Red Pepper Pesto Shrimp Pasta

Name: Red Pepper Pesto Shrimp Pasta
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons McCormick Gourmet® Organic Basil Leaves; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet® Organic Cayenne Red Pepper; 1 pound (26 to 30 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined; 1 pound pasta such as gemelli, tagliatelle, linguine, or penne; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 6 cups baby spinach; 1/4 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet® Organic Garlic Powder; 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided; 3 medium red bell peppers, seeded and chopped; 1 medium plum tomato, seeded and chopped; 1 small yellow onion, chopped; 1/4 cup baby spinach, chopped; 2 teaspoons McCormick Gourmet® Organic Basil Leaves; 1/2 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet® Organic Garlic Powder; 1/4 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet® Organic Cayenne Red Pepper; 1/2 cup ricotta cheese; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet® Organic Coarse Ground Black Pepper; 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

By: McCormick Kitchens

Made With:

A twist on classic pesto, this version is a savory-sweet celebration of flavor thanks to red bell pepper and McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Cayenne Pepper. Blend ingredients until smooth in the food processor, then toss with your favorite pasta and plump cooked shrimp for an impressively delicious meal.

Recipe Info

Prep Time:

20m
Cook Time:

25m
Ingredients:

21
Servings:

10
User Rating:

Ingredients

Shrimp Pasta
2 teaspoons McCormick Gourmet® Organic Basil Leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet® Organic Cayenne Red Pepper
1 pound (26 to 30 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound pasta such as gemelli, tagliatelle, linguine, or penne
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 cups baby spinach
1/4 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet® Organic Garlic Powder
Red Pepper Pesto
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 medium red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 medium plum tomato, seeded and chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1/4 cup baby spinach, chopped
2 teaspoons McCormick Gourmet® Organic Basil Leaves
1/2 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet® Organic Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet® Organic Cayenne Red Pepper
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet® Organic Coarse Ground Black Pepper
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

Nutrition Information

(per serving)

Calories 340
Carbohydrates 40 g
Cholesterol 81 mg
Fiber 4 g
Protein 18 g
Saturated Fat 3 g
Sodium 652 mg
Sugar 3 g
Total Fat 12 g

Instructions

For the Shrimp, mix basil, salt and cayenne in small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over shrimp. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
For the Red Pepper Pesto, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Cook bell peppers, covered, about 12 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally.
Add tomato, onion, spinach, basil, garlic powder and cayenne pepper to skillet. Cook and stir 6 minutes or until onion is softened. Remove from heat; allow to cool 5 minutes.
Place bell pepper mixture, ricotta, Parmesan, salt and pepper in blender or food processor; cover. Process until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Gradually add vinegar and 3 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil with machine running. Process until well blended and smooth. Set aside.
Cook pasta as directed on package. Drain well, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
Heat olive oil for Shrimp Pasta in skillet on medium-high heat. Add seasoned shrimp. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Stir in spinach and garlic powder; cook 1 minute longer just until shrimp turns pink and spinach is wilted. Turn off heat.
Add pasta and Red Pepper Pesto to skillet; toss to coat well. Stir in reserved cooking water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until sauce is desired consistency. Serve immediately.