A Simple Dinner for Busy Days
This simple shrimp pasta recipe is perfect for busy evenings when I don’t have a lot of time to make dinner, but still want to enjoy a home-cooked meal. It’s easy to prepare, with ingredients I generally have on hand. Served with a salad, I can easily have a full dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes. The colorful and savory ingredients make it a delicious dish any time of the year.
This pasta dish works great for leftovers. If you don’t mind eating the same thing the next day or so, you’ll be happy to be able to turn this into another meal. Just heat the pasta and top with parmesan cheese, and it’ll be as delicious as the day you made it.

Simple & Delicious Shrimp and Spinach Pasta
This lemony shrimp and spinach pasta recipe us perfect for a quick and and simple meal. Serve it with a salad, for a full meal. It's perfect for the end of a busy day!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs frozen cooked shrimp any size, peeled and deveined
- 16 oz linguini pasta uncooked
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp butter unsalted
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 bag fresh spinach 6 oz.
- 1 tsp chili powder
- salt
- pepper
- Parmessan cheese for topping finely grated
Instructions
- Defrost shrimp under cold water. Pat dry. Place shrimp in a bowl and toss with chili powder, salt, and pepper.
- Cook the pasta in salted water, according to package instructions. Reserve 1-2 cups of pasta water before draining.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter to melt.
- Add onion and lemon juice, stir and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add garlic. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Add spinach and 1 cup of pasta water. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add shrimp and lemon zest. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add drained pasta and stir. Add as much of the reserved pasta water as needed to keep pasta from being too dry.
- Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
- Top with parmessan cheese and serve.
Notes
Regarding the yield:
This recipe will yield 6-8 servings. Adjust the yield based on the size of each serving you make.
If you like this recipe, try my Simple & Delicious Spinach & Garbanzo Pasta.
Lindsey @ Lindsey Reads
This looks delicious, thanks for sharing!
Lucy
You’re welcome! It’s a simple dinner with lots of flavor.
Rachel @Waves of Fiction
This looks delicious and bonus that it’s one you can whip up quick! Thanks for sharing, Lucy.
Lucy
You’re welcome! Double bonus: it was delicious the next day too 🙂.
Wendy
This looks delicious!! Thanks for sharing
Lucy
Thanks! It’s a popular dish for us 🙂.
Jodie
This sounds delicious and a recipe I’d like to try soon! Thanks for sharing.
Lucy
You’re welcome. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we do.