Garlicky Shrimp with Cheddar, Chickpeas, & Zucchini
What’s for dinner tonight? Ohhh, just a little something I like to call Garlicky Shrimp with Cheddar, Chickpeas, & Zucchini. This all-in-one 25 minute meal has all of the good stuff: Veggies, protein, dairy, and all of the flavor!
Servings 4
Equipment
Ingredients
for the veggies
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 medium zucchini 20-24 oz, thinly sliced
- ½ of a medium yellow onion thinly sliced
- 2 cans chickpeas garbanzo beans, rinsed & drained
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic about 2 small cloves
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- Sea salt or pink Himalayan salt, to taste
- Black pepper to taste
for the shrimp
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 oz large raw shrimp peeled, deveined, and tails removed (See Note)
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic about 4 small cloves
- Juice of ½ of a medium lemon about 1 Tbsp
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper depending on your preference for heat — I used ½ tsp
- Sea salt or pink Himalayan salt, to taste
- Black pepper to taste
to finish
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
Instructions
- Cut off & discard the ends of the zucchini, then slice it thinly. Thinly slice the onion, and mince the garlic if you’re not using pre-minced.
Start by sauteeing the veggies
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat until the butter is melted. Swirl to coat the pan.
- Add the zucchini and onion, then brown the veggies over medium-high heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the veggies are browning, rinse and drain the chickpeas.
- After browning the zucchini, stir the chickpeas, garlic, and seasonings into the pan. Continue to cook over medium-high heat for five more minutes, or until zucchini is nicely softened, stirring occasionally.
- While the veggies are cooking, peel and devein the shrimp (if not using pre-peeled). Shred the cheddar (if not using pre-shredded).
- Once the zucchini is softened and nicely browned, remove the veggies temporarily to a separate bowl.
Now, let’s saute the shrimp
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same skillet you used for the veggies, and reduce the heat under the pan to medium.
- Add your thawed & peeled shrimp to the skillet, and cook over medium heat for about two minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, lemon juice, butter, and seasonings, then flip the shrimp and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until just cooked through. They should be turning pink, and white all the way through the center.
Mix it all together… then add cheese!
- Stir the zucchini and chickpeas back into the pan, then stir in the cheddar cheese until just melted.
- When serving: Add a little optional fresh-chopped parsley for garnish, if desired.
Notes
Plan ahead and put your frozen shrimp in the fridge to thaw the night before, or thaw the bag under cold water before proceeding with the rest of the recipe. The cooking time here does not include the time to thaw the shrimp, but assumes you’re starting with it defrosted. (I used a handy bag of peeled, deveined, and tail-off shrimp to save time, too.) I used sea salt in the original side dish recipe but pink Himalayan salt today; use whatever makes your heart happy.