Pasta will forever be my quick-night, go-to meal. It is so simple and satisfying and this combination is a winner.

Roasted red peppers are a pantry staple for me. I love buying a few jars and pulling one out when I don’t have a ton of time and I want to add deep flavor to something like this red pepper pesto. The char bits on the roasted red peppers remind me a bit of summer; even when we’re deep into winter without a glimmer of hope.

The walnuts add a nice nuttiness to the pesto and I paired it with shrimp because it’s another favorite of mine because they take literally five minutes to cook up. I’ve also been on this odd quinoa/brown rice pasta kick and I will admit, it’s nothing like the original but it’s does the trick when I want to feel less guilty about my carb-obsession.

Give it a go and tell me how you like it!

Red Pepper Pesto Pasta with Shrimp

Pesto is all the rage. Let this Red Pepper Pesto dish open the door to your pesto creativity. (Recipe Credit: Adrianna Adarme of Fresh Tastes)

Ingredients

• Red Pepper Pesto:
• 1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves, plus a few more leaves as garnish
• 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, drained (from a jar)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• Salt to taste
• For pasta:
• 1 pound pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. To a blender, add all of the pesto ingredients. Pulse until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Give it a taste and add salt as needed (I added about 1/4 teaspoon). Set aside.
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook per the package’s instructions. (I used whole wheat pasta and it required about 9 minutes.) Remove about 1/2 cup (you can eyeball this measurement) of pasta water and set it aside. Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Pour in the pesto, along with 1/4 cup pasta water and toss until combined. Cover the pot to keep warm.
3. Meanwhile, in a small sauté pan, set over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. When hot add the shrimp and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Divide the pasta amongst bowls or plates. Top with a few shrimp per plate and garnish with basil.

Yield: Serves 4

Adrianna Adarme is a food blogger and author living in Los Angeles, California. She writes the blog A Cozy Kitchen, where she shares comforting, everyday recipes from her kitchen. She recently authored her first cookbook, PANCAKES: 72 Sweet and Savory Recipes for the Perfect Stack. She’s a lover of breakfast, pie (and sometimes even pie for breakfast), corgis and cute things. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.