Shrimp and Vegetable Pasta
Last Updated on March 20, 2024 by Annie
Say hello to the weeknight dinner of your dreams! This simple, flavorful, and filling Shrimp and Vegetable Pasta comes together in under 30 minutes for an easy dairy-free dinner. Loaded with marinated shrimp, zucchini, bell peppers, red onion, and bow tie pasta, this easy dinner recipe can’t be beat!
Life sure has changed in the MLAD household. For starters we have been adjusting to the tiny human we brought into the fold about 5 months ago and we are learning there are just some things that you could get away with in your pre-baby life that just don’t happen in your post-baby life.
For starters, long, complicated dinner recipes. By the time the tiny human is down for bed at 7:30 PM the LAST thing I want to do is make a complicated dinner. While I’ve adopted a few tricks to cut back on the amount of time I spend prepping dinner, I’ve also been working on keeping the recipes quick and easy. So easy that even Mr. MLAD can hop in on the dinner prep if needed.
This simple shrimp and vegetable pasta takes under 30 minutes to make and fills us up with a little protein, a variety of vegetables, and some filling farfalle pasta.
Why we LOVE this Shrimp and Vegetable Pasta
- Quick and easy. Seriously, this one is truly quick and easy to make.
- Filling. Packed with shrimp, vegetables, and pasta it’s an all in one meal you will be happy to have again and again.
- Leftovers! This dairy-free dinner makes about 6 servings so you can easily eat in it all week long!
How to Quickly Make Shrimp and Vegetable Pasta
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Shrimp marinade– Olive oil mixed with a blend of spices coats the shrimp and adds a little extra flavor to the pasta dinner.
- Shrimp– Peeled, deveined, and thawed.
- Pasta– I love using bow tie pasta for this recipe.
- Zucchini– Fresh, chopped, and quartered.
- Bell Pepper– Any color bell pepper works in this recipe, I just like how the red adds a nice pop of color.
- Red onion– Diced into small bite sized bits.
Step-by-Step Directions for Shrimp and Vegetable Pasta
- Make shrimp marinade: In a medium bowl, mix together olive oil, honey, garlic, parsley, paprika, onion powder, salt, pepper, and lime juice.
- Save some marinade: Reserve 2 Tablespoons of the shrimp marinade in a small bowl.
- Marinate shrimp: Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes.
- Cook pasta: While shrimp marinates, cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente.
- Drain pasta: Once cooked, drain the pasta and add it to a large bowl. Set the pasta to the side.
- Cook shrimp: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the marinated shrimp and cook 3 minutes per side.
- Remove the shrimp from the skillet but leave any additional juices/marinade in the skillet.
- Cook vegetables: Add the chopped vegetable into the skillet and sauté to your desired level of done-ness. I usually cook them about 5 minutes.
- Stir to combine: Mix the vegetables into the pasta bowl and stir to combine. Add the reserved marinade to finish off the pasta and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Variations to try next time!
If you want to switch up this simple and flavorful shrimp and vegetable pasta dish, here are a few different variations you might want to try!
- Swap the pasta. Try using shells, elbows, or ditalini pasta instead of bow tie.
- Substitute the vegetables. Swap the zucchini for squash, add a diced Roma tomato, or sub the zucchini with broccoli.
- Make it vegetarian. Skip the shrimp but keep the marinade as a dressing for the vegetable pasta dish. Feel free to double up on the vegetables or add in some additional veggies listed above.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
When you are ready to whip up this quick and easy shrimp and vegetable pasta, here are some tools you might find helpful in the kitchen:
- Non-stick skillet– Great for cooking the shrimp and the vegetables.
- Glass bowls– Perfect for making and marinating the shrimp.
Time Saving Tips for Quicker Prep
As mentioned above, I have really been looking for ways to cut back on the prep time or better utilize my time so that when it is time to whip up dinner it really goes quickly.
- Multi-task. When it comes to this recipe there are a few things you can do while other items are marinating or cooking. For example:
1. Boil water/cook pasta while shrimp marinates.
2. Chop veggies in advance. (if possible- I usually chop, pull spices/seasonings, etc during the last nap before bath time routine) - Prep in advance. If you like to meal prep for the week, chop up the veggies for this dish and store them in a Tupperware container until you are ready to whip up the dish.
Serving Suggestions
You can’t go wrong with a bowl of this shrimp and vegetable pasta as is but if you want to level up your dinner, this shrimp and veggie pasta pairs perfectly with a glass of white wine aaaaaaand:
Still craving delicious and dairy-free Pasta Recipes? Try out these delicious dishes next!
Did you make this easy and filling shrimp and vegetable pasta? Let me know in the comments below how they went. You can also take a picture and share it with me on Instagram @mylifeafterdairy so I can share your life after dairy adventures!
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Shrimp and Vegetable Pasta
Filling and flavorful, this shrimp and vegetable pasta is a 30 minute meal loaded with marinated shrimp, zucchini, bell pepper, red onion, and bow tie pasta.
Ingredients
Shrimp Marinade
- ¼ cup Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 2 cloves Garlic grated or minced
- 1 teaspoon Dried Parsley
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Lime Juice
Shrimp and Vegetable Pasta
- 1 pound Shrimp peeled and deveined
- ½ pound Pasta bow tie
- 2 Zucchini diced
- 1 Bell Pepper diced
- ½ Red Onion diced
Instructions
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In a medium bowl, mix together ¼ cup olive oil, 1 Tablespoon honey, 2 cloves of grated garlic, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1 teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and 1 teaspoon lime juice.
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Reserve 2 Tablespoons of the shrimp marinade in a small bowl.
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Pour the remaining marinade over 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp. Stir to coat and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes.
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While shrimp marinates, cook ½ pound of pasta according to the package directions until al dente.
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Once cooked, drain the pasta and add it to a large bowl. Set the pasta to the side.
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Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the marinated shrimp and cook 3 minutes per side.
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Remove the shrimp from the skillet but leave any additional juices/marinade in the skillet.
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Add 2 diced zucchini, 1 diced bell pepper, and 1/2 diced red onion into the skillet and sauté to your desired level of done-ness. I usually cook them about 5 minutes.
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Mix the vegetables into the pasta bowl with the shrimp and stir to combine.
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Add the reserved marinade to finish off the pasta and season with salt and pepper as needed.
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