Pesto Shrimp with Mushrooms

Pesto Shrimp with Mushrooms.jpg

Serves 4

This spicy shrimp recipe is a new winner in my house!  It has a ton of flavor, is packed with good-for-you ingredients and couldn’t be easier to make!  It’s delicious served over any type of pasta or I love tossing it with zucchini noodles for a heart-healthy, gluten-free dish!

Ingredients:

For the pesto:

  • 2 cups fresh Basil, rinsed and dried
  • 1-2 Garlic cloves, crushed
  • 3 tablespoons Pine Nuts or Walnuts, lightly toasted in a dry skillet
  • ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil, or more
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese (optional)
  • ½ cup Nutritional Yeast (dairy-free option)
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

For the Shrimp and Mushrooms:

  • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 lb. large Shrimp, peeled, deveined
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt
  • ¼ tsp. Red Pepper flakes
  • 2 cups sliced Shitake Mushrooms
  • ½ cup Chicken Broth
  • Chopped fresh Basil to garnish

Preparation:

  • To make the pesto combine the basil, garlic, nuts, cheese (optional) or nutritional yeast (also optional) and about ¼ cup olive oil in a food processor or high-speed blender.  Process, occasionally stopping to scrape down the sides of the container.  Continue to process and slowly add another ¼ cup of olive oil.  Remove pesto from container and set aside.
  • Heat large skilled on medium-high heat until hot.  Add 1 tablespoon olive oil – it should run without sizzling.  Add shrimp, season with ¼ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes.  Cook for about 3 minutes, turning once midway, until shrimp is pink and cooked through.  Remove shrimp from skillet. 
  • In the same skillet add another tablespoon of olive oil.  Add mushrooms and season with ¼ tsp. salt.  Cook, stirring, until mushrooms release liquid and begin to get soft, for about a minute or two.   Then add half of the chicken broth, cook for another 2 minutes and add back the cooked shrimp.  Finally, add the rest of the chicken broth and ½ cup pesto.  On medium heat, mix everything to combine and remove from heat.  
  • Serve over pasta or zoodles, topping the shrimp with chopped fresh basil.   
  • Enjoy!