature. It will combine better with the other ingredients if it's soft!
• Cool Whip: The whipped topping is the base of the salad and is so delicious!
• Mini Marshmallows: Use as many of these as you want, they are my kids favorite part!
• Mandarin Oranges: Make sure that you drain the liquid from the cans of oranges. If you don't then the base will be runny.

How to Make Orange Creamsicle Salad

You can whip these ingredients into this fluff salad in less than 10 minutes! Just make sure that you make time to chill it in your fridge so that it can be set up before serving.

1. Mix Jello and Water: In a large bowl combine the jello powder and boiling water. Whisk it together. Then, add the cold water and stir it in.
2. Cool: Put it in the fridge to cool for about 20 minutes.
3. Add pudding: Take the salad out of the fridge and stir in the pudding powder. Then, refrigerate it for another 20 minutes until it sets.
4. Combine: Add in the cream cheese and cool whip and stir to combine.
5. Stir: Then fold in the marshmallows and mandarin oranges.
6. Chill: Refrigerate for at least an hour. Serve chilled.

Creamy pesto pasta with roasted tomatoes and undetectable spinach!? Hello, summer! This vibrant, satisfying, vegan, and (optionally) gluten-free pasta dish is SO delicious, and surprisingly quick & easy to make. We love it for nights when we're craving comforting pasta but don't want to miss out on a serving (or two) of veggies! 

It's a filling meal on its own, but it also pairs well with Crispy Baked Tofu or Easy Grilled Chicken. Just 8 ingredients and 30 minutes required. Let us show you how it's done!

Origin of Pesto

Pesto is a sauce that is believed to have originated in the Liguria region of northwestern Italy. It's thought to have evolved from a 13th-century garlic-based sauce called aggiadda or from the tradition of using aromatic herbs in the Middle Ages.

The first written recipe for pesto was from Giovanni Battista Ratto in his 19th-century work The Genoese cuisine. This recipe was a mix of garlic, basil, and cheese (source).

For this pasta, we've infused the flavors of pesto into a creamy, plant-based sauce.

How to Make Creamy Vegan Pesto Pasta

This 30-minute recipe starts with cooking pasta (choose your favorite type!) and (optionally) roasting cherry tomatoes for a pop of color and sweetness.

A creamy, cashew-based sauce comes together in minutes while the pasta and tomatoes are cooking.

Simply blend up raw cashews with vegan pesto essentials including basil, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt. We add spinach for a pop of color and nutrition, plus water to help it blend together.

Then pour the vibrant green sauce over the cooked pasta, (optionally) top with the roasted tomatoes, fresh basil, and vegan parmesan cheese, and dig in!

We hope you LOVE this pesto pasta! It's:

Creamy
Satisfying
Vibrant
Quick & easy
& SO delicious!

It's an easy weeknight meal on its own or paired with Crispy Baked Tofu or Easy Grilled Chicken. It would also pair nicely with salads, including our Heirloom Tomato Panzanella Salad, Chickpea Caesar Salad, or Simple Green Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette.

More Plant-Based Pasta Recipes

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!