Quick Lemon Pepper Shrimp & Asparagus
Published Aug 27, 2019 Updated Jul 11, 2023
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This meal is such a lifesaver for those busy weeknight dinners. I also love cooking this recipe on the weekends when I don’t feel like standing in the kitchen for hours. This Lemon Pepper Shrimp and Asparagus is bursting with a ton of flavor and can be whipped up in 15 minutes or less.
To mix things up, I love adding shrimp to the menu. It gives us a break from the usual ground beef and chicken recipes. This Lemon Pepper Shrimp is not only flavorful, but it is a super healthy. I am positive that the whole family will love this dish.
First, I love that this Lemon Pepper Shrimp and Asparagus is Whole30, Keto, Paleo and Gluten-Free. Second, the lemon pepper seasoning I came up with is not only super easy, but, in my opinion, it tastes better than store-bought.
For the lemon pepper seasoning I use olive oil, lemon zest and juice, onion and garlic powder, along with kosher salt and pepper. I simply mix all of these ingredients into a bowl until combined. I not only use this on shrimp, but I love adding it to a chicken breast or cod.
In my opinion, the best shrimp to buy is the Members Mark brand that is deveined and peeled at Sam’s Club. If you are wanting to save money, one of my main tips is buying meat in bulk and storing in the freezer. There is good news, shrimp thaws in no time at all and serves as a quick and delicious protein option.
How do you get the asparagus so green for this Lemon Pepper Shrimp and Asparagus recipe?
Blanching is my favorite way to cook asparagus because not only is it a fast method, but it also deliverers crisp and green asparagus every single time. Blanching is a cooking process where a vegetable is scalded in boiling water the removed to halt the cooking process. This type of cooking allows the veggies to keep their bright color and clean taste.
How do you cook the shrimp to where it doesn’t get chewy?
Shrimp can become extremely chewy if it is overcooked. The reason I love shrimp so much is because it cooks super fast. My favorite way of cooking shrimp is sauteing in a skillet with ghee over high heat. You only have to cook for 2 minutes on each side. If you cook any longer, it may become chewy. To determine if it is done, it should be pink on both sides.
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Lemon Pepper Shrimp Sheet Pan
Ingredients
Lemon Pepper Shrimp
- 1 lb peeled and deveinded shrimp thawed
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large lemon zested
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp cracked pepper
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Blanched Asparagus
- 1 lb asparagus
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 8 cups water
- 2 tbsp olive oil for drizzle
- Fresh lemon juice and salt/pepper to taste for garnish
Instructions
- Add the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powered, kosher salt and pepper to a bowl. Mix together until combined.
- Transfer the thawed shrimp to a large bowl along with the lemon pepper mixture. With your hands, mix the shrimp and seasoning together until the shrimp is completely coated.
- Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the coated shrimp to the hot pan and cook for about 2 minutes on each side, turning once, until shrimp is pink and cooked through.
- Meanwhile, heat a large pot with 8 cups of water over high heat. Trim the ends off the asparagus using a sharp knife.
- Season the asparagus with 1 1/2 tsp of kosher salt. Once the water is boiling, add the asparagus; boil until tender, 3 minutes.
- Carefully remove the asparagus with tongs and immediately transfer to a big bowl of ice water for 1 minute to stop the cooking process. Blanching them like this will make them crisp and green. After a minute, transfer to a towel and pat dry. (You can also saute in a hot skillet after this step, but I love eating them just like this. They are so crisp and fresh)
- Place desired amount of asparagus on a plate and cover with the lemon pepper shrimp.
- Squeeze fresh lemon juice, drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- If you do not want to blanch the asparagus, feel free to add this to the sheet pan with the shrimp. This can easily turn into a one pan dish if desired.
- You can also steam the asparagus as a cooking option.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)
Thanks for the recipe and dinner idea! Made this last night for my husband and myself. Super easy to make and delicious. I also plan on cooking my asparagus this way from now on. It came out perfect!
YAY! I am so happy to hear that you loved this recipe.
This is a crowd favorite at my house! Whenever I tell my kids we are having shrimp, they immediately say, “please let it be the lemon shrimp!” Thank you for such a quick and fresh recipe.
So happy it is a hit with the entire family. Thank you Amy
Shrimp couldn’t be any easier and it was so delicious! Didn’t do asparagus bc store was out but just swapped w other veggies.