Dinner, Recipes

Easy Shrimp and Veggie Pasta

This easy shrimp and veggie pasta is a great way to use up any leftover veggies, add in your pasta, and use a protein of your choice! Quick, simple, & yet delicious! Proving dinner doesn’t need to be complicated! Bonus: you’re eating your veggies!

Eating veggies for most is a challenge. If we’re being honest vegetables are not always the star of the show, even though they should be the main event. This past week I presented at a conference for nurses on plant-based eating and diabetes. Research shows the link between increased consumption of plants and plant protein with a decreased risk for developing type 2 diabetes as well as helping to manage diabetes. Now if we only could eat more veggies!

The number question at the presentation and also from my clients: “How do I begin to eat vegetables if I’m a meat and potatoes person?” Truth: it’s not easy. However, continued exposure to vegetables helps us discover the ones we like and explore different ones we might not even have thought to prepare. When my nephews were younger we used to ‘transform’ vegetables. Any way to get a vegetable to look nothing like a vegetable. Roasted broccoli, broccoli cheese soup, and broccoli tots. Three exposures to broccoli and you get to choose if you like the vegetable or not.

Believe me when I tell you I’m not trying to minimize how difficult it is to incorporate vegetables. My presentation showed that we don’t have to cut out animal protein, but rather pay attention to the quantity and the quality of what we’re consuming. We ALL need to be incorporating more plants when we can. Plants include a wealth of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, and they all play a unique role in enhancing our health. No one said you have to be vegan to reap the benefits of including more plants. This pasta dish is a simple way to get you started.

Picture of myself in the convention center

Ingredients: Shrimp & Veggie Pasta

Shrimp – The truth is you can use whatever protein you’d like. When I think of ‘quick & easy’ seafood always comes to mind. Shrimp takes just 4-5 minutes (roughly) to cook. I do eat seafood, so this works for me. However, chickpeas are just as tasty! (of course use the protein you’d like, aim to make it just 3 ounces/serving).
Pasta – I’ve been on a fresh pasta kick here. Yes, this is white pasta. If you ‘sneak’ a peek at the fiber for this dish it has 13 grams of fiber/person. That’s 1/2 your day’s intake of fiber. The goal is to aim to make 1/2 your grains whole throughout the day. While this dish is a refined grain, aim to make other grains during your day whole. And remember, the idea here is to ADD MORE VEGGIES!
Veggies – Use vegetables that are cook quickly: zucchini (thinly sliced), mushrooms, garlic, asparagus, tomato, and I added spinach right at the end for even MORE veggies! The tomato is key for making a ‘sauce’. While it might not seem like much, when it’s added with the broth it helps to create a nice little homemade sauce. Use up your leftover veggies, but don’t forget the tomato!
Chicken Broth – or white wine, use what you have on hand. The key with the chicken broth/stock is to use a low-sodium option and/or no-added sodium if possible.
Black Pepper – always my go-to for some seasoning on both the shrimp and the vegetables. Not one to normally use salt if the dish has something ‘salty’ naturally and that is the Parmesan cheese in this case.
Fresh Herbs – I’m lucky to have some growing in my yard and can grab what I need when I need. If you’re able to access some fresh herbs it really does make this dish pop. Basil and parsley are always my go-to. However, oregano and thyme would also work nicely.
Parmesan Cheese – Adding this at the end so it melts and adds just a little bit ‘extra’. It can be optional and/or if you’re opting to go with just plants, use a little sprinkle of nutritional yeast.
Lemon – Didn’t have any on hand, but definitely would have added another layer of flavor and slight burst to make the flavors pop.

cutting board with tomato, mushrooms, zucchini, green onion, garlic, spinach

How To Make Shrimp & Veggie Pasta

Prepare your pasta according to the package directions.
Meanwhile, clean your shrimp and then season with black pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add your shrimp; stir-fry until pink, 2-3 minutes. Remove; keep warm. (I used a small skillet and cooked my shrimp as my veggies started cooking. Is it one more dish to wash? Yes, but for me it ensured my shrimp was cooking after I started cooking my veggies and didn’t get too tough).
In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of oil and stir-fry the ‘veggies’. For me that was asparagus, mushrooms, zucchini, tomato, garlic, and green onion. Sauté until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add your chicken broth and/or wine and all the fresh herbs and black pepper.
Add your cooked pasta and shrimp back to the pan and mix altogether. If you’re using spinach, add it now! Cook and stir until heated through, 1-2 minutes.
Sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. Spritz with lemon, if you have and are using. Serve and enjoy!