Shrimp and Broccoli Penne

A fast and easy weeknight dinner recipe, the whole family will love this lemony, garlicky, shrimp and broccoli penne pasta.

This dish is the perfect culmination of my family: it has pasta for my husband, shrimp for my boys, and broccoli for me. Add in the fact that it’s quick, tasty, and doesn’t dirty a lot of dishes? Sign me up! If you don’t often cook seafood at home, I still urge you to try this Shrimp and Broccoli Penne. It might just convert you to cooking shrimp or fish more often!

Ingredients

• Penne pasta: I like penne for being bite-sized, but you can use whatever pasta you have on hand.
• Shrimp: They can often be bought peeled and deveined, they are small, plump bites of buttery, tender flavor.
• Garlic: Nutty, earthy, and cooks to be sweet and aromatic.
• Broccoli: Low in calories, high in fiber, iron, potassium, and vitamins, broccoli is a great vegetable to include in your daily meals.
• Lemon: This recipe uses both the juice and zest of a lemon, adding a bright, acidic, fresh flavor to the meal.
• Parmesan cheese: Nutty and somewhat fruity in flavor, its a hard cheese that pairs wonderfully with pasta dishes.
• Olive oil: A light, heart healthy oil to help dress and sauce the dish.

How to Make Shrimp and Broccoli Penne

Start by washing and cutting your broccoli.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then add the pasta and cook according to package instructions.

Add the broccoli to the pot of pasta about 4 minutes before finished to cook to a bright green color. Then drain and set both broccoli and pasta aside.

While the pasta and broccoli is cooking, you can pat dry and season your shrimp with salt and pepper.

Then heat some olive oil in a pan and add the garlic, sautéing until aromatic, no more than 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and sauté until pink, about 3-4 minutes.

Once shrimp is cooked, add the reserved pasta and broccoli to the pan.

Drizzle with remaining olive oil and fresh lemon juice.

Add the fresh lemon zest, and I also like to add more freshly grated garlic.

Finish with the freshly grated parmesan cheese before tossing everything together, making sure it’s all evenly coated with the sauce and warmed through.

Serve with additional parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley. Enjoy your Shrimp and Broccoli Penne!

Easy Substitutions

• Don’t like seafood? Don’t worry, you can swap the shrimp out for chicken, or even sausage.
• Make it gluten-free. Use a gluten-free pasta and this dish is celiac friendly.

Frequently asked questions:

More Seafood

• New England Baked Scallops with Panko
• Easy Pan Seared Salmon
• Broiled Whitefish with Mango Salsa
• Mediterranean Sautéed Shrimp
• Baked Dijon Salmon

Eat It, Like It, Share It!

Did you try this shrimp recipe? The next time you make it, snap a picture and share it to your socials! Tag @thelemonbowl and #thelemonbowl so we can admire and share your meal.

A hit for the whole family, my Shrimp and Broccoli Penne will make dinner easy and delicious.

Your fork is waiting.