Lemon Shrimp Pasta is a perfect stress-free holiday dinner. It cooks up quick with few ingredients and makes for a relaxing meal! We can all appreciate a little more peace and calm!

Easy to vary depending on who’s coming for dinner, us Curry’s love celebrating the holidays with pasta! It’s easy and quick to make, have ready to serve a crowd, or make for however many people you have celebrating with you!

If Shrimp isn’t your thing, add scallops, mushrooms or lobster. No matter which protein choice or plants you wish to toss on in, we promise you, you will love the flavorful and ease this shrimp pasta recipe provides!

Why Shrimp is Good for Us

Who Knew? Did you know there are many bonus reasons and health benefits from eating shrimp! Besides being a great source of protein, they are rich in selenium, choline and Vitamin B12, and omega fatty acids! Shrimp helps to reduce inflammation from the antioxidant astaxanthin they contain, which also helps with oxidative damage. Shrimp can also be heart healthy in maintaining cardiovascular health and brain health.

WE Curry girls love eating for benefit and shrimp, if tolerated, is a great food choice. How do I know if I can tolerate shrimp or not? What are the signs? Itchy throat, rashes, hives are a few of the less severe reactions. Stronger reaction to shellfish is throat feels like its closing up. Megs gets the itchy back of her throat. So, if you have someone in your family with a shrimp allergy, its always good to know, try choosing one of the other choices I mentioned above. And if fish isn’t your thing, chicken cubes also work well.

Be Choosy About Buying Shrimp

I am also very particular where I buy my shrimp and where it comes from. I do not by shrimp unless it is wild caught in pristine waters, which means shrimp caught wild in places like Patagonia, Oregon, British Columbia, South and North Carolina. I buy my Patagonian Red Shrimp from our fish monger Dry Dock at my local farmers market. Dry Dock not only consciously sources their seafood, they will also overnight and ship direct! Learn more tips for buying shrimp and why your choice matters for both your health and the health of the planet.

Why should we care whether we eat wild or farmed shrimp? Knowing where your food comes from is important, and it’s always good to be informed. This way you can make smart decisions and purchases.

Lemon Shrimp Pasta

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Lemon Shrimp Pasta is a perfect stress-free holiday dinner. It cooks up quick and with few ingredients and makes for a relaxing meal! We can all appreciate a little more peace and calm!

Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

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1 lb. wild caught shrimp
Fresh lemon Juice, about 1/4 cup
Zest of 1 lemon (zest the lemon first, then juice the lemon)
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter (alternative butter works well too)
1–2 small cloves garlic, minced

Veggies to add:

1 small bunch broccolini, chopped, stems included
Roasted veggies such as zucchini cauliflower or butternut squash
1 cup shiitakes or a blend of mushrooms, sliced
1 cup leeks
1 box Jovial Tagliatelle gluten free pasta, cooked according to package directions.
1/2 cup pesto sauce homemade or store bought
Pecorino Cheese, grated or parmesan
Garnish with lemon zest

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Instructions

Defrost shrimp, if not fresh. Place shrimp in cool water and allow to defrost in the water.
In a large pot fill water to be able to cover all the pasta once the water comes to a boil. Add a heaping pinch of salt into the water and cover. Bring to a boil.
In a large skillet over medium high heat, add the olive oil and shrimp. Cover. Reduce heat to simmer. The shrimp will release their wonderful flavorful juices. Keep the juice.
Cook shrimp for 1-2 minutes. That’s it. Flip each shrimp. Once shrimp has cooked through, the shrimp turn an opaque color. Otherwise they will get tough and chewy. Remove just the shrimp to a bowl. Cover so they don’t dry out.
Next add the mushrooms and broccolini into pan, along with the juices. Cover and allow veggies to cook down and soften. Keeping the broccolini green ☺ Note you can also blanch the broccolini and toss in after the mushrooms have cooked down. A little trick to keeping them vibrant green.
While the veggies cook down, add the pasta to the boiling water. STIR Pasta. It’s important to stir occasionally to help separate the long noodles. Once the pasta cooks and the noodles are separated, allow to continue cooking at a low boil for about 9 minutes just until al dente. Check for doneness by tasting a piece. Once done drain pasta reserving a 1/4th cup of the water. This helps distributing the pesto throughout the pasta.
Now that the veggies and pasta are done, toss the veggies, shrimp and pasta in the pan. Add the pesto and a little pasta water, not all about a tablespoon or two. Add more olive oil or butter. If needed. Mix gently. Incorporating the pesto with the pasta.
Taste. Add more pesto if desired.
Salt and pepper to taste. I love sprinkling with a little truffle salt, or even a little red chili pepper flakes! Ohhlala!
Sprinkle with grated Pecorino Romano and lemon zest and enjoy!

Notes

Don’t over cook shrimp, they get too chewy.

You can add as many veggies as you want. Make it simple!

Follow cooking directions for timing of pasta. Make sure you stir pasta to separate noodles. Taste it 8-9 minutes after a low boil. Pasta should be el dente to taste.

Author: Curry Girls Kitchen
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Diet: Gluten Free

shrimp cooking — Shrimp cooking in olive oil, lemon and it’s juices.

add in cooked veggies — Shrimp cooking in olive oil, lemon and it’s juices.

This is such a flavorful lemon garlic shrimp pesto pasta, a dish the whole family will enjoy!

FAQ’s

Can I substitute another shellfish instead of the shrimp?

Yes! Use scallops or lobster.

So what goes good with shrimp pasta?

Crusty Garlic bread and a wonderful garden salad! Pour yourself some wine or bubbly water and you are in for a treat!

Can I add milk in shrimp pasta?

If you’d like to make the pasta creamy, I personally would add a little cream, not milk, about 1/4 cup. The cream, half and half, regular whipping cream or a great fav substitute coconut cream works great! Pour in the cream while tossing in the pesto! Now you’ll have a creamier version of your Lemon Shrimp Pasta recipe!