Shrimp and Asparagus

Written by
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.
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Leah Maroney
Updated 04/07/20
shrimp and asparagus

The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney 
  • Total: 18 mins
  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 8 mins
  • Yield: 1 pan (4 servings)

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 large 16-18 shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound asparagus, stems trimmed
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon parsley, freshly chopped
  • 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.

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