How do I peel and devein shrimp?

Now, you don’t HAVE to take the vein (that dark line up the back of the shrimp) out, but lots of folks prefer their shrimpies that way. Pull off the shell by wiggling it apart at the bottom of the shrimp. Once the shell is off, cut a shallow line along the top of the shrimp where the vein is, pull it out with the tip of the knife and…you’re done! Put the shrimp shells in a zippered plastic bag when you toss them out, because if they sit in your trash can for more than a few hours…well, I’ll let you use your imagination.

Can I use different veggies in this recipe?

You can use any veggie that your heart desires! Figure out the usual cooking time and add it to the the pot in time for it to get cooked the way you like it - and some veggies can just be stirred in at the end like I did with the cherry tomatoes. Baby spinach, fresh corn kernels and sliced zucchini or summer squash would all be great in this recipe.

How do I zest and juice a lemon?

Start with the zesting! There are all kinds of fancy lemon zesting tools out there, but I love my microplane zester - it does the job quickly and you can also use it for cheese. Simply drag the lemon over the zester and little chopped lemon peel pieces will come out the other side. As for juicing, you can get as fancy as having a citrus juicer that squishes the juice out and leaves the seeds, or you can simply squeeze that lemon juice into a prep bowl with your hands.

Have a question that I didn't cover?

Pop your question in the comments and I will get back to you pronto!

Shrimp Pasta Primavera

Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

This colorful recipe for shrimp pasta primavera is packed with fresh veggies, seafood and just the right amount of cheese for a perfect all in one supper!

Author: Kate Morgan Jackson
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 1x
Category: Dinner
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Scale

1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
12 ounces green beans, trimmed
I pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 ounces short pasta (penne, campanelle, etc)
4 tablespoons butter
1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
Juice and zest from one lemon
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 cup parsley or basil
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Give it a generous amount of salt (at least 2 tablespoons) and add the broccoli florets from one head of broccoli and 12 ounces of trimmed green beans. Cook those veggies for 3 minutes.
Add one pound of peeled shrimp to the pot and cook for 2 more minutes. Now scoop everything out with a spider or a slotted spoon and lay it all out on a rimmed baking tray (this is so it doesn’t keep on cooking).
Bring the water back to a boil and add 8 ounces of short pasta (we like campanelle best, but you can use penne, bow-ties, etc). Cook it up according to the directions on the pasta box, scooping out a cup of the pasta water before you drain it.
While the pasta is cooking, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the juice from one lemon, a cup of grated Parmesan cheese and about a quarter cup of chopped parsley (or basil) and give it all a good stir.
Add a pint of halved cherry tomatoes, the cooked broccoli, the green beans, the shrimp and the pasta to the skillet and toss, drizzling in as much of the pasta water as you need to make a nice light sauce.
Divide among plates, garnish with some lemon zest, more cheese and fresh ground pepper and serve!

Notes

- Shrimp: We use large shrimp for this recipe, but medium or large shrimp will work as well.

- Veggies: Any veggie you like will work in a primavera recipe! Squash, spinach, peppers, carrots…use your fave! Cook up any crunchy vegetables (like carrots and cauliflower) before you mix them with the pasta.

Find it online: https://www.framedcooks.com/shrimp-pasta-primavera/