Crispy Shrimp Pasta with Arugula Pesto

Crispy Shrimp Pasta with Arugula Pesto Cream Sauce.

March 18, 2011

There is one green that I occasionally allow in my life.

I actually really enjoy arugula. Well, as much as someone who doesn’t love veggies can like a green.

One of the first recipes I ever shared here was arugula and asiago pesto. When prepared this way, I adore arugula. I love it’s peppery flavor and the bite it gives to every dish. In fact, I might be able to eat more veggies if I throw some arugula pesto on them. I need to get on that.

It had been far too long since I made a batch, and I knew exactly what I was going to do with it.

Ever since making the crispy shrimp tacos, I can’t get that crispy shrimp out of my mind. We’ve eaten it four times in the last week and a half because it is so delicious, and perhaps most importantly – easy and quick! It is quite flavorful too.

So I cooked up the shrimp, boiled some pasta, threw on the pesto, and had a full meal in minutes. There are layers of flavor going on in that bowl. Just the way I like it.

Oh… and instead of just regular pesto? I made it into a cream sauce. Because everything is better with cream. You can leave that part out. But why would you want to?

This is a very green dish for me! It doesn’t get much greener than this.

Crispy Shrimp Pasta

serves 2-4

1 pound raw, deveined shrimp (tails removed)

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 pound whole wheat fettuccine (or pasta of choice)

Boil water for pasta and begin to cook according to directions.

Make sure shrimp is clean and completely dry. Combine salt, pepper, and garlic powder and sprinkle it over the shrimp. Add the flour to a small bowl, and dredge the shrimp through the flour to get a very light coating on it. Heat a skillet on medium high heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the shrimp and brown on each side, about 2-3 minutes per side. Drain cooked pasta and add pasta to the shrimp. Top with pesto. To serve, garnish with fresh parmesan.

Arugula Pesto Cream Sauce

1 6-ounce bag of arugula

1/3 cup asiago cheese (you can sub parmesan if you’d like)

1 garlic clove

1/4 cup olive oil + more if needed

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup heavy cream

In a food processor, combine garlic, arugula and cheese. Pulse until combined. Stream in olive oil one tablespoon at a time until the pesto becomes smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. Add pesto to a large bowl and stir in cream, using a large spoon. Add to shrimp and pasta when ready.