Updated: June 30, 2025 Original Post: May 11, 2020

May is Mediterranean Diet Month – a month dedicated to celebrating the delicious and healthy way people in the Mediterranean eat. This Mediterranean Shrimp Pasta is a reminder of how delicious eating the Mediterranean way can be!

The Mediterranean Diet is built on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dried beans, nuts and seeds, olive oil, and seafood and has repeatedly been shown to be one of the healthiest diets in the world.

Researchers have found that people who follow a Mediterranean-style diet and lifestyle have lower rates of heart disease and cancer, and have found that it can help with weight loss, along with improving your mood.

What is it about the diet that makes it so healthy? The foods typically eaten are full of fiber, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and most are low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

Enjoying seafood twice a week, including shellfish, is an integral part of the Mediterranean diet. It’s a great source of protein, is typically low in fat and saturated fat, and is low in calories. We love seafood (probably a good thing since I work for a seafood company!) and aim to have some type of seafood at least twice a week. In addition to salmon, cod, and scallops, shrimp is one of my favorites.

What You Need To Make It

Shrimp

Shrimp is such an easy meal to prepare. Like most fish, it cooks quickly and requires only a little preparation. It’s versatile – it goes in everything from pasta and rice dishes to grilled and in tacos or on pizza. I usually have a bag of shrimp in my freezer for nights when I need a quick meal.

The trick with shrimp is not to overcook them. Shrimp cooks very quickly and can go from tender to tough in a matter of seconds. Multitasking is not an option when cooking shrimp! You need to be ready to move them from the skillet to the plate as soon as they are cooked. Here are a few tips for cooking shrimp!

Steps for perfectly cooked shrimp

• Thaw and then peel and devein your shrimp. (You can buy them this way, so you don’t need to mess with them.)
• Make sure your shrimp are all the same size. I like medium-sized shrimp and typically buy “26 – 30” shrimp. This just means you get 26 – 30 shrimp per pound. The smaller the number, the larger the size of the shrimp.
• Add a little olive oil to your skillet or brush your grill with it and heat to medium heat.
• Lay each shrimp flat on the pan or the grill and let them cook for 1 – 2 minutes until they release easily from the pan or grill. The most important thing here is not to let the shrimp overlap. If you need to cook them in 2 shifts, that’s okay!
• Turn them quickly to the other side and let them cook for another 1 -2 minutes. Watch the thickest part of the shrimp (the side where you took the vein out) and once that area turns from grey to pink, the shrimp is done.
• Remove them from the hot pan or grill immediately.

Because shrimp cooks so quickly, it’s one of those staples I like to have in my freezer for quick meals. This dish looks fancy, but it can be ready in 20 minutes.

Onions

I like sweet onions in this dish, so I used a Vidalia onion. One half of an onion, diced, is about 1 cup.

Grape Tomatoes

Grape (or cherry) tomatoes have a thick skin and not too many seeds, plus a sweet flavor which works well in this recipe. If you don’t have grape tomatoes, a whole tomato chopped, with the seeds removed, can be substituted.

Artichoke Hearts

Artichoke hearts are commonly found in Mediterranean cuisine. They grow well in the Mediterranean climate and using canned artichokes is an easy way to add them to this dish.

Spinach

Baby spinach adds a burst of color, flavor, and nutrition to this dish. Leafy greens are a key part of the Mediterranean diet and this is an easy way to get a serving in.

Broth and White Wine

Chicken or vegetable broth, along with a dry white wine like Chardonnay, is combined with the tomatoes to make a rich sauce. The liquids are reduced by boiling, so they add a concentrated flavor.

Pesto

The basil, garlic, and olive oil that make up fresh pesto are what add so much flavor to this dish. I upped the amount of pesto I used in this remake to give it a little more punch. You can garnish the final dish with fresh basil to really give it a boost.

Linguini

Dry or fresh pasta can be used to make this. Fresh pasta will cook quickly and has a little more starch, so it may help thicken the sauce a bit, but dry works well and is something I have in my pantry all the time. You can use spaghetti, penne, or other noodle shape if you prefer too.

Olive Oil

A little olive oil to keep the vegetables and shrimp from sticking as you cook them. You don’t need much!

Black Pepper and Red Pepper Flakes

I think this is all the flavor you really need. A little black pepper to season the shrimp as it cooks, and if you want a little kick, some red pepper flakes added to the sauce will give it all it needs. Otherwise, the pesto adds plenty of flavor.

How to Make the Mediterranean Shrimp Pasta

Step 1

Cook the onions and tomatoes until just softened. Add the shrimp and cook quickly on both sides. Remove the shrimp from the pan, but leave the vegetables.

Step 2

Add the artichoke hearts to the pan. Then add the wine and broth, stirring to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the liquid to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes, until the liquid is cooked down a bit and you have a light sauce. Stir in half the pesto and reduce the heat to just simmering.

Step 3

While the sauce is cooking, bring a pan of water to a boil and cook the pasta to the al dente stage. It should have just a little bite to it. Drain the pasta and return it to the pan. Stir in the other half of the pesto and coat the noodles.

Step 4

Add the shrimp back to the vegetables and sauce and stir gently to coat with the sauce. Add the spinach and toss to allow it to wilt.

Step 5

Place 1/4 of the pasta on each plate and top with 1/4 of the shrimp and vegetable mixture. Spoon any leftover sauce over the plate.

Garnish with parmesan cheese and fresh basil if desired.

Variations

If you don’t have shrimp, salmon would work in this as well. You could either cook the salmon separately or dice it and cook it in the pan with the vegetables as you do with the shrimp.

In place of spinach, baby kale or broccoli could also work in this dish. If using broccoli, add it to the pasta water during the last 3 – 4 minutes of cooking and toss it with the pasta and pesto before serving.

Other Recipes You May Love

If you like this Mediterranean Shrimp Pasta recipe, you may love some of my other favorite seafood dishes. Here are a few of my favorites!

Grilled Shrimp and Pesto Pasta Salad

Greek Style Cod in Parchment Paper

Oven-Baked Cedar Plank Salmon

This Mediterranean Shrimp Pasta has everything that makes the Mediterranean diet so delicious. Seafood, fresh vegetables and herbs, and fresh pasta. Try it and let me know what you think in the comments!