Shrimp and linguine noodles are tossed with a light artichoke pesto, making for an elegant yet easy weeknight dinner that also works for date night at home.
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I think pesto is always a great option with pasta but sometimes it's nice to do something a little different than traditional basil pesto. Enter artichokes - one of my favorite veggies of all time! Turning them into a pesto gives this pasta dish an upscale feel without a lot of fuss.
I grew up eating fresh steamed artichokes, but my experience is that canned artichokes tend to lack flavor on their own, so adding lemon and basil gives this pesto a nice, fresh flavor.
This is another great recipe to add to your everyday meals recipe collection. Read on to learn more about how to make this Shrimp Linguine with Artichoke Pesto, or jump straight to the recipe to start cooking!
Ingredient Notes
This recipe uses fairly simple ingredients.
- Peeled and deveined shrimp: You can use frozen shrimp in this dish, just defrost the shrimp before you cook them and be sure they are not pre-cooked. For this dish, I recommend tail-off shrimp for ease of eating, though if you want to amp up your presentation, tail-on shrimp look really nice!
- Whole Wheat Linguine: You can substitute any type of linguine you like. Follow the package directions for the correct cooking time.
- Lemon zest and juice: Be sure to zest the lemon before you juice it. I recommend using freshly squeezed for both. You'll need one large lemon.
- Parmesan: To get the best flavor, I'd recommend using freshly grated parmesan cheese for this recipe.
Making Pesto & Shrimp Linguine
Make the pesto. Like all pestos, this one comes together pretty easily with the help of your food processor. Just toss the ingredients in, pulse a couple of times and then slowly add the oil until you get a nice consistency.
Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and generously salt the water. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Don't forget to reserve some of the pasta water when you are draining the pasta - you'll use it in the final step. The recipe only calls for about ⅓ cup but I typically reserve more, just in case I need a little extra.
Sauté the shrimp. The shrimp get tossed with olive oil and garlic and then quickly sautéd in a hot pan.
Toss it all together. Once the shrimp are cooked, take the pan off the heat and add the drained pasta and the pesto to the pan. Add about a ¼ cup of the pasta water and toss everything together. If the sauce seems too thick, slowly add more water, about a tablespoon at a time, until you are happy with the consistency. I usually end up adding about a ⅓ of a cup.
Meal prep tip --> You can make the pesto ahead of time, up to a day or two in advance, and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Why Add Pasta Water?
It took a lot of recipe testing to get used to adding pasta water to my pasta dishes! In my opinion, one of the keys to a good creamy pasta dish is adding some of the pasta water and mixing everything together in a warm pan. This helps to distribute the sauce evenly and ensure all the noodles get well coated. It only adds a few minutes of prep time and makes a big difference to the dish.
Additional notes from the Kitchen
- I used half a box or 8oz of the linguine for this recipe. If you want to be exact you can weigh it using a kitchen scale, otherwise, just eyeball it. It won't impact the recipe if you use slightly more or less.
- You can make a double batch of this pesto and use half in this recipe and save the other half for another time. It's great tossed with any pasta, or as a sandwich spread or chicken salad add-in. You can also freeze it for use later.
- If you are a big artichoke fan, check out my recipe for Grilled Baby Artichokes which are drizzled with balsamic glaze.
Serving Suggestions
I often serve a pasta dish like this on its own if I'm going for a quick and easy dinner. I'd probably add a fairly simple green salad like this Arugula Salad if I wanted more veggies with the meal.
A lighter white wine like a Vermentino or Pinot Grigio is a nice pairing with this dish.
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Shrimp Linguine with Lemon Artichoke Pesto
Ingredients
For the pesto:
- 1 (15 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup basil leaves
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the shrimp & pasta:
- 8 ounces whole wheat linguine
- 12 ounces peeled and deveined shrimp
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Make the pesto. Fit a large food processor with a standard blade. Add artichokes and garlic, pulse several times until the artichokes are roughly chopped. Add basil, lemon zest, lemon juice and walnuts. Pulse 4-5 times. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add pepper and then, with the motor running slowly pour the olive oil down the chute and continue processing until fully blended.
- Cook the pasta. Cook according to the package directions. When the pasta is done cooking drain it, reserving at least a ⅓ cup of the pasta water.
- Cook the shrimp. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. While the skillet is heating toss the shrimp with olive oil and garlic. Add shrimp to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Using a pair of tongs, turn the shrimp and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until shrimp are pink and cooked through.
- Finish the dish. Turn the heat off and add the pasta, pesto, and ¼ cup of the pasta water to the pan. Carefully toss to coat the linguine. Add additional pasta water, a small amount at a time, as needed. Serve immediately, topping with grated parmesan if desired.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in May 2017. It was updated in March 2026 with some new information and photos. A few minor changes were made to the original recipe.
Patty
This recipe looks so delicious Kathryn, can't wait to make it, love artichokes!
FoodieGirlChicago
Thanks Patty - enjoy!
Tara
Sometimes (a lot of the time), I really just want some pasta too! I love the color of that artichoke pesto. Such light flavors.
Sasha @ Eat Love Eat
I LOVE the idea of making pesto using artichokes! That must be so delicious! And well, you just can't beat shrimp and linguine can you?! So good.
Christine
I never thought to make artichokes into pesto - Love this idea!
Michelle | The Last Food Blog
This looks so good! I love the artichoke pesto, what a brilliant idea!
MEGAN MCDUFFIE
Nothing wrong with a bowl of pasta now and again 😉 Your lemon artichoke pesto sounds so good - perfect flavors for summer!
Agness of Run Agness Run
This is such a palatable lunch idea! So mouth-watering!