Creamy Lemon Pasta with Shrimp: The 25-Minute Pasta That Doesn't Weigh You Down

Creamy pasta without the food coma. Greek yogurt, parmesan, and lemon do the work here — no heavy cream, no guilt, and dinner is on the table in 25 minutes. The shrimp get sautéed separately in the pan so they stay pink and snappy.

Why it works

The sauce stays light and creamy, the lemon keeps it bright, and each serving packs about 40g of protein — all in a fast 25-minute dinner.

The recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb shrimp, peeled & deveined · 8 oz pasta (penne or spaghetti)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced · zest + juice of 1 lemon
• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt · ¼ cup grated parmesan
• 2 cups baby spinach · pinch of red pepper flakes

Steps

1. Cook pasta; reserve ½ cup pasta water.
2. Sauté shrimp with garlic 2–3 min per side until pink; remove.
3. Off the heat, stir yogurt, parmesan, lemon, and a splash of pasta water into the pan; wilt in spinach.
4. Toss pasta and shrimp in the sauce and serve.

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Credit: Recipe inspiration: the 'Creamy Lemon Pasta with Shrimp' reel by Seafood Network (@seafood_network)

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— Dad