Anyone else feel crazy busy lately? I guess a lot of you are into the lazy days of summer already, but we still have one more week of school, and soccer games, and swimming lessons, before everything shuts down for a couple of months. So I am all about the quick, easy, re-heatable, one pot meals right now.
That, and BBQing, because that’s also fast and easy with no dishes!
And really, even in the so called lazy days of summer, people are still busy. You still want quick and easy meals that taste great and require minimal prep and cleanup. Who wants to spend several hours cooking when you could be outside actually enjoying that summer weather? Not me.
This lemon shrimp one pot pasta has been a favourite of mine the last few weeks. My family is rather sick of it I will admit. Evidently they don’t want the same pasta dish over and over and over again. I don’t even understand that.
There’s lemon, and shrimp, and asparagus, and pasta – and it’s ready in one pot in under 30 minutes! What’s not to love?!
Maybe the kids criteria isn’t the same as mine as to what makes a great meal? Possibly. Oh well, I’m sure you’ll agree with me that this is an amazing pasta dish.
If asparagus is finished where you are, it’s equally as wonderful with broccoli instead. Plus, it reheats really well if you have time earlier in the day to cook, but need to be eating about 2 minutes after you walk in the door at dinnertime, rather than cooking for a whole 20 minutes first! Yes, that sounds ridiculous, but if you’re coming home with three starving children at suppertime after swimming lessons, you’ll understand how that can be a thing. And this pasta reheats well if that’s a thing in your house too! Just use a sturdier pasta shape like penne rather than the fusilli pictured here if you plan on reheating it. I found the fusilli ended up a little on the mushy side when it was reheated.
I loved this one pot pasta. It’s fast, easy, and full of lemon, shrimp and asparagus – three of my favourite things! If you need a quick and easy week night meal, you should definitely give this one a try!
Lemon Shrimp One Pot Pasta
*Note:* I have made this pasta with both penne and fusilli, and both were great immediately after making it, but I found that the fusilli didn’t hold up well to reheating and was a bit mushy. The penne held up well though and was still great when reheated, so keep that in mind if you’re planning on reheating this. I did make it ahead of time with the penne and then reheated it on the stovetop and it worked very well when using the penne, if you have a window of time earlier in the day to prepare it, but not much time at supper time!
Update 2015/07/14: Based on some comments from readers, I did a little more testing with this recipe. The type of pasta really determines how much liquid is needed for this recipe. As written, it works perfectly with pasta that is cooked to al dente in 5-7 minutes. With pasta that takes 10-12 minutes to cook, you will need to add 1 cup of water or chicken broth to the ingredients listed in order to have enough liquid for the pasta. So take a look at the pasta package and determine how much liquid to add based on the time indicated for cooking. Or just use pasta that cooks in 5-7 minutes and the recipe will be perfect as is! If you find your pasta isn't tender enough after the liquid has been used up, you can just add more liquid 1/4-1/2 cup at a time and continue cooking until your pasta is done, before continuing on with the recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 14 ounces (400g) raw shelled shrimp
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 lemons, juice and zest
- 12 ounces (375g) uncooked whole wheat pasta (penne, rotini, fusilli)
- 1 pound (450g) asparagus
- 3/4 cup milk (I used 2%)
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and add them to the hot skillet. Cook, flipping them once or twice until they are completely pink, 2-3 minutes. Remove the shrimp to a plate and cover with tin foil to keep them warm.
- Add a bit more olive oil to the skillet if needed, and add the garlic and basil, stirring constantly for about 20-30 seconds. Add the chicken broth, lemon juice and pasta and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a high simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally for 10-12 minutes, until the pasta is al dente. There will still be a bit of liquid left in the skillet.
- Add the asparagus and lemon zest, and cover and cook for 2 minutes until the asparagus is tender. While the asparagus is cooking, whisk together the milk and corn starch. Stir this mixture into the pasta, along with the cooked shrimp and parmesan cheese. Cook, stirring, for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce is thickened and the shrimp are heated through.
Notes
Source: Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe.
I always LOVE a one-pot meal, and this one sounds awesome!
One pot meals are just the best aren’t they? No dishes is such a bonus! 🙂 Thanks Cathy!
This sounds really yummy!
Love one pot meals and this looks yummy! I feel so busy too and we aren’t even in school any more. I just want to sleep for 5 days, hehe. Pinned!!
Hahaha, wouldn’t that be lovely?! Thanks Cyndi!
One pot meals are my favorite especially for all these busy summer days! This one looks fantastic! Love the lemon and asparagus in here!
I’m a sucker for one pot meals and love the flavors you’ve combined in this one!
I definitely don’t want to be stuck in my kitchen all summer! Meals like this are perfect for summer when you’d hate to turn on the oven. Pinned!
I’ll admit, I still turn on the oven plenty in the summer, but some days you definitely don’t feel like doing much and still having something more than sandwiches for supper! Thanks Ashley!
This looks SO SO good. The perfect dinner!
I love one pot meals! They make life so much better! Plus, yours looks delicious =)
I always feel crazy busy, so I love recipes like these for quick dinners!
It’s not just me?! It seems like summer should be less busy, but it never actually is! Oh well, I suppose I’d be bored otherwise! 🙂 Thanks Andi!
Love quick and easy meals! This lemon shrimp pasta looks amazing. I will be adding it to my rotation!
Thanks Kelley! Hope you enjoy it!
One pot meals are the best! Love the fresh lemony flavors 🙂
One-pot meals are so popular, and yours sounds great! Lemon, broth, and shrimp? No going wrong here!
That’s what I figure, I’m always happy when lemon and shrimp are involved! Thanks Kacey!
Oh gosh, yes to the crazy busy! Summer seems to be always so hectic lately – and all I want to do is relax! haha And yay for more asparagus recipes! I just made some roasted last night to go with dinner 🙂
I thought I was a bit late with the asparagus recipe, but oh well, it’s good with broccoli too, and I’m not done with asparagus yet! And YES, definitely just want to relax in the summer, but so busy! 🙂
love how simple but delicious this looks! i am a huge asparagus fan so even if they’re not in season i will still take that over broccoli anyday!
I’m kind of with you on that Beverley – but everyone else in my house prefers broccoli which I just don’t even understand – asparagus is so much better! Thanks!
I’m a huge fan of one pot meals. They are so great for busy weeknights. Love the lemony shrimp in this one!
Aren’t they the best on those busy nights? I need to find some more of them! Thanks Jen!
Oh I’m all about one pot meals! I’ve never made one with shrimp before, so I’m loving this. What a great weeknight dinner. Love the lemon flavor too, so fresh for the summer!