Easy Shrimp & Asparagus Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce
Shrimp lovers, listen up! I have the most perfect springtime entree made with Angel Hair Pasta, juicy shrimp, and fresh asparagus. This Shrimp and Asparagus Pasta comes together in a quick lemon cream sauce with fresh herbs for a weeknight meal that’s ready in just a half-hour!
Table of contents
Why We Love This Angel Hair Pasta with Asparagus and Shrimp
If you are like us, you are constantly on the lookout for healthy shrimp dinners, like this Shrimp and Garlic Sauce or our Shrimp and Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner. We especially love it when a good shrimp recipe incorporates fresh seasonal veggies (hello asparagus season!!) to make them healthier and bulk up the serving size. That’s why when we tried this Shrimp and Asparagus Pasta, we knew we had a winner!
It is a great all-in-one meal for a weeknight dinner, and it is fancy enough to prepare for company. Since it has both protein and veggies, along with pasta, it is a complete meal all on its own!
Ingredients For This Easy Shrimp Asparagus Pasta Dish
Angel hair pasta
We chose angel hair pasta, also called capellini, for this recipe. It is the perfect texture for the cream sauce and the delicate taste of the shrimp and asparagus. That said, you can substitute another pasta shape, and note that gluten-free pasta also works too!
Large shrimp
To make this really easy, we used uncooked pre-shelled large shrimp (size 26/30.) Since the shrimp are rather saucy, we opted for those without the tails (since holding saucy shrimp tails in your hands is kind of messy!)
Did you know that farmed shellfish is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gasses from protein sources? We suggest, looking for sustainably harvested shrimp by looking for labels such as “Certified Sustainable Seafood Marine Stewardship Council” and “Aquaculture Stewardship Council Certified” to ensure your shellfish choice has a smaller carbon footprint. Read more at Seafood Watch.
Unsalted Butter and Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Shrimp and butter are a match made in heaven, so we opted to sear the shrimp first in butter. We cut it with a bit of extra-virgin olive oil to cut back on saturated fat.
Asparagus
We adore asparagus around here. From simple sides like roasted asparagus and grilled asparagus to entrees like this asparagus pizza, when it is in season, we add it to our meals several times a week!
For this recipe, we used 1 bunch of asparagus. We snapped off the pithy woody stems and cut the stalks into 2-inch pieces. Note: for this recipe, medium-thin asparagus is best.
Cream
The sauce for this pasta dish is made with a combination of the pasta cooking liquid and heavy cream. It coats the pasta, asparagus and shrimp lightly and adds subtle richness. If you are looking for a lower-calorie alternative, you can use bottled clam juice instead.
Seasonings
- Garlic
- Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
- Lemon zest and Wedges
- Tarragon
Step-By-Step instructions
Step 1: Boil Water and Dry Shrimp
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt. Meanwhile, pat shrimp dry with paper towels.
Step 2: Sear Shrimp
Melt 1 tablespoon butter with oil in a large skillet (not non-stick) over high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer, and let cook on one side until seared, pink and curling, 1 to 2 minutes. With tongs, flip shrimp over and let cook until cooked through and bright pink all over, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the shrimp to a plate.
Step 3: Asparagus and Cream Sauce
Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in the skillet. Add asparagus and garlic, and cook stirring constantly until the garlic is fragrant and browning and the asparagus is starting to soften, 1 to 2 minutes.
Pour in heavy cream and bring to a simmer stirring. Add salt and pepper and cook, stirring often until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.
Step 4: Cook and Drain Pasta (reserve some cooking liquid)
When the water boils (timed so the asparagus is already in the pan) add pasta and cook according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Drain well.
Step 5: Combine Pasta, Shrimp and Asparagus with Sauce
Add the cooked angel hair lemon zest, tarragon, and cook, tossing together and thinning with pasta liquid if necessary, until the sauce is coating the pasta and the seasoning, asparagus and shrimp are incorporated into the pasta.
Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
FAQs and Expert Tips
To make this recipe lighter you can substitute some or all of the heavy cream with bottled clam juice. Just make sure to use less added salt to taste. Making this swap will save about 90 calories per serving.
Leftovers can be reheated, one serving at a time in the microwave. Cover with parchment and heat on high power for 2 minutes per serving.
While searing the shrimp as directed will really improve the overall flavor of the dish, it is fine to substitute cooked shrimp. Simply add them to the skillet with the heavy cream and heat them through as the cream reduces.
We love the fact that pasta dish is reminiscent of a healthy shrimp scampi, so we really like it best with big plump shrimp. Shrimp is sold in sizes that are measured by the number of shrimp in a pound. Look for 26-30 count shrimp for this recipe. It will need to be thawed, the shells removed and deveined before cooking.
How To Prevent Angel Hair Pasta From Clumping
The angel hair pasta cooks very fast and will clump together once it is drained, that’s why it is best to try to time the pasta and shrimp mixture to finish at the same time. To do so, wait until the pasta water is almost boiling before you start the shrimp. It takes about 10 minutes to cook the shrimp and asparagus, so try to time the pasta accordingly.
If your pasta is done first, no problem! Simply give it a quick rinse with cool water to rinse off some of the starch. You can also drizzle on a little oil to prevent it from clumping together. It will reheat in the pan with the shrimp mixture and cooking liquid.
More Recipes You’ll Enjoy
- Try this recipe for Shaved Asparagus Salad with hazelnuts and goat cheese. Another springtime salad with asparagus to try is this Spring Salad with peas and hard-boiled eggs. And there is also this roasted asparagus power salad with goat cheese.
- This chilled asparagus with tarragon vinaigrette is a good make-ahead side dish for springtime. Our roasted asparagus with Asian vinaigrette is a swarm salad of sorts to try.
- If you love shrimp, try our Shrimp Kebabs with rosemary and cherry tomatoes. And don’t miss out on these Shrimp Tacos with Jalapeño Slaw! Delish!
- For more shrimp love try Shrimp and Grits with Spicy Tomato Sauce or a cool and refreshing Mexican Jicama and Shrimp Salad.
- If you’re a fan of pasta dinners try this Vegetable Pasta Bake for a cozy comfort food meal.
- This creamy Brussels Sprouts Pasta Carbonara is a snap to put together!
- Our vegetarian Mushroom Fettucini Carbonara is a fan favorite around here.
- For another springtime dinner try this warm Asparagus Panzanella with poached eggs on top.
- Our Asparagus Orzo is an easy spring side dish with fresh herbs and savory flavor.
At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie
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Easy Shrimp and Asparagus Pasta Recipe
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 10 cups 1x
Description
Here is the most perfect springtime entree made with Angel Hair Pasta, juicy shrimp, and fresh asparagus. This Shrimp and Asparagus Pasta comes together in a quick lemon cream sauce with fresh herbs for a weeknight meal that’s ready in just a half-hour!
Ingredients
3/4 teaspoon salt plus more to taste and for pasta water
1 pound angel hair pasta
1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp (26/30 ct)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
5 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup heavy cream*
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon lemon zest, Plus wedges for serving
1 teaspoon chopped tarragon (or 1 tablespoon parsley)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt.
- Meanwhile, pat shrimp dry with paper towels.
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter with oil in a large skillet (not non-stick) over high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer, and let cook on one side until seared, pink and curling, 1 to 2 minutes. With tongs, flip shrimp over and let cook until cooked through and bright pink all over, 1 to 2 minute. Remove the shrimp to a plate.
- Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in the skillet. Add asparagus and garlic, and cook stirring constantly until the garlic is fragrant and browning and the asparagus is starting to soften, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pour in heavy cream and bring to a simmer stirring. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and pepper and cook, stirring often until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.
- When the water boils (timed so the asparagus is already in the pan) add pasta and cook according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Drain well. (If the shrimp mixture is not ready when the pasta is done, rinse with water or drizzle with oil and toss to prevent it from clumping together.)
- Add the angel hair lemon zest, tarragon, and cook, tossing together and thinning with pasta liquid if necessary, until the sauce is coating the pasta and the seasoning, asparagus and shrimp are incorporated into the pasta. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Notes
Heavy Cream
To make this recipe lighter you can substitute some or all of the heavy cream with bottled clam juice. Just make sure to use less added salt to taste. Making this swap will save about 90 calories per serving.
How To Prevent Angel Hair Pasta From Clumping
The angel hair pasta cooks very fast and will clump together once it is drained, that’s why it is best to try to time the pasta and shrimp mixture to finish at the same time. To do so, wait until the pasta water is almost boiling before you start the shrimp. It takes about 10 minutes to cook the shrimp and asparagus, so try to time the pasta accordingly.
If your pasta is done first, no problem! Simply give it a quick rinse with cool water to rinse off some of the starch. You can also drizzle on a little oil to prevent it from clumping together. It will reheat in the pan with the shrimp mixture and cooking liquid.
For Leftovers
Leftovers can be reheated, one serving at a time in the microwave. Cover with parchment and heat on high power for 2 minutes per serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 2/3 cups
- Calories: 525
The dish was tasty but didn’t have enough “sauce” for 1 lb. of angel hair pasta, in my opinion, even after liberally adding some of the reserved pasta water. Also, I doubled the asparagus and it still got lost in the tangle of pasta.
I should note that I used half and half instead of heavy cream in the recipe because that’s what I had on hand and also to reduce the fat load. (Healthy seasonal recipes?)
When I make this again I will reduce the pasta by half and double the asparagus. I may also lift the pasta in strands from its boil pot and add directly to the asparagus/shrimp mixture. Glamping pasta was a real issue! Also use a deep sided skillet for mixing! Thanks for the recipe. It was enjoyed!
Delicious! I made it according to recipe and it was so yummy! My entire family loved it! A few nights later I used some fresh corn I had boiled and fresh green beans instead of the asparagus and it was just as good. Keep the delicious recipes coming Katie! 🙂
This is all the perfect flavors of summer! So good.
Thank you, Katherine!
great combination of flavors and something different we just loved it and will make again!
So glad that you enjoyed my recipe, Claudia!
Very yummy! I skipped the double cream and used a light bechamel sauce, and it was delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
That’s an excellent suggestion, Tavo. Thank you for trying my recipe.
This is really good! Packed full of flavors and so easy! a huge hit at my house!
I am so thrilled to hear that, Toni!
This just screams spring to me. I am loving all things asparagus right now. Sounds delicious!
I agree, Danielle. Asparagus is perfect for this lovely time of year!