I am a firm believer that shrimp, lemon, and asparagus are the holy trinity of flavors.

Whenever I’m going through the stuff in my fridge and pantry, pasta is always the easiest way to get rid of everything. This dish is made with things I almost always have in my house – lemons, olive oil, frozen shrimp, and leftover veggies.

Plus after hours of cardio throughout the week and half an hour of some seriously grueling pilates, I decided it was time to treat myself to a heaping plate of gluten.

This pasta is made with a super simple “sauce” of lemon juice and zest, parmesan cheese, and olive oil, and it’s perfect for the summer time. It takes minutes to whip up and would be great for a dinner party, picnic, etc.

The following recipe makes half a pound of pasta:

• 1/2 box of whatever pasta you like (I used linguine)
• 12 oz raw (fresh or frozen) shrimp, peeled and tails removed
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 large lemon, zest and juice
• half a bundle of asparagus, cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup peas
• 2 tablespoons basil, chopped
• salt, pepper, and red chili flakes to taste

I almost always have frozen peas and shrimp in my freezer. Shrimp is so quick to defrost and cook, perfect for when you get home after a long day and don’t want to deal with chicken. Defrost your shrimp and peas and set them aside.

Fill a large pot with water, salt generously, and bring to a boil. Once your water’s boiling, throw your pasta in and cook according to the instructions in the box. While that’s cooking, heat up one tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan and cook your shrimp. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and add red chili flakes if you like spice. This will only take a few minutes to cook up. 

When your shrimp is done cooking, add your asparagus and peas and toss the mixture together.

For your “sauce”: use equal parts grated parmesan and olive oil, along with the juice and zest of one large lemon. Whisk the mixture together and add the hot pasta, making sure all the pasta is coated.

Add your shrimp and veggies, along with a ladle of pasta water to help bind everything together. Toss the entire mixture together until everything is coated, and you’re done! Top with chopped fresh basil, and add more cheese and/or red chili flakes if you’d like.

There will be a little bit of “sauce” reserving at the bottom of the bowl, so make sure to spoon some over your pasta. Dig in!