Shrimp and Asparagus Recipe with White Bean Puree
A 30 minute shrimp and asparagus recipe that feels a little special with only a few ingredients, two pans, and basic cooking! Tender shrimp and crisp asparagus cook quickly and are served over a smooth white bean puree for a protein rich, filling meal. It’s an amazingly simple recipe with a lemony-garlic flavor that comes together fast. Whether you’re cooking for a weeknight meal or something a bit nicer, this recipe will be one you go to again and again, especially because there are some nice vegetable variations to try!
✩ What readers are saying…
“I don’t know why I waited so long–it is delicious (even my picky eaters went back for more!). Easy-peasy to make, my favorite ingredients to cook with, and, oh, so full of flavor and texture.” -Janice G.
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I wish I could adequately describe this shrimp and asparagus recipe to you: White beans, good. Asparagus, love it. Shrimp, yes. Garlic? Lemon? Yes, yes, it all seems like a nice combination, with the unique addition of the beans.
But I had no idea how good it would be as this came together. No idea. And then when something that tastes this good, also looks this good – whaaat?
When you plate this up, it looks like something that you’d get at a fancy restaurant. The type where if I saw the waiter bringing this I’d roll my eyes a bit, thinking it’s one of those restaurants (you know, the kind that are more into presentation than really good food).
All I would need, though, is one bite to understand that presentation and deliciousness can go hand in hand. And as long as you’re a fan of these ingredients like I am, you are going to want many bites of this. I promise.
Ingredient Notes
And as if flavor and presentation weren’t enough, how about simple to make with whole food ingredients you can adjust with the seasons?
- Shrimp: The classic addition which also keeps the recipe quick and high protein. But if you’re not into shrimp or don’t have it on hand, sauté bite sized pieces of chicken instead (it will only add another couple of minutes). Lemon and garlic go well with chicken, too, as this roasted chicken and vegetables recipe shows! I’ve even used scallops with this recipe.
- Fresh asparagus: While I love this with asparagus, I’ve also found it’s nice as the season progresses with other vegetables. Try snap peas in later spring, green beans in summer (with the bonus that you can use frozen beans, too) and sliced sweet peppers in the fall,
- White Beans: cooked, either canned or cooked and frozen and drained. You can use any type of white bean you have – navy, cannellini, great northern, etc.
- Butter: If you’re dairy free, simply use more olive oil to sauté the vegetables.
Pretty, yummy, and uncomplicated. It just gets better.
Make this Shrimp and Asparagus Recipe with White Beans
This recipe consists of three very quick steps – really.
Step 1: Briefly heat the beans with garlic, lemon juice, and water and puree them right in the pan with an immersion blender (you’ve gotten yours, right?).
Step 2: While that is heating, whisk together the dressing-topping ingredients.
BEAN TIP: If all you have is a regular blender or food processor, you can transfer the beans to the blender bowl first. OR you can simply mash the beans with a potato masher if you prefer the beans less mashed.
Step 3: The final cooking step is to quickly sauté the onions and asparagus until just crisp-tender before adding the shrimp and cooking until done.
To serve, place about a half cup of the pureed beans on a plate, add some of the shrimp-asparagus mixture, and pour part of the dressing over the top.
Since each step takes just a few minutes it all comes together in about 30 minutes!
And prepare to be amazed at your first bite. Really, truly, honestly.
Serving Suggestion
You will want to serve this with a good bread (easy artisan or sourdough artisan are of course our favs) to soak up all the beany-dressing goodness.
Again, trust me on this, it’s either using the bread or licking the plate, so make it easy on your family and guests.
You’ve probably figured out that I’ve made this a lot. When asparagus isn’t in season any more I make it with with snow peas in later spring, and then green beans in the summer. No matter the veggie, I find a way to make this – it’s that good!
Reader Raves
“Just love this dish! I prepared it with some of our garden green beans, frozen unblanched using your wonderful technique. I just mashed the cannelini beans with a potato masher rather than puree them as we like that texture better. Such great flavor in the entire dish! Thanks for another great recipe!” -Norma
“Absolutely amazing! My husband and kids raved about it.” -Renee
“Love this recipe! My husband and I ate it up! My 2 year old ate some too. 🙂 We used cannellini beans and we were out of parsley so we used fresh dill instead. Wonderful!” -Rachel
I sure hope you try this wonderful shrimp and asparagus recipe – please leave a review and rating so I can know how you liked it!
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Shrimp and Asparagus with White Bean Puree
Equipment
- medium saucepan
- 10-12-inch skillet
Ingredients
- 3-4 cups cooked white beans or about 2 cans, drained
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced and divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 onion, cut in half then sliced thinly
- 1 pound asparagus,* trimmed and cut in 3 to 4 inch pieces
- 1 pound shrimp** peeled and deveined
Instructions
Make the Beans:
- Place the beans, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper, 1 clove of the minced garlic, and optional red pepper flakes in a medium saucepan. Add 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and puree with a handheld immersion blender (if using a regular blender or food processor, return beans to pan after pureeing). Keep warm over lowest heat. (Or use a potato masher for less pureed beans.)
Make the Dressing:
- While the beans are warming, combine the remaining minced garlic clove and 3 tablespoons lemon juice along with 1/2 teaspoon salt, the parsley, and 3 tablespoons olive oil in a small glass measuring cup, whisking to emulsify. Set aside.
Make the Vegetables & Shrimp:
- Sauté the onions in 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil (or all olive oil) for 3-5 minutes over medium heat.
- Stir in asparagus, cover and cook for about 3-4 minutes just until crisp-tender.
- Add shrimp and cook until they turn pink, 1-2 minutes (pre-cooked shrimp only needs to be heated through).
To Serve:
- Place a quarter of the beans (about 1/2 cup) on each of four serving plates in a circle and divide the asparagus-shrimp mixture evenly over each.
- Pour the dressing over the top of each and serve immediately. Preferably with a good bread to soak up all the goodness.
Notes
**Other protein options: This also is wonderful with scallops – cook the same as shrimp. Also try bite-sized pieces of chicken – cook 1-2 minutes longer than shrimp. Storage: Any leftovers are great stored in the fridge up to 5 days! Simply store the beans and veggies separately, heat each and serve as normal.
Nutrition
More Seafood Recipes
- Garlic Shrimp and Green Bean Pasta
- Greek Style Orzo and Shrimp
- Baked White Fish with Parmesan-Herb Crust
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Guess I’m a late bloomer! I had saved this recipe years ago but didn’t make it for dinner until just tonight. I don’t know why I waited so long–it is delicious (even my picky eaters went back for more!). Easy-peasy to make, my favorite ingredients to cook with, and, oh, so full of flavor and texture. I have to admit, though, that the last two adaptations from Norma and Dorothy {in the comments below) will certainly on my to-do list as well. What creative people! Thanks so much for sharing.
Better late than never in this case, Janice. 🙂
Yes, this is perfect for adapting to what’s in season and flavors!
Hi, Jami–
Just love this dish! I prepared it with some of our garden green beans, frozen unblanched using your wonderful technique. I just mashed the cannelini beans with a potato masher rather than puree them as we like that texture better. Such great flavor in the entire dish! This morning we had the bean mash leftover with a fried egg on top for breakfast. Yum! Flavors were even better than last night! Thanks for another great recipe!
Oh, I’m so glad you tried this, Norma – sounds yummy with the green beans. And the breakfast idea? Genius!!
I belong to a cookbook club. We study and sample recipes from a specific cookbook all month, then meet once a month, at a pot luck lunch, with everyone bringing a dish from their experiments.
This month’s book was a pizza cookbook, but all the recipes were boring! Who needs another pepperoni pizza? Then I read your shrimp & asparagus with white bean puree and was inspired! I cut the recipe in half and did all the prep work, but spread the bean puree over an unbaked pizza shell. Topped with tender asparagus & onions. Sprinkled on a little parmesan and topped with cooked shrimp. Baked in a hot, hot oven until the topping was bubbly and the crust was golden. OMG! Served with the lemony dressing drizzled on top. I have found my pizza offering for the pot luck Gods! Thank you for the inspiration.
Oh my goodness, Dorothy, that is inspired!! What a wonderful sounding adaptation. I will have to try it out. 🙂
This is delicious! I had shrimp in the house, so I made it today. Thank you. The substitutions sound delicious, too, I will try them all.
Wonderful – I hope you get a chance to try it soon, Maureen!
Hi Jami,
This recipe sounds delicious! I love all the ingredients and am always looking for something new to make with fresh asparagus in the spring. The most surprising this was the beans. I typically go for rice or pasta but this is a nice new twist that I can’t wait to try.
I know – the beans are so different, though we do love a good bread to sop it up with, so it’s not totally low-carb at our house, though it could be. 🙂
I find any recipe that involves lemon and garlic my absolute favorite! Something about those flavors make my mouth water. I’m planning on starting an asparagus garden bed this year. I love how it’s a perennial crop, and we have such a short growing season here in New England so it’s perfect. Your recipe looks like something straight from a restaurant! I definitely need to invest in an immersion blender. So many things on my to-do list this year! I bet this would be delicious with scallops as well. I might just surprise my boyfriend with this recipe! Thank you for the delicious ideas and cooking motivation 🙂
Go for it, Angie – I think you (and your boyfriend) will love it, too!
Your recipe looks delicious, Jami! And I think I’m about to run off to my garden to see if I have any asparagus peeking up yet!
Yes – those first spears are so exciting to see in spring!
This is a delicious meal and for it to be ready in about 30 minutes is great. I can’t wait until I find a good deal on asparagus to give this recipe at try.
Hope you enjoy it, Shell!
Spring recipes like this make me want to get right out there and start in the garden. I can’t WAIT until it gets warm enough to harvest our asparagus crop for delicious dishes like this one.!
I know! I will have to be satisfied with purchased asparagus this year,though. 🙁 It will be one of the first things I grow in the new place we end up, for sure.
So good! I added a handful of flat leaf parsley (since I used white asparagus) and mushrooms then topped with gorganzola!
Your additions sound lovely, Jill – thanks for sharing!
Renee: Yeah! Though I don’t think anyone in my family would mistakenly call it dessert. 🙂
Absolutely amazing! My husband and kids raved about it. David slipped and called it “dessert.” So nice when I can make them all that happy!
Love this recipe! Found this link from Kayln’s Kitchen. My husband and I ate it up! My 2 year old ate some too. 🙂 We used cannellini beans and we were out of parsley so we used fresh dill instead. Wonderful!
This looks amazing! I can’t wait to tyr it!
Jenelle
Oh my goodness, Jami – I’m so thrilled that you posted this – it looks lucious and I can’t wait to try it. Thanks!
This looks super delicious! I love asparagus.
Sarah- Yes, those were great northern. I did look at the page, and it’s good to know the differences, though, I too like them, use all the white beans interchangeably. The great northern’s are usually the cheapest white bean in the bulk bins, which is why I buy them. 🙂
Candi- Try this with scallops, or even go out on a limb and try it with chicken pieces. I still think it would be a great flavor!
This looks and sounds delicious! We get navy beans from our farmer’s market and I wasn’t sure if they were the same as the beans you are using.
While trying to figure it out, I found this page comparing different white beans. It looks like you are using great northern beans, right?
Wow!!! That looks so good! Now if I could just get the hubs to eat shrimp like that!