Spicy Lime Shrimp Pesto Pasta

Slightly spicy with the tangy taste of lime, these easy to make shrimp are succulent and flavorful. They make a light delicious meal when served over a bed of pasta with refreshing pesto. 

You won’t believe how easy it is to make this dish! Actually, you probably do. I just wanted to emphasize it.

Earlier this week, a few close friends and I decided to meet up for dinner so that we could catch up. It’s been awhile since we last saw each other, and there was just so much to talk about.

Um… Honestly, there’s probably more talking on my end. I get extremely chatty when I’m comfortable.

Unfortunately, since our schedules are soo different, we had no choice but to have a late dinner. Life tends to get in the way. It was easier when we were all still in school with a simpler schedule, but once we started working and going separate ways, it’s a whole lot more difficult to find time.

Anyway, I was cooking that night by default. The perks of being a food blogger. But I’m not a fan of eating late at night. It’s just my preference. I really dislike going to bed feeling full. But if I have to eat a late dinner, I want something light.

This spicy lime shrimp pesto pasta is the perfect dish for that.

Large juicy shrimp cooked in a buttery, spicy, and citrusy sauce served over a bed of pasta tossed in fresh pesto. How amazing does that sound?

Today’s post is sponsored by I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter. They provided me with the spread to create this recipe.

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter just reformulated their recipe using simple ingredients such as plant-based oils, purified water, and a pinch of salt. This new look and formula has just been released in stores in October. What I really like about them is that it tastes buttery, but it’s made from plant based oils. It’s great for cooking, especially since it has 40% less calories and 70% less saturated fat than real butter and has no cholesterol.

Works for me!

First, boil water in a medium sized pot. Once the water is boiling, add about a half pound of pasta. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box until it becomes al dente, about 8-9 minutes for me. Drain the noodles and run them through cold water to prevent them from sticking to each other and from continuing to cook. I know people often complain that the pasta becomes cold, but I’d rather have to reheat them than have to eat clumped up noodles. I like doing it this way, but you can cook them however you like =)

Toss the pasta in pesto, and divide them into three portions. Plate the pasta, and set them aside for now. You can use store bought pesto or homemade pesto. Your choice. I personally keep homemade pesto frozen, and I just thaw them whenever I need some.

Add two tablespoons of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter into a skillet over medium heat. Next, add crushed red chili peppers, paprika, and lime juice. Allow the ingredients to simmer for about 30 seconds to let the flavors blend together.

Add the shrimp and cook them until they turn a reddish orange color and are no longer gray. As soon as they’ve changed colors, you’ll want to remove them from heat. There’s nothing that makes me more sad than overcooked shrimp.

Top the pesto pasta with the shrimp, and drizzle the spicy lime sauce over the shrimp.

Serve immediately warm.

Enjoy!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Spicy Lime Shrimp Pesto Pasta

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

Slightly spicy with the tangy taste of lime, these easy to make shrimp are succulent and flavorful. They make a light delicious meal when served over a bed of pasta with refreshing pesto.

Author: Andrea Giang

Recipe type: Entree

Serves: 3 servings

Ingredients

• ½ pound dry pasta (angel hair, spaghetti, linguine, etc)
• ½ cup pesto, more as needed
• 2 tablespoons I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• 18-21 large/jumbo sized shrimp, deshelled and deveined

Directions:

1. Boil water in a medium to large sized pot. Add the pasta to the pot and cook for about 8-9 minutes until al dente. Drain the pasta, and run the pasta through cold water to stop it from continuing to cook and to prevent the noodles from sticking to each other.
2. Toss the pasta with the pesto until evenly coated. Divide the pasta into three servings and place them on plates. Set the pasta aside for now.
3. Add I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter into a medium sized pan over medium heat. Next, add the lime juice, crushed red pepper, and paprika. Use a spatula to stir until evenly incorporated.
4. Add the shrimp, and cook them until they become a reddish orange color and are no longer gray.
5. Top the pesto pasta with these spicy lime shrimp, and drizzle the spicy lime sauce over the shrimp and pasta.
6. Serve immediately.

Notes

*Recipe inspired by I Can't Believe It's Not Butter's Chili-Lime Shrimp Over Quinoa

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