We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Culinary

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Is Basil Shrimp?

Dan Harkins
By
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 4,946
Share

Basil can be the stand-out seasoning in a variety of shrimp dishes. Basil shrimp may refer to a simple coating of chopped basil, lemon juice, mustard and garlic to give skewered shrimp a distinctively tangy twist. It also could refer to a deeply nuanced shrimp dish featuring a homemade or store-bought basil pesto over shrimp and noodles.

It does not take very long to cook basil shrimp in any context. Even the larger prawns usually can cook within five or six minutes, so basil shrimp is often a quick recipe to execute. Starting an hour early to marinate the shrimp will impart more flavor, though, than simply combining ingredients over heat.

The marinade usually starts with both melted butter and olive oil in a bowl, combined with lemon juice, minced garlic, dijon mustard, minced basil, salt and pepper. Shrimp should be coated with oil in a bowl, which is covered and left for at least an hour in the refrigerator. Then, the fully marinaded shrimp can then be grilled over high heat until charred. Many use skewers to make it easy to turn the shrimp when ready. It is important to first grease the grill or the skins of the peeled shrimp could stick and tear.

For more robust flavors, many make a basil shrimp pesto to toss with noodles. This takes a little expertise, but not too much. First, basil leaves are blanched in cold saltwater. After straining, the leaves are chopped finely by hand or in a food processor with pine nuts, garlic cloves, Parmesan cheese and olive oil. Though recipes vary, a popular blend calls for 4 cups (1 liter) of basil to 0.5 cup (113.4 grams) each of pine nuts, olive oil and Parmesan, as well as two cloves of garlic.

After the basil pesto is finely blended, chefs often toss it with pasta and grilled or boiled shrimp. A variation is a dish with heat that calls for white wine, tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Instead of blending the ingredients in a food processor, this dish entails cooking the shrimp, setting them aside, and then adding garlic and pepper flakes to the oil, making it spicy and aromatic. Then, white wine, basil, tomatoes and some salt and pepper go into the hot oily pan to cook until the ingredients are blended. This concoction can then be poured over the protein for an Italian-tinged basil shrimp dish.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Dan Harkins
By Dan Harkins
Dan Harkins, a former military professional, brings his diverse life experiences to his writing. After earning his journalism degree, he spent more than two decades honing his craft as a writer and editor for various publications. Dan’s debut novel showcases his storytelling skills and unique perspective by drawing readers into the story’s captivating narrative.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Dan Harkins
Dan Harkins
Dan Harkins, a former military professional, brings his diverse life experiences to his writing. After earning his...
Learn more
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-basil-shrimp.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.