Pesto Chili Crunch Pasta with Shrimp
pesto pasta got a glow up with a spoonful of momofuku's chili crunch and toasty garlic breadcrumbs on top 🍝🌶️ garlicky shrimp, rigatoni tossed in bright green pesto, finished with a shower of parmesan. it's saucy, spicy, crunchy, all in one bite 🫶
Ingredients
Homemade pesto
1 large bunch fresh basil
¼ cup cashews
1 clove garlic
¼ cup parmesan, grated
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
Pesto Chili Crisp Sauce
2 tbsp Momofuku chili crunch
¼ cup parmesan, grated
Shrimp
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
Panko crumb topping
¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of salt
Pasta
Rigatoni (or any pasta of choice!)
Serves 3-4
Prep time ~15 mins
Cook time ~ 35 mins
Cooking Instructions
WASH YOUR VEGGIES
Wash and prep your basil before getting started.
Make the breadcrumbs
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add panko and cook, stirring frequently, for 4–5 min until golden and toasted.
Season with salt and transfer to a plate. Set aside.
Make the pesto
Add basil, cashews, garlic, salt, and parmesan to a food processor. Pulse until roughly broken down.
With the motor running, stream in olive oil until smooth. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed and set aside.
Cook the pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
Sear the shrimp
Pat shrimp dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Sear shrimp for 1-2 minutes per side, until pink and just cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.
Toss the pasta
In the same skillet, on very low heat, add drained rigatoni, pesto, parmesan, chili crunch, and ¼ of the pasta water. Toss until everything is glossy and well coated, adding more pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
Assemble
Divide pasta between bowls. Top with seared shrimp, a spoonful of chili crunch, toasted breadcrumbs, and a generous grating of parmesan.
Serve immediately.
Tips & Notes
Save that pasta water — the starch is what makes the pesto cling to every noodle instead of pooling at the bottom.
Don't overcook the shrimp — they go from perfect to rubbery fast, pull them the second they turn pink.
No chili crunch on hand? Chili oil or red pepper flakes work in a pinch.
Toasted bread crumbs and homemade pesto is optional - just elevates the dish!
This one's easy to double for a crowd — just cook the shrimp in batches so they sear instead of steam.