Name: One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided; 6 medium cloves garlic, sliced, divided; 1 pound spinach; 0.25 teaspoon salt plus 1/8 teaspoon, divided; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 pound shrimp (21-30 count), peeled and deveined; 0.25 teaspoon crushed red pepper; 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley; 1.5 teaspoons lemon zest

Active Time:

25 mins

Total Time:

25 mins

Servings:

4

Yield:

4 cups

Nutrition Profile:

Low-Carb Diabetes-Appropriate Nut-Free Dairy-Free Healthy Aging Healthy Immunity Low-Sodium High-Blood Pressure Soy-Free Heart-Healthy High-Protein Egg-Free Gluten-Free Low-Calorie

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How to Make One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach

Shrimp is a quick-cooking protein that blends well with any ingredient. Here we pair it with plenty of garlic and spinach and keep the prep quick by cooking it all in one pan. Here's how to make this easy weeknight shrimp dinner.

Start with the Spinach

Spinach will be at the base of this easy dish. First, we cook half the garlic in olive oil to develop the flavor. Then we add the spinach and cook it until it's just wilted. Mature or baby spinach works well here. Since it doesn't need to be stemmed and is often prewashed, baby spinach is the better option if you want to keep things super quick. Mature spinach offers more texture once it's cooked, but its tough stems need to be removed before cooking, which adds to prep time. A squeeze of lemon juice is added after the spinach has wilted to add some tanginess. We add the lemon juice at the end to prevent the spinach from turning brown.

Cook the Shrimp

After the spinach leaves the pan, the next (and final!) step is cooking the shrimp. We add more garlic for flavor before adding the shrimp. You can buy shrimp already peeled and deveined, or buy shrimp with their shells on. Buying peeled and deveined shrimp allows you to skip the pesky step of peeling the shrimp yourself and saves time, but it is often more expensive than shrimp that you have to peel yourself. Either way, make sure the shrimp you're buying is free from sodium tripolyphosphate (STP), a preservative that can add a significant amount of sodium to your meal. For other tips on buying shrimp, check out our guide on the best shrimp to buy.

What to Serve with One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach

You can enjoy this quick and tasty dinner over spaghetti, orzo or brown rice, or all on its own with a side of crusty bread to sop up any leftover sauce. You can top it with Parmesan cheese or chopped fresh herbs like basil or chives in addition to parsley to brighten things up, as well as extra lemon juice and zest to add an extra-tangy pop.

Additional reporting by Hilary Meyer

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
6 medium cloves garlic, sliced, divided
1 pound spinach
¼ teaspoon salt plus 1/8 teaspoon, divided
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 pound shrimp (21-30 count), peeled and deveined
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 ½ teaspoons lemon zest

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add half the garlic and cook until beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add spinach and 1/4 teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Cook, stirring once or twice, until mostly wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.

Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist:Christine Keely, Food Stylist:Chelsea Zimmer
Increase heat to medium-high and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pot. Add the remaining garlic and cook until beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add shrimp, crushed red pepper and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring, until the shrimp are just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes more. Serve the shrimp over the spinach, sprinkled with lemon zest and parsley.

Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist:Christine Keely, Food Stylist:Chelsea Zimmer

Originally appeared: EatingWell.com, December 2018; updated March 2023

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

226	Calories
12g	Fat
6g	Carbs
26g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Serving Size 1 cup
Calories 226
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 6g	2%
Dietary Fiber 3g	10%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 26g	53%
Total Fat 12g	15%
Saturated Fat 2g	9%
Cholesterol 183mg	61%
Vitamin A 10760IU	215%
Vitamin C 37mg	41%
Folate 223mcg	56%
Sodium 444mg	19%
Calcium 196mg	15%
Iron 4mg	21%
Magnesium 131mg	31%
Potassium 963mg	20%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.