One-Pot Lemon Shrimp Pasta

Grace Elkus
Grace Elkus
Grace Elkus was the Deputy Food Director at Kitchn, where she wrote a monthly vegetarian recipe column called Tonight We Veg. She received her culinary arts diploma from The Natural Gourmet Institute.
updated Jun 21, 2021
Snapshot Cooking
Post Image
Credit: Joe Lingeman

This one-pot pasta, made with protein-packed shrimp, creamy white beans, and nutrient-dense kale, is a complete meal all-in-one.

Serves4

Prep10 minutes

Cook8 minutes to 10 minutes

Jump to Recipe
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Post Image
Credit: Joe Lingeman

The beauty of a one-pot pasta is, of course, that you cook both the pasta and the sauce in a single pot. But this specific rendition has another big benefit: It’s a complete meal, all in one. Here, protein-packed shrimp and white beans mingle with nutrient-dense kale in a bright, lemony pasta dish that’s ready in just 20 minutes.

In addition to adding protein, the beans break down a bit as they cook, lending a delightful creaminess to the pasta without any real cream. The shrimp go in midway through cooking, ensuring they’re perfectly plump and juicy when the noodles are al dente. And if you’re of the mind that no pasta dish is complete without garlic, sauté a few sliced cloves in the pot before adding in the rest of the ingredients.

One quick cooking note: Hardy kale can stand up to a longer cooking time, but if you’re using a more tender green such as baby spinach, add it in when you stir in the shrimp.

Credit: Joe Lingeman

One-Pot Lemon Shrimp Pasta

This one-pot pasta, made with protein-packed shrimp, creamy white beans, and nutrient-dense kale, is a complete meal all-in-one.

Prep time 10 minutes

Cook time 8 minutes to 10 minutes

Serves 4

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch

    kale

  • 1 (about 15-ounce) can

    cannellini beans

  • 1

    large lemon

  • 4 1/2 cups

    water

  • 12 ounces

    dried linguine pasta

  • 2 tablespoons

    olive oil

  • 2 teaspoons

    kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 pound

    raw peeled and deveined shrimp

  • Red pepper flakes, for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

Show Images
  1. Strip the leaves from 1 bunch kale, then tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large, straight-sided skillet. Drain and rinse 1 can cannellini beans and add to the skillet. Finely grate the zest from 1 large lemon into the skillet (reserve the zested lemon). Add 4 1/2 cups water, 12 ounces dried linguine, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

  2. Bring to a boil over high heat. Continue to boil, turning the pasta frequently with tongs, for 5 minutes. Add 1 pound raw shrimp and cook until the pasta is al dente, the liquid has nearly evaporated, and shrimp are opaque, 3 to 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat, halve the lemon, squeeze the juice over the pasta, and toss to combine. Taste and season with more salt as needed. Top with crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days.