Sundried Tomato Pesto Penne with Shrimp and Sausage – Recipe!

I love to repurpose things in the kitchen, especially when it comes to cooking.  Last week I made a Sundried Tomato Swirl Bread and mentioned that you may have a little pesto leftover.  Well, this recipe is the perfect place to use up that sundried tomato pesto, or you can make a fresh batch, and use half for this recipe and half on one of those delicious loaves you haven’t quite gotten to yet.  The flavors of sundried tomato pesto are so spectacular because they have a sweet-tart thing going on.  Also, there’s something so tasty about the nuttiness of the pesto that pops when it’s warmed in the pan, and clings to the pasta, shrimp and sausage so beautifully.  This dish is simple enough to make any day of the week, but especially nice on the weekends served family-style right on the table.

Pasta dinners are something my family enjoys and I think they’re a great place to add a little protein like Italian sausage and shrimp.  The pasta is definitely the star of the show here, but the juicy bites of seafood and sausage make the dish complete and something that will fill you up with satisfying pleasure for sure.  A Caesar Salad or chopped salad would be nice alongside of this dish.  Check out my Reel @genabellrecipes on Instagram and see how easy this meal is to make.

Ingredients

1 pound penne pasta

1/2 pound Italian sausage, casing removed

1 cup sundried tomato pesto

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 pound large shrimp

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, for dusting

fresh parsley, optional

salt and pepper

(Serves 4-6)

To Prepare:

1. In a large pot, boil water for pasta.  Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta, cook for 8 minutes.  Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta liquid.
2. In a large skillet, add sausage and place over medium heat.  Cook for 4 minutes, while breaking pieces apart into coarse crumbs.
3. Add pesto and stir.  Add broth and cream, stir and cook until liquid is reduced, about 5 minutes.
4. Add shrimp and stir.  Cook for 2 minutes, then add cooked pasta and stir to combine.  Salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with parmesan and parsley (add pasta water to thin, if needed).  Serve and Enjoy!