Goatland Eatery
Garlic Lemon Shrimp & Basil Protein Pasta
Air-fried shrimp and protein pasta tossed with fresh basil in a light garlic-lemon Parmesan sauce.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Serving Size
- 1 cup
- Calories
- ~285 per 1 cup
Ingredients
- 12 oz protein pasta
- 1 lb large shrimp peeled and deveined
- ¼ cup fresh basil roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes or to taste
- ½ tsp salt plus more for pasta water
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Up to ½ cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Start the pasta Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook 12 oz protein pasta according to the package directions. Before draining, reserve up to ½ cup pasta water. Drain the pasta and keep the pasta pot because we are going to use it again to combine everything at the end.
- Air fry the shrimp While the pasta cooks, toss 1 lb large shrimp with 1 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, and ½ tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste. Air fry at 400°F for approximately 6 to 8 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
- Prep while everything cooks While the pasta and shrimp cook, mince 4 cloves garlic, roughly chop ¼ cup fresh basil, and juice 1 lemon. This prep overlaps with the pasta and air fryer time.
- Make the garlic-lemon mixture Heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the 4 minced garlic cloves and cook briefly until fragrant. Add the juice of 1 lemon, ¼ cup grated Parmesan, and a splash of reserved pasta water as needed, stirring until it forms a light coating for the pasta.
- Bring everything together in the pasta pot Return the drained protein pasta to the pot it was boiled in. Add the garlic-lemon-Parmesan mixture from the skillet, the air-fried shrimp, and ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh basil. Toss until evenly combined, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time if needed. The pasta should be lightly coated and glossy, not creamy or swimming in sauce.
- Serve Serve immediately. Additional Parmesan, basil, red pepper flakes, or lemon can be added to taste if desired.
Nutrition
Estimated per 1 cup. Values vary by protein pasta brand and ingredient brand.
- Calories
- ~285
- Total Fat
- ~6.5 g
- Saturated Fat
- ~1.5 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- ~125 mg
- Sodium
- ~310 mg
- Total Carbohydrates
- ~34 g
- Dietary Fiber
- ~5 g
- Total Sugars
- ~2 g
- Added Sugars
- Not reliably calculated
- Protein
- ~26 g
Nutrition Assumptions
- Serving size: 1 cup of the finished shrimp and pasta mixture.
- Finished yield is estimated at approximately 7 cups, so nutrition is estimated from total recipe nutrition divided by 7.
- Protein pasta nutrition varies significantly by brand; this estimate uses a representative Barilla Protein+ dry pasta profile for 12 oz total.
- Sodium can vary based on the protein pasta, Parmesan, shrimp, and other ingredient brands.
- Optional additional Parmesan, basil, red pepper flakes, lemon, or other toppings at serving are not included.
A Note From the Kitchen
I had fresh basil ready to use and wanted something quick that would work with protein pasta and shrimp. The shrimp cooks hands-off in the air fryer while the pasta boils, and most of the other prep happens at the same time. Everything gets tossed together in the pasta pot at the end, which also keeps cleanup pretty simple. About ¼ cup fresh basil turned out to be enough to give the pasta noticeable fresh basil flavor without overwhelming it.