Shrimp Pasta Salad with Cilantro Pesto
Shrimp Pasta Salad with Cilantro Pesto is a refreshing main course combining tender jumbo shrimp, gemelli pasta and a vibrant homemade cilantro pesto. The Thermomix chops the onion and garlic, grates the Parmesan and blends the pesto with pine nuts and lemon juice in minutes. An ideal make-ahead salad for summer lunches, buffets and barbecues.
About this recipe
Shrimp Pasta Salad with Cilantro Pesto Thermomix TM7 is the kind of quick summer lunch recipe that tastes far more impressive than the effort it takes. Instead of hauling out a chopping board, food processor and pot, your all-in-one kitchen machine does the heavy lifting: the onion and garlic cloves are chopped in seconds, the Parmesan is grated to a fine snow, and fresh cilantro with pine nuts and olive oil is blended into a fragrant, vividly green pesto that coats every spiral of gemelli pasta. The jumbo shrimp are steamed until just tender and juicy, then folded through with a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness. This salad is a natural fit for a picnic, potluck or barbecue buffet, since it can be made ahead and served chilled. If you have been searching for pasta salad recipes with shrimp and homemade pesto, this Thermomix version delivers restaurant-quality results with a fraction of the washing up.
Preparation tips
- Cook the gemelli pasta just past al dente, rinse it under cold water and drain well so the cilantro pesto adheres properly instead of sliding off. Toss the pasta with a little olive oil before combining to prevent sticking.
- Pat the jumbo shrimp dry before steaming so they do not become watery, and add them to the salad only once fully cooled. This keeps the shrimp plump and prevents the cilantro pesto from dulling in colour.
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan before adding them to the mixing bowl; it deepens their flavour noticeably. For a budget-friendly option, replace half with toasted sunflower seeds, and swap Parmesan for aged Gouda if preferred.
Recipe variations
- Make it gluten-free by replacing the gemelli with a gluten-free fusoli or rice pasta, and check that the Parmesan is labelled gluten-free. The cilantro pesto and steamed shrimp remain unchanged, so the flavour stays identical.
- For a festive summer variant, add diced avocado, halved cherry tomatoes and grilled corn kernels, and garnish with extra cilantro and lemon zest. Chilled rosé or a sparkling lemonade makes it a complete garden-party meal.
Thermomix TM7 Benefits
- Chopping precision - The Thermomix chops the onion and garlic cloves finely in seconds without any tears. [Chopping]. [Precision Control]
- Grating ease - TM7 grates the Parmesan cheese into a fine, even texture that melts into the cilantro pesto. [Grating]. [Multi-Function]
- Silky blending - The mixing function of the Thermomix blends cilantro, pine nuts and olive oil into a vibrant pesto. [Mixing]. [Multi-Function]
- Gentle steaming - The Varoma of the Thermomix steams the jumbo shrimp gently until plump and juicy. [Steaming]. [Multi-Function]
- Weighing accuracy - Add pasta directly to the TM7 bowl and the integrated scale weighs the gemelli to the gram. [Weighing]. [Built-in Scale]
Ingredients
- Parmesan cheese
- pine nut, raw
- cilantro, fresh
- red onion
- garlic cloves
- salt
- olive oil
- lemon juice
- water
- jumbo shrimp