Often times when you are trying to eat healthy you think pasta must be cut out of the meal plan. That just is not the case. Should you eat pasta every night? Absolutely not! But you can have it occasionally and enjoy it while still eating well.
This shrimp pesto pasta dish is just the right example of eating healthy and still enjoying the flavors of a home cooked pasta dish.
The shrimp is a great source of protein and the mushrooms and spinach get the perfect amount of veggies into your meal.
I promise you, the flavors of this dish feel like an indulgence. But you are still eating well without forgoing deliciousness.
Shrimp Pesto Pasta
Enjoy this healthy pasta dish with a taste of comfort!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 cups farfalle (bow-tie) pasta fusilli (spiral) pasta also works great
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 8 oz baby portobello mushrooms
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 6 tbsp pesto homemade or store bought
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp olive oil extra virgin
- salt and pepper to taste
- red pepper flakes (optional) amount to your liking
For the Shrimp
- 32 medium – large shrimp uncooked, thawed if frozen
- 1 tbsp butter or ghee
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat until hot.
- Add butter or ghee.
- Add shrimp and shrimp seasoning of garlic powder, paprika, and salt & pepper to taste. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes flipping once midway, until shrimp is pink and cooked through.
- Remove shrimp from the skillet
- Add mushrooms, spinach, garlic and olive oil to the skillet. Saute for 5-7 minutes or until vegetables are cooked down.
- While vegetables are cooking, boil water for the pasta in a medium pot following the pasta directions on the box.
- Once water is boiling, add your pasta and cook until soft.
- Drain the pasta. Return pasta to pot and stir in pesto. Set aside.
- Once the spinach has wilted and your mushrooms are soft, pour in the milk and reduce heat to low.
- Add parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer on low, stirring to combine the flavors and melt the cheese.
- Pour the pasta and sauce into the skillet with the mushrooms, spinach and sauce mixture .
- Add the shrimp to the skillet and combine all ingredients.
- Plate the shrimp pesto pasta, top with parmesan cheese and enjoy!
