Looking for a vibrant, flavorful dish that’s perfect for warm weather, easy weeknight dinners, or your next potluck? This Pesto Shrimp Pasta Salad is the answer.

When I’m looking for an easy, make-ahead summer dinner, this is my go-to recipe. In fact, I make this Shrimp Pesto Pasta Salad recipe not only all summer long, but throughout the year. (I do, admittedly, live in Southern California.)

Ingredient Tips and Substitutions

One of the best things about this pesto shrimp pasta salad is its flexibility. You can easily swap ingredients based on what you have on hand or your personal preferences. Here are a few tips I’ve learned over the years to help you.

Ingredients for Pesto Shrimp Pasta Salad

Basil Pesto Sauce

You have two main options here: store-bought or homemade. Since my husband will only eat my homemade pesto sauce or pesto in Italy (literally), I always make it.

Making your own pesto is simple. All you need is fresh basil leaves, raw spinach, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese, a good-quality olive oil, and a little lemon juice.

If your loved ones are not as picky, a high-quality store-bought pesto can be a fantastic time-saver. Look for one that lists olive oil and basil high on the ingredient list.

Shrimp

Since we’re making this pesto pasta salad easy, I use pre-cooked shrimp from a trusted source and have never been disappointed.

You can use fresh or frozen shrimp for this recipe. If using frozen, make sure to thaw your shrimp completely before using. Whichever type of shrimp you decide on, purchase peeled and deveined to save even more time.

As for the shrimp size, I tend to use large shrimp. Personally, I think larger shrimp have the best flavor. If jumbo shrimp are on sale, I’ll buy those. But really, even small or medium shrimp will be good if they taste fresh.

I love my pesto pasta salad with shrimp, but if you don’t eat shrimp, you can substitute chicken, or omit animal protein completely—the vegetarian version is pretty yummy too!

Pasta

The shape of the pasta matters. Bite-sized shapes rather than long noodles are best for pesto pasta salad. And I like something with plenty of nooks and crannies to catch all that delicious pesto sauce.

My new favorite pasta for this dish is campanelle (bell-shaped). But rotini, fusilli, farfalle (bow tie), or penne are also excellent choices. They provide the perfect texture and ensure every bite is full of flavor.

Tomatoes

Cherry or grape tomatoes add a burst of juicy sweetness that cuts through the richness of the pesto. Quartering them ensures they are bite-sized and distribute evenly throughout the salad. If you have heirloom tomatoes, feel free to chop them up and use them instead.

Red Onions

A small amount of thinly sliced red onion adds color, and a sharp, savory crunch that complements the other ingredients perfectly.

If you find raw red onion too potent, you can soak the slices in cold water for about 10 minutes before adding them to the salad. This will mellow out their bite and still provide the pop of purple that helps diversify the palette of colors in your dish.

Pesto shrimp pasta salad with fancy shrimp on top

Pesto Shrimp Pasta Salad Recipe

Serves 4–6

Ingredients

1 pound pasta (rotini, fusilli, or similar shape)
1½ pounds cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
1½ cups grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered
¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
2–2½ cups pesto sauce, homemade or store-bought
Lemon slices, for garnish
Fresh basil sprigs, for garnish

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions in a large pot of salted water. For pasta salads, I prefer to cook the pasta fully instead of al dente, so I add 2 minutes to the cook time.

2. Once cooked, drain the pasta well and immediately rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down. This prevents the pasta from becoming mushy and sticking together.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cooked shrimp, quartered tomatoes, and ¾ of the sliced red onions (retain the rest for later).

4. Add the pesto sauce to the bowl and toss gently until the pasta is evenly coated with the pesto.

Mixing the pesto into the shrimp pasta salad

5. Transfer to a serving dish or a large bowl and top the shrimp pasta salad with the remaining red onions.

Shrimp pesto pasta salad in serving dish topped with remaining red onions

6. Garnish with fresh lemon slices and basil sprigs.

Serving Pesto Pasta Salad with Shrimp

This dish is as versatile in serving as it is in its ingredients. You can easily adapt it to fit any meal or occasion.

Serve Solo

Serve this pasta salad chilled or at room temperature as a complete meal. It’s hearty enough to stand on its own for a satisfying lunch or light dinner.

Serve With

You can also serve Shrimp Pesto Pasta Salad alongside a fresh green salad or a side of crusty garlic bread to soak up any extra pesto sauce.

This pesto pasta salad with shrimp (or without) pairs well with lots of Mediterranean dishes like:
Mediterranean Lamb Chops
Urfa Kebabs
Greek Meat Pie
Fish Francaise
Caponata

Variations

Mediterranean

Try adding diced red peppers and/or black olives. You can even add a little feta cheese for more of a Mediterranean flare.

Spice it up

If you want to give your shrimp pasta salad a little kick, add a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes.

Warmed

Yes, you can serve pasta with pesto and shrimp warm or hot. In that case, purchase raw shrimp. Sauté them in a little olive oil, butter, or a mix for 3–5 minutes depending on the size. Skip the cooling of the pasta, and you’re all set!

Salmon

Try our delicious Salmon and Pesto Pasta Recipe!

Make Ahead

This shrimp pesto salad is an excellent make-ahead dish, making it perfect for meal prep or entertaining. You can prepare the entire salad up to a day in advance. For the best results, hold off on adding all of the pesto sauce.

Toss the pasta, shrimp, and vegetables with about half of the pesto, and store the remaining sauce separately in an airtight container. When you’re ready to serve, add the rest of the pesto and toss to combine. This keeps the salad fresh and prevents the pasta from soaking up too much sauce overnight.

Storing Leftovers

Store any leftover shrimp pesto pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If the salad seems a little dry after being refrigerated, you can revive it with a drizzle of olive oil or a spoonful of extra pesto before serving.