🌿 Fresh Garden Herb Pesto Pasta with Pan-Seared Tiger Prawns

✨ Elevate your weeknight dinner! ✨

Looking for an easy, healthy pasta dinner that feels fancy? This Garden Herb Pesto Pasta with Tiger Prawns is ready in under 40 minutes and packed with fresh backyard herbs. Instead of classic basil, I used parsley, cilantro, and Thai basil straight from my garden. Tossed with al dente fusilli, sweet cherry tomatoes, and perfectly pan-seared prawns, this dish is proof that weeknight pasta can be fresh, vibrant, and restaurant-worthy.

💡 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Bursting with fresh garden herbs and bold flavor

• Quick weeknight pasta that’s ready in under 40 minutes

• Balanced between easy comfort food and restaurant-worthy flair

• Perfect for healthy dinners with prawns and pasta

This Fresh Garden Herb Pesto Pasta with Pan-Seared Tiger Prawns proves that simple swaps and seasonal ingredients can transform a regular pasta night into a vibrant, flavorful experience. 🌱✨

Yield 4

Author Mae

Prep time

15 Min

Cook time

20 Min

Total time

35 Min

Print

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Garden Herb Pesto Pasta (Homemade Pesto with Parsley & Cilantro)

Elevate your weeknight dinner! Fresh, vibrant, and ready in under 40 minutes, this Garden-to-Table Pesto Pasta with Tiger Prawns is a delicious twist on classic pesto pasta.

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Ingredients

Grden Herb Pesto

• 1 cup parsley
• ½ cup cilantro
• ½ cup Thai basil
• ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 clove garlic
• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Pasta & Prawns

• 250g fusilli (or pasta of choice)
• 8–10 large tiger prawns, peeled and deveined (tails on if you like)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt (for pasta water)
• ½ tsp salt + ¼ tsp black pepper (for prawns)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• Extra fresh basil + curly parsley, for garnish

Instructions

To prepare the pesto

1. Add parsley, cilantro, Thai basil, pine nuts, garlic, and lemon juice into a food processor.
2. Pulse until the herbs are finely chopped.
3. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto becomes creamy.
4. Stir in the parmesan. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside.

To complete the dish

1. Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, then the pasta. Cook according to package instructions until al dente (usually 9–11 minutes). Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the rest and set pasta aside.
2. Prepare the prawns: Pat prawns dry with paper towels. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add prawns in a single layer and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side until pink, opaque, and slightly golden. Remove from skillet and set aside.
3. Bring it together: Return the drained pasta to the pot. Add the garden herb pesto and toss until pasta is well coated. If it feels dry, stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water. Gently fold in the prawns.
4. Finish & serve: Plate the pasta, then top with cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and curly parsley.
5. Serve warm and enjoy immediately.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

662

Fat

45 g

Sat. Fat

6 g

Carbs

53 g

Fiber

3 g

Net carbs

49 g

Sugar

3 g

Protein

15 g

Sodium

789 mg

Cholesterol

23 mg

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