This one-pan shrimp and asparagus recipe is a quick, healthy dinner made with garlic, lemon, and fresh basil, all ready in about 20 minutes. Low-carb, gluten-free.
Step into the fire of self-discovery. This fire will not burn you, it will only burn what you are not. – Mooji
Don’t you just love quick, healthy one-pan meals? This shrimp and asparagus recipe is about as easy as it gets. Light and lemony, it’s so vibrant and flavorful.
Sometimes I’ll pair it with creamy polenta or rice, but sometimes I’ll just pile it into a bowl and have it on its own for a quick, low-carb dinner. Brian loves this meal, and I love how easy it is. I always try to have a bag of shrimp in the freezer for busy evenings or when I don’t feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen. And spring is the time of the year when I just want to be outside, in my garden. 🌷
Amazing dish! Simple and full of flavor. This is now one of our quick go-to recipes!
Why you’ll love this Shrimp Asparagus recipe!
Simple ingredients you may already have on hand. Keep a bag of shrimp in the freezer, and you’ll be able to make this in a pinch whenever you’re short on time or ingredients.
Ready in 20 minutes! Sauté the veggies, sear the shrimp, and toss! It’s helpful to have something like polenta or rice prepped ahead for serving.
Fresh, vibrant flavor. Garlic, lemon, and fresh basil give this dish such a satisfying, uplifting flavor that I crave during the warmer months!
Shrimp And Asparagus Recipe Ingredients
- Shrimp - Seek out wild, raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp (16-21 per pound). I love using Trader Joe’s frozen, wild Argentinian red shrimp – it just needs to be thawed – it is good quality and affordable.
- Olive oil - Adds richness and helps sauté the aromatics and asparagus while keeping everything light and fresh. Yes, you can add butter if you prefer.
- Shallot - Brings delicate sweetness and savory depth that pairs beautifully with shrimp and lemon.
- Garlic - Adds bold, aromatic flavor and gives the dish its savory backbone.
- Fresh asparagus - The star spring vegetable, adding fresh flavor, vibrant color, and tender-crisp texture.
- Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes - Season the dish while adding a subtle touch of heat that balances the sweetness of the shrimp and asparagus.
- Lemon zest and juice - Brighten the entire dish with fresh citrus flavor and balance the savory richness.
- Fresh basil - Adds a burst of herbal freshness at the end. Thai basil can add a slightly more aromatic twist.
- Optional- serve over creamy polenta or risotto with a sprinkling of parmesan!
How to Make One Pan Shrimp and Asparagus
1. Prep the shrimp. Thaw shrimp in a bowl of cold water, then drain and gently pat dry. Season all sides of the shrimp with a little salt and black pepper.
2. Sauté the aromatics and asparagus. Trim asparagus and chop. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté shallot and fresh garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add lemon zest and chili flakes and sauté for another minute. Add the asparagus, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender-crisp.
Tip: If your asparagus stalks are thick, add a splash of water, cover the pan, and steam for a few minutes.
3. Sear the shrimp. Scoot the veggies to the edges of the pan or transfer to a plate, add a touch more olive oil, then add the shrimp and sear both sides.
4. Assemble. In the pan, combine the vegetables and the shrimp, along with a squeeze of lemon juice. Cover the pan for 1-2 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender and bright green, and the shrimp is cooked through.
5. Season, taste, and adjust. Add fresh basil ribbons, then taste and adjust for salt and lemon. Garnish with lemon zest and chili flakes.
Chef’s Tips
- Pat the shrimp dry before cooking. Removing excess moisture helps the shrimp sear properly instead of steaming, giving them better texture and flavor. Make sure to lightly salt them!
- The dish comes together fast, so prep all ingredients before turning on the stove.
- If your asparagus is thick, add a splash of water, cover the pan, and steam for a minute or two until tender.
- Be careful not to overcook the shrimp. Shrimp cook very quickly! Remove them from the heat as soon as they turn opaque and lightly pink to keep them tender and juicy.
- Use a hot skillet. A hot skillet helps develop flavorful caramelization on the shrimp while keeping the asparagus crisp-tender.
- For extra richness, add a pat of butter or sprinkle with parmesan. This can be added at the end, giving the shrimp a richer flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Serve One Pan Shrimp and Asparagus on its own for a low-carb meal, or over creamy polenta (my favorite), rice, mashed potatoes, or quinoa. Serve with a side salad, like our Wedge Salad, Spring Greens, or Little Gem Salad.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop until warmed through.
More Recipes you may enjoy
After you try this One Pan Shrimp and Asparagus recipe, let us know how it turns out in the comments below. Your review will help other readers, too! Sign up here to join our community and receive our latest recipes and weekly newsletter! xoxo Sylvia
Shrimp and Asparagus Recipe
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2-4 1x
- Category: easy dinner idea, fish and seafood, healthy dinner, Main, one pot meal, spring recipes, weeknight dinner
- Method: sautéed, Stir fry, Stove top
- Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Diabetic, Gluten Free, Gluten-Free, high protein, Keto, Low Fat, Low-Carb, Paleo, Pescatarian
Description
This one-pan shrimp and asparagus with lemon and basil is a light, healthy skillet dinner that takes just 20 minutes to make! Serve it on its own for a low-carb meal, or over rice, quinoa, creamy polenta, or risotto.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces shrimp (raw, peeled and deveined, 16-21 per lb)
- 2–3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large shallot- diced
- 4–6 garlic fat cloves- roughly chopped
- 16 ounces asparagus (one large bunch), woody ends removed, cut into 1 1/2- inch pieces.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 lemon – use the zest, plus juice to taste.
- 10 basil leaves, cut into ribbons (or try Thai Basil!)
Instructions
- Thaw frozen shrimp in a bowl of cold water, drain, and pat dry. Season both sides with a little salt and pepper.
- Saute. Heat the olive oil in an extra-large skillet over medium heat. Sauté shallot and garlic, stirring until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add the lemon zest and chili flakes, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the asparagus, season with salt and pepper. Stir frequently until tender crisp. ( If your asparagus is very thick, add a splash of water, cover and steam for a few minutes).
- Sear the shrimp. Scoot asparagus to the sides (or to a side plate) add a little more olive oil to the pan, and add shrimp to the middle of the pan, searing each side.
- Combine. Stir the whole thing together, squeeze in some lemon juice, and cover the pan for 1-2 minutes, until the asparagus is tender and vibrant green and the shrimp is cooked through.
- Season. Add the basil ribbons, then taste, adjust salt and lemon to taste – find the balance.
- Serve. Divide among bowls and top with lemon zest and chili flakes, or feel free to serve over rice or creamy polenta.
Notes
A note on shrimp– I prefer frozen wild shrimp that is peeled and deveined. Trader Joe’s carries large Argentinian red shrimp, which are my favorite- affordable and good quality.
Leftovers will keep for 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
I particularly love shrimp recipe this over our creamy polenta.
For extra richness, add a pat of butter at the very end of cooking- for example, I’ll often add this to my husband’s portion after I take mine out. This way, he’s happy with his buttery shrimp, and I’m happy with my lighter olive oil version- Ha! 🙂
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 272
- Sugar: 4.6 g
- Sodium: 34.2 mg
- Fat: 19.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 15.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Might be helpful to specify that shrimp should be shelled and deveined and that asparagus is cut (as shown in the photo). Typo here: “Squeeze with lemon juice form one lemon toss,…”
Got it Sue!
Super simple and delicious recipe. One of our go-tos when we’re low on food in the house since it also works well with frozen asparagus.
Thanks Susie, Good to know!
Cooking this tonight. Thank you for your recipes they are absolute trustworthy gold! I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your “on the home front” portion of the post along with the recipe of course. I thought it was beautiful and gave me pause to think …which I am most grateful for at this time.
Awww… thanks Tati. Glad it resonated.
Super simple but amazing flavors!!
Thanks Megan!
Amazing dish! Simple and full of flavor. This is now one of our quick go-to recipes! Thank you, Sylvia! 😊
Hi Sylvia– do you think this would be good served on top of a grain or pasta? I’m looking for a bit more calories but don’t want to mess up the flavors or textures. Any suggestions? If it’s best unadulterated, I’m thinking just paired with some homemade bread rolls? Any spices or herbs that would go well in the bread for this dish? You’re the expert and have never steered me wrong so I’ll defer to you 🙂 Also…pre adding 5-stars because I have NEVER made one of your recipes that deserved less and I’ve made a ton of them.
Awww thanks Nikki~! I think it would be fine over a grain or pasta! Or even just rice!
Made it for Valentine’s dinner. We loved it.
We don’t use a lot of salt, so I will decrease to 1/4 teaspoon to start next time. The amounts of ingredients and cooking times were right on.
Yay!!! Glad you liked it!
Sooo good! bright flavors and the chili flakes gave it a perfect kick! Quick week night dinner!
This looks so tasty, Sylvia. Can’t wait to try it.
Thanks Pamela- it’s super fast and easy too! Hope you enjoy and welcome to the blog!