An easy weeknight meal with a surprisingly better way to serve shrimp on pasta!
Pesto and Brussels Sprouts Cavatappi with Shrimp
When I posted this meal photo on Instagram, I got so many questions on how I prepared the shrimp! Instead of serving the shrimp whole (with or without the tail on), I cooked it and then, using a pair of kitchen shears, cut it up into little bite-sized pieces.
There’s something more enjoyable about eating shrimp in pasta when you can easily fork it and you don’t have to cut it or hold the tail and bite the rest of the shrimp. Plus, there’s more shrimp in each bite. I don’t know why I’ve never prepared shrimp like this before, but I’ll be doing it from now on.
When I typically make this recipe, I’ll cook the Brussels sprouts ahead of time (roughly chopped up broccoli would work well here too) so that when it comes to preparing dinner, all I have to do is cook the pasta and the shrimp, which takes no more than 15 minutes.
I love cavatappi from legume-based pastas (like a Banza), as it’s a nice nutrient and protein boost – especially for the kids!
You can swap the shrimp for salmon bites, chicken, or tofu! Hope this meal makes it into your weekly night rotation. Enjoy!
Pesto and Brussels Sprouts Cavatappi with Shrimp
Ingredients
- 18 ounces shredded Brussels sprouts
- extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper
- 12-18 ounces shrimp defrosted, deveined, cleaned (12 ounces for 4 servings, 18 ounces for 6 servings)
- 8 ounce box cavatappi or preferred pasta
- 1/4 cup pesto sauce
- red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay the Brussels sprouts out on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic powder, salt, and pepper and toss to coat. Roast for 25 minutes, tossing every 5-10 minutes to avoid burning.
- Meanwhile, toss the shrimp in a large bowl with a large drizzle of olive oil and season with salt and pepper and the remaining garlic powder. Set aside.
- Bring a pot filled halfway with salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add in pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse in a colander. Add the pesto sauce into the pot used to cook the pasta and add in the pasta and cooked Brussels sprouts. Stir to combine. Cover the pot to keep warm.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Once skillet is heated, add the shrimp and cook for 3 minutes, flip, and cook another 3-5 minutes or until opaque. Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut the shrimp up into bite-size pieces.
- Divide the pasta into bowls and top with shrimp. If desired, sprinkle with red pepper flakes.
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