Lemon Shrimp & Asparagus Skillet

This one pan lemon shrimp & asparagus skillet comes together quickly and packs in SO much gorgeous flavor. It’s a weeknight wonder! (Gluten-Free, Paleo & Whole30-Friendly)

Three cheers for a one-pan dinner! Especially when it’s healthy, comes together in under 30 minutes, and tastes amazing to boot!

This Lemon Shrimp & Asparagus Skillet is your new weeknight best friend. It practically makes itself! Tender shrimp with vibrant green asparagus, and a bright lemon garlic sauce tastes amazing on any day of the week.

I love that it’s a simple way to prepare shrimp (it literally only takes 1-2 minutes per side to cook!) and the asparagus is an easy way to squeeze in some veggies. Lemon is a natural pairing for both asparagus and shrimp, so the whole dish feels cohesive, colorful, and full of flavor in all the best ways.

Here’s all you need to get started on this amazing lemon shrimp & asparagus dinner…

Here’s What Goes Into Our Lemon Shrimp & Asparagus Skillet Recipe:

Shrimp. I love large shrimp (31/40 per pound) for our lemon shrimp and asparagus skillet when I can find it for a great price. Shrimp is numbered as a count per pound, so if the label says ” (31/35 per pound), that means there will be 31-35 shrimp per pound, or 8-9 per serving. The higher the count, the smaller the shrimp. Make sense? You’ll want it peeled and deveined, with tails off. (Learn how to do this here)

Fresh Garlic & Simple Seasonings. Minced garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes are all the seasoning you need for your shrimp. They add LOTS of gorgeous flavor and make the lemon shrimp taste amazing.

Olive Oil, Ghee, Or Butter. To cook the shrimp and asparagus, you can use olive oil, ghee, or butter. Ghee or butter will give you the most (and in my opinion best) flavor, but olive oil also works. Try it with lemon olive oil if you like!

Asparagus. Fresh, ripe asparagus is delightful in this lemon shrimp and asparagus skillet. Look for a bunch of similarly-sized stalks, if you can, as this will help the asparagus cook more evenly.

Lemon Zest & Juice. Now, for our lovely lemon flavor! Right at the end, you’ll finish the dish with lemon zest and lemon juice. The combination adds bright, fresh flavor to every bite! (PS – I love a microplane rasp for zesting lemons!)

Fresh Herbs. Last, but not least, a little fresh parsley ties the dish together and adds another pop of color. If parsley’s not your jam, try basil or dill!

What To Serve With This Lemon Shrimp Asparagus Skillet:

• Cauliflower Rice. My go-to side dish for lemon shrimp & asparagus skillet is seasoned cauliflower rice. Try it with our Mediterranean Cauliflower Rice recipe, or simply season cauliflower rice with salt, pepper, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice to mimic the flavors in the shrimp.
• Veggie Rice Pilaf. If traditional rice is more your jam, serve your shrimp and asparagus with simply seasoned brown rice our or veggie rice pilaf.
• Smashed Potatoes. I LOVE these crispy smashed potatoes, and they taste amazing next to just about anything. (They’re also Whole30!).
• Fresh Fruit. Fresh fruit is basically always at our table (my kids love it!), so something simple, like fresh berries, orange wedges, or fresh pineapple can be lovely and light.
• A Side Salad. Or, keep things simple with a side salad and your favorite dressing.

FAQ + Tips & Tricks For The Best Lemon Shrimp Asparagus Skillet:

TIPS FOR TRIMMING ASPARAGUS. The bottom ends of asparagus stalks tend to be a bit dry and woody, with a stringy texture. When preparing asparagus, it’s important to trim off these ends before you add asparagus to your recipe. Look for the place where the stalk goes from vibrant green to a more pale white/yellow. The white/yellow end is the woody end and should be trimmed off. This tutorial from A Couple Cooks walks you through this process in more detail, or you can use the snap method to trim if that’s easier for you.

PALEO & WHOLE30 NOTES. This lemon shrimp & asparagus skillet is SUPER paleo & Whole30-friendly. For paleo, use whichever cooking fat you prefer best. For Whole30, stick to ghee or olive oil. The rest is naturally compliant!

WHERE TO BUY SUSTAINABLE SHRIMP. For the last few years, I’ve been ordering most of our meat from Thrive Market. They deliver to your door and use sustainable sourcing, which I love. Get $25 off your first order with this link!

HOW TO COOK YOUR SHRIMP PERFECTLY. Overcooked shrimp has a rubbery texture that’s pretty unappetizing. Here are a few things to look for when cooking shrimp so it’s perfectly done, but not overcooked:

• WATCH THE COLOR. The easiest indicator for me when cooking shrimp is looking at the color. Most shrimp goes from a translucent blue/grey when raw to an opaque pink/white when cooked. As soon as the shrimp goes opaque and takes on that peachy pink, it’s time to flip it!
• KEEP AN EYE ON THE TIME. Shrimp cooks quickly, and depending on the size of your shrimp, it can cook in just 1-2 minutes per side. Stay close and keep an eye on it.
• PAY ATTENTION TO SIZE. I used large shrimp (31/35 count), so my shrimp cooked in about 1 minute per side. If you’re using smaller shrimp, yours can cook even faster! If you use jump shrimp that are larger, it might take closer to 2 minutes)

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