Looking for a light, summery, nutritious, protein packed, don’t-have-to-turn-the-oven-on recipe? This one is for you! Not to toot my own horn, but let me start out with this little story:

My daughter (the more selective eater of my two kids) started this meal by saying “Eww. I don’t like shrimp. I don’t want stuff in my noodles.” And, of course, I offered some kind words to help encourage her to try it. In our house, I don’t tell my kids they have to try foods when they don’t want to, but I do encourage it.

After watching us all take a few bites and hearing our glowing reviews, she started with the noodles. First, she ate only pasta without the veggies, but she soon began to eat the veggies too. Did she try the shrimp? You bet! She started dinner with 3 shrimp on her plate, and by the end of dinner, she had requested more shrimp twice and ate 9 shrimp total!

Parents of pick eaters, you know this is a huge win!

Why is this a perfect meal?

• The lemony olive oil sauce makes this meal feel light and bright, gives it a sunny day summertime feel. It’s perfect for serving dinner on the patio, eating as a family after calling your kids in from outside, or for cooking after a day at the pool.
• Its versatile! You can double it, add more or less veggies, switch up the veggies, Add other ingredients to the sauce, switch out the protein, the list goes on! Feel free to make changes to the recipe – this one isn’t a science.
• This meal is super nutritious and can be healthy for babies 6 months and up, toddlers, kids, and adults! Be sure piece sizes are appropriate for baby/toddler’s age and chewing ability. I cut the shrimp up into smaller pieces for my 1.5 year old.

*NOTE: Shrimp is a shellfish, which is one of the top allergens. If you feel your child is may be at a higher risk for a shellfish allergy, consult your pediatrician before serving shrimp. Allergies can develop at any time.

To make this meal, you’ll first start out by cooking your pasta and sauteing your vegetables.

Then, you’ll cook your shrimp.

You’ll make sauce by throwing together 3 ingredients, and then you’ll mix together your pasta, veggies, and sauce. Finally, plate your pasta and top with shrimp. That’s it!

Did you make this meal? Please let me know what you think in the comments! And be sure to sign up for my newsletter and follow me on socials for more!

Veggie Shrimp Pasta

Kelly Rizza

Feel the summer vibes with this light and bright shrimp and veggie recipe with chickpea pasta. It's high in protein, good fat, and packs in tons of nutrients from every ingredient in this dish. BLW, toddler, kid, and family friendly.

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Prep Time 1 day d 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course dinner, lunch

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb raw shrimp thawed
• 2 zucchini
• 1 1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes 1 pint, or one 10-12 oz container
• 4 cloves garlic minced (or 6 teaspoons jarred)
• 1/2 lemon juiced
• 1 eight oz box of chickpea pasta (or any pasta)
• 1/2 cup + 2-4 tbsp oil oil (1/2 cup for sauce, more for sauteing vegetables extra virgin
• salt and pepper to taste
• basil for garnish optional
• grated Parmesan cheese to your liking

Instructions

 

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add chickpea pasta (or any pasta you are using). Cook according to package.
• Slice zucchini into half circles, and slice cherry/grape tomatoes in half.
• In a large pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add the zucchini, 1 cloves minced garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until almond tender (5-7 minutes)
• Add the tomatoes and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
• Remove vegetables from the pan and set aside.
• In the same pan, add another drizzle of olive oil. Add the shrimp, salt and pepper to taste, and 1 clove of minced garlic. Cook until pink and opaque (about 2-3 minutes per side). Internal temperature should be 145 F.
• In a saucepan, heat 1/2 cup olive oil over medium heat. Add 2-3 cloves of minced garlic (adjust to your preference) and lemon juice. Cook until garlic is soft, and sauce is hot and starts to simmer.
• Drain pasta and return to the pot. Add the cooked vegetables and garlic lemon sauce (add sauce slowly and the amount to your preference – you might not want to use all of it). Add Parmesan cheese to your preference, then toss to combine all ingredients.
• Add pasta and veggie mixture to a plate or bowl and top with the cooked shrimp. Add dried or fresh basil as a garnish. Enjoy!

Notes

• Feel free to double this recipe. I usually double this recipe for my family of 4, and we have enough for 2 nights of dinner!
• Feel free to add more or less of any of the ingredients in this recipe, to your liking. All of the ingredients in this recipe can be increased or decreased to your preference.
• Don’t like chickpea pasta? No problem. Use any pasta that you like. But – note that most regular pasta comes in a 16 oz box while chickpea pasta comes in an 8oz box. If using a 16 oz box, double the recipe or use 1/2 box of pasta.

Keyword chickpea, chickpea pasta, easy breakfast, easy dinner, garlic olive oil, healthy breakfast, healthy dinner, shrimp, shrimp pasta, shrimp recipe, summer dinner, summer recipe, tomatoes, zucchini