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This shrimp and white bean skillet has about 40 g of protein per serving and takes 35 minutes. The protein comes from shrimp, cannellini beans and a little Parmesan, not powder, so it tastes like the real thing.
You sear the shrimp in two batches, build a quick sauce from garlic, cherry tomatoes and white beans, then fold the shrimp back in at the end. Mashing about a third of the beans thickens the broth without flour or cream.
The one thing that goes wrong is overcooked shrimp. Pull them from the sear while they’re pink outside and still translucent in the center. They finish in the sauce in 1 to 2 minutes, when they’ve curled into a loose C and hit 145 F / 63 C. Tight little O’s mean rubbery.
Each serving is about 425 g, a full plate of food. Shrimp is the expensive part, around $12 for 600 g, so this is more of a weekend dinner than a Tuesday one.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- About 40 g protein per serving from shrimp and beans
- One 12-inch skillet and 35 minutes from start to finish
- Mashed beans thicken the sauce, so no flour or cream
- Lemon zest and Parmesan finish it bright and salty
Ingredient Notes
- Raw large shrimp (21-25 count): I keep bags of frozen shrimp in the chest freezer in the garage. Thaw in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes, then dry well. Buying 450 g instead of 600 g drops protein by about 7 g per serving.
- Cannellini beans: Two 425 g / 15 oz cans, drained and rinsed, give about 500 g of beans and roughly 35 g of protein for the whole pan. Great northern beans swap in one to one.
- Low-sodium chicken broth: Low-sodium lets you control the salt, since the beans and Parmesan already add some. Vegetable broth works, and check the label if you need it gluten free.
- Lemon: Zest one lemon before juicing it, since zest is hard to get off a squeezed lemon. The second lemon is for wedges at the table.
- Parmesan: Grate it fine so it melts into the sauce. A 30 g portion adds about 10 g of protein to the whole pan.
Shrimp and White Bean Skillet with Lemon and Garlic
Ingredients
Method
- Toss the dry shrimp with the smoked paprika, red pepper flakes and 1/2 tsp of the salt. Mince the garlic, halve the tomatoes, drain and rinse the beans, then zest and juice one lemon.
- Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a 30 cm / 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes, until it shimmers. Add half the shrimp (300 g) in a single layer and sear 1 1/2 minutes per side, until pink and lightly golden outside but still translucent in the center. Move them to a plate and repeat with the second batch.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tbsp oil, the garlic and the tomatoes. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until the garlic smells fragrant and the tomatoes start to collapse.
- Add the beans, broth and remaining 1/4 tsp salt. Mash about a third of the beans against the side of the skillet with a wooden spoon, then simmer for 6 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by about half and coats the back of a spoon.
- Stir in the spinach and cook 1 to 2 minutes until wilted. Return the shrimp and any plate juices to the skillet and cook 1 to 2 minutes, until they're opaque throughout, curled into a loose C and read 145 F / 63 C.
- Take the skillet off the heat. Stir in the butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and half the Parmesan, then taste for salt. Top with the remaining Parmesan and the parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Thaw frozen shrimp in cold water for 15 minutes, then dry them well before seasoning.
- Sear shrimp in two batches of 300 g so the 12-inch skillet stays hot.
- Take the skillet off the heat before adding butter, lemon zest and juice.
- Rinse canned beans to cut sodium, and taste before adding more salt.
Tips for Success
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels so they sear instead of steam, and cook them in two batches of 300 g.
- Pull the shrimp from the first sear while they’re pink outside and still translucent inside, since they finish cooking in the sauce.
- Mash about a third of the beans against the side of the skillet to thicken the broth without flour or cream.
- Stir in the lemon zest and juice off the heat so the flavor stays sharp instead of cooking down and dulling.
- Taste the sauce before adding the final Parmesan, because the cheese, broth and canned beans all add salt.
Variations
- Swap the shrimp for 700 g boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 3 cm pieces, searing in two batches until no pink remains.
- Go Tex-Mex: use chili powder and 1 tsp cumin instead of smoked paprika, add a diced jalapeño, and finish with lime and cilantro.
- Go Italian-American: add 2 tbsp capers and 1 tsp dried oregano with the tomatoes, and finish with torn basil instead of parsley.
Storage and Reheating
Shrimp and white bean skillet keeps 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Cool it within 2 hours of cooking before it goes in.
Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of broth or water for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring gently, until hot throughout. A microwave works at 50 percent power in 1-minute bursts, but the shrimp toughen faster that way.
Don’t freeze the finished skillet, because the shrimp and spinach turn watery. You can freeze the bean sauce from steps 3 and 4 for up to 2 months, then thaw it and add fresh shrimp and spinach.
Serving Suggestions
Shrimp and white bean skillet is best served straight from the pan at the table, with lemon wedges and a loaf of crusty bread to drag through the broth.
Creamy polenta, white rice or orzo all soak up the sauce well if you want a heavier plate. Any of them adds carbs but little protein, so the skillet itself still carries the roughly 40 g per serving.
A peppery arugula salad dressed with olive oil and lemon works as a cold side. Roasted broccoli is the easy vegetable.
FAQ
Why are my shrimp tight and rubbery in a white bean skillet?
They cooked too long. Shrimp that curl into a tight O are overdone, while a loose C means done. Sear them only until pink outside, about 1 1/2 minutes per side, then return them to the sauce for 1 to 2 minutes until opaque throughout at 145 F / 63 C. Take the skillet off the heat right then.
Can I use chickpeas or great northern beans instead of cannellini beans?
Yes. Great northern or butter beans swap in one to one and mash the same way. Chickpeas work too, but they’re firmer and thicken the sauce less, so mash a few more. Keep it at two 425 g / 15 oz cans, drained, to hold protein near 40 g per serving.
How long does shrimp and white bean skillet keep in the fridge, and can I freeze it?
It keeps 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat gently over medium-low with a splash of broth so the shrimp don’t toughen. Don’t freeze the finished skillet, because the shrimp and spinach turn watery. You can freeze the bean sauce from steps 3 and 4 for 2 months and add fresh shrimp.
What pairs with shrimp and white bean skillet besides bread?
Creamy polenta, white rice or orzo soak up the lemony broth best. A peppery arugula salad dressed with olive oil and lemon works as a cold side. Roasted broccoli is the easy vegetable. Each of these adds carbs more than protein, so the skillet stays the main source.
Is shrimp and white bean skillet gluten free, and how do I make it dairy free?
As written it’s gluten free, but check your chicken broth label since some brands add wheat. For dairy free, use 1 extra tablespoon of olive oil in place of the butter and skip the Parmesan, adding 1/4 tsp salt. That drops protein by about 3 g per serving.
