Grilled pesto shrimp panzanella is a delicious mix of fresh tomatoes, grilled bread, plump shrimp and pesto. Summer backyard fare at its best that takes less than 30 minutes with just 7 ingredients.

The whole dish screams summer – grilling the shrimp and bread, summer tomatoes and fresh basil pesto. Great combination.

grilled shirmp panzanella with pesto on greens on a plate.

Panzanella is a rustic bread salad, typically served with tomatoes, basil and a vinaigrette dressing. By turning the basil into a pesto used in the shrimp marinade and dressing, both the shrimp and bread cubes get well coated in the herby, salty, garlicky flavors. Add a squeeze of lemon and it’s good to go.

The grilled bread gets chewy on the inside and still maintains a bit of crunch on the outside. We skewer the shrimp for grilling to prevent them from falling through the grill grates (and it’s much quicker to flip them this way!)

Bottom line: This grilled shrimp Panzanella salad with pesto is a quick and easy meal, perfect for a summer lunch or backyard dinner. Serve it warm or at room temperature.

Ingredients – tailored to your taste

raw shrimp, cherry tomatoes, pesto, baguette, green onion, lemon, garlic, olive oil. — Ingredients: shrimp, tomatoes, bread, lemon, oil, pesto, garlic, spinach, green onion

Shrimp: I prefer to use large shrimp for this recipe to avoid over cooking.

Pesto: For simplicity, buy a good quality pesto or make your own homemade pesto. Here is a recipe made in a food processor for a 5-minute basil pesto with walnuts.

Bread: I like to use a French bread or baguette – a bit on the stale side is best, but don’t worry if it’s not.

Variations and substitutions

Instead of grilling the shrimp, you can roast them in a 425F/218C oven for 6 minutes. And the bread can be broiled for a couple of minutes until golden brown.
Add-ins:
- To make the meal stretch farther, add red onion, olives, a grilled bell pepper, cucumbers, shredded carrots and/or other veggies.
- Add toasted walnuts, pine nuts, pistachios or other nuts.
Substitutes:
- Pesto: Try other types of pesto like spinach, parsley, etc.
- Tomatoes: Any ripe tomatoes will do, but you simply can’t beat peak-of-the-season heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes. Cherry tomoatoes or grape tomatoes work well too.
- Tofu: Substitute tofu for the pesto shrimp for a vegetarian version.

How to make grilled pesto shrimp Panzanella

skewered raw shrimp coated in pesto, baguette wedges on pan. — Thread shrimp onto skewers and coat in pesto.

grilled skewered shrimp coated in pesto, grilled baguette wedges on pan. — Grill pesto shrimp skewers and bread for about 2 minutes per side.

Shrimp Tips

Thawing: If you forget to defrost the shrimp overnight in the fridge (best option), place them in a colander and run cold water over them for 10-15 minutes.

Cooking: Don’t overcook the shrimp or they will turn rubbery. They only take about 2 minutes to grill per side. Maybe one extra minute if shrimp are large. They are done when they turn opaque.

Shortcuts

Use a good store-bought pesto from your local grocery store or Costco.
Buy frozen peeled and deveined shrimp. Thaw them first.

Make Ahead

The dish can be made ahead of time since it’s served warm or at room temperature. In fact, it’s even better if you give it a bit of time to develop the flavors. You can make it the day before and serve it cold, but I find it is more flavorful when you bring it to room temperature.

What to serve with shrimp pesto salad

I like to serve the grilled shrimp salad over a bed of greens for the color and nutrition. You can pair the pesto shrimp with a creamy tomato soup or this easy gazpacho recipe and a cold beer.