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 4-year-old and lots of broccoli for Mama. The youngest? Well luckily, that boy eats anything and everything.
If you aren’t a seafood-loving family like we are, simply swap out shrimp for chicken or even sausage. Similarly, any type of short pasta would work. Just use whatever you have on hand!
To save even more time in the cooking process, you can also always add the broccoli to the pot of boiling pasta about 2-3 minutes before you’re ready to strain the pasta.
Whatever you do, don’t forget the cheese. You really can’t have too much freshly grated Parmesan cheese in my book. Looking for other inspiration? Check out my Pesto Pasta with Shrimp and Peas.
Your fork is waiting.
Frequently asked questions:
In order to reduce sodium just look for low sodium shrimp and don’t add salt.
Swap out shrimp for chicken or even sausage.
Shrimp and Broccoli Penne
Ingredients
- 8 ounces whole wheat penne cooked according to package instructions
- ¼ cup olive oil divided
- 1 pound raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 4 cloves garlic grated
- 2 large heads broccoli – cut into florets about 4 cups
- 1 juice and zest of lemon
- parmesan cheese minced parsley or basil and red chili flakes – to serve
- chili flakes and parmesan cheese optional garnish
Instructions
- When cooking the pasta, reserve 1 cup of the starchy cooking liquid and set aside. Strain pasta and receive.
- Pat shrimp dry with paper towel then sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and heat for 30 seconds to release aroma then add the shrimp.
- Sauté shrimp in the pan until they turn pink, just 3-4 minutes total, being careful not to overcook. Remove from pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, add broccoli florets and reserved starchy cooking liquid (or chicken broth). Bring to a boil then cover the pan with the lid and reduce to simmer. Let broccoli steam until bright green, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add reserved cooked shrimp back into the pan along with the cooked pasta. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Toss well and add more salt or pepper to taste.
- Serve with parmesan cheese, minced herbs and red chili flakes.
Nutrition
Dori
I loved this! I sped it up a bit by throwing the broccoli in to cook with the pasta, with about 4 minutes remaining in the cook time. Will make again!
Liz DellaCroce
I’m so glad to hear it Dori!
Lauri
Superb! Simple ingredients that combine beautifully. I’m sure I’ll make this again and again. Thank you!
Liz DellaCroce
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!