One-Pan Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta with Zucchini
A vibrant and flavorful one-pan pasta dish featuring succulent shrimp, tender zucchini, and a bright lemon-garlic sauce, all cooked together for minimal cleanup and maximum taste.
Ingredients
- •1 lb large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails on or off
- •3 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- •4 garlic cloves, minced
- •0.5 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- •2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced into 1/4-inch moons
- •10 oz linguine or spaghetti, broken in half
- •3.5 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- •0.5 cup water
- •1 large lemon, zested and juiced
- •0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- • to taste salt
- • to taste black pepper, freshly ground
- • for serving Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- 1.
Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season with salt and black pepper. Set aside.
- 2.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned shrimp and cook for 1-2 minutes per side, just until pink and opaque. Do not overcook. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
- 3.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the same pan. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- 4.
Add the sliced zucchini to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly tender-crisp.
- 5.
Stir in the broken linguine (or spaghetti), chicken/vegetable broth, and water. Season with salt and black pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking.
- 6.
Uncover the pan, stir well, and continue to simmer for another 5-10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed, stirring more frequently towards the end.
- 7.
Return the cooked shrimp to the pan and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes, just to heat the shrimp through.
- 8.
Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and fresh chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- 9.
Serve immediately, garnished with extra fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Tips
- 💡Do not overcook the shrimp in the initial step; they will finish cooking when added back to the pasta at the end. Overcooked shrimp can become rubbery.
- 💡Stir the pasta frequently, especially after uncovering, to ensure even cooking and prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- 💡If your pasta absorbs liquid faster or slower, adjust by adding a splash more broth/water if it's too dry, or simmering a bit longer if it's too soupy.
- 💡Breaking the pasta in half helps it fit better in a one-pan setup and makes it easier to manage.
- 💡For extra richness, you can stir in a tablespoon of butter or a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil at the very end with the lemon and parsley.
Recipe from TheCookbook.ai
Created by Basil Roux