Shrimp and Asparagus

By
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
A recipe developer and food photographer, Leah Maroney is an ardent home cook and food blogger who has written over 300 recipes for The Spruce Eats.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 06/29/21
shrimp and asparagus

The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney 
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 8 mins
Total: 18 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 1 pan
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
194 Calories
14g Fat
8g Carbs
10g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 194
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 19%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 78mg 26%
Sodium 620mg 27%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 3g 9%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 16mg 82%
Calcium 117mg 9%
Iron 2mg 8%
Potassium 346mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

One-pan garlic lemon shrimp and asparagus is an insanely easy dish that's (almost) instantly delicious. Asparagus and shrimp have similar short cook times, so they can be cooked together in a single pan in less than 20 minutes. 

We topped this one-pan meal with lots of freshly chopped garlic, fresh lemon juice, and herbs. There are only a few ingredients, but they pack a flavorful punch. The buttery lemon sauce is perfect for sopping up with some crusty bread.

You can easily change up the herbs and seasonings. It can be made dairy-free by omitting the butter and replacing it with olive oil and leaving out the Parmesan cheese. It’s a totally keto-friendly meal, but if you’re looking to add a carb you can serve it over rice pilaf, quinoa, or pasta. You can also lower the fat by just using a tablespoon of olive oil.

If you love shrimp and veggies, you’ll want to add this recipe to your weeknight rotation. It's so quick and easy and only dirties one pan, making clean-up a breeze.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound extra-jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), peeled and deveined

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 pound asparagus, trimmed

  • 1 teaspoon dried basil

  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic

  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh parsley

  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    ingredients for one pan shrimp and asparagus
    The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  2. After deveining and peeling the shrimp, pat them completely dry with paper towels. Season with half of the salt and pepper the shrimp and set aside. You can remove the tails if you wish. 

    shrimp patted dry and salted and peppered
    The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney 

  3. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the shrimp to one side of the skillet and the asparagus to another. Sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper and the dried basil.

    shrimp and asparagus added to one large pan
    The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  4. Cover, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until the asparagus is bright green and just tender and the shrimp is opaque. You can gently stir or toss the shrimp and asparagus as it cooks so they cook evenly. 

    cooked shrimp and asaparagus in one pan
    The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  5. Add the garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and parsley. Toss and continue cooking for another minute. 

    garlic, parsley and lemon with shrimp in one pan
    The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney 

  6. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

    shrimp and asparagus cooked in one large pan
     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

Recipe Variations

  • You can give this dish Asian flavors by replacing the lemon juice with orange juice, plus adding 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of grated ginger. Leave out the basil, parsley, and Parmesan cheese.
  • Give it a Greek touch by adding chopped fresh dill, more fresh parsley, and 1 teaspoon dried oregano. Serve with some crumbled feta instead of Parmesan.
  • You can toss in other vegetables that you love too. Just keep it to veggies that cook quickly, like kale, spinach, tomatoes, or thinly-sliced peppers. Broccoli will take a lot longer to cook than the shrimp, but if you start cooking it 3 minutes before adding the shrimp, then they will be ready at about the same time.