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SHRIMP AND CANNELLINI BEANS SKILLET

This shrimp and cannellini beans skillet recipe is a comforting, single pot meal that is light and flavorful.  Fresh vegetables, fresh herbs, hearty cannellini beans, and lean shrimp make this a satisfying and cozy dish.

I love this dish because it uses ingredients that I usually always have stocked, including cherry tomatoes, sweet mini bell peppers, shallots, garlic, and canned cannellini beans.  When combined with lean shrimp, spices, and water it creates a wonderful stew-like concoction!

Shrimp is so easy to prepare and so versatile.  When I do my grocery shopping I pack my small (3.1 cubic ft) refrigerator as full as possible with fresh meats and fresh produce.  This will typically last Aaron and me 5-7 days.  I have a very small flap-door freezer that I store meat in as well.  This is where frozen shrimp works great.  After I have eaten through some of the fresh meat in my fridge and there is space available, then I transfer the shrimp from the freezer to the refrigerator to unthaw overnight.  For some recipes, I select shrimp with the tail on for presentation purposes.  However, for this one, I knew I would want the tail removed so I went with that version.  I always buy the raw shrimp since it only takes a few minutes to cook (and to avoid overcooking precooked versions).

Since refrigeration space is limited in an RV it is a good habit to incorporate canned goods or other dry goods when you can.  Beans are a great example of this. Dried beans have many advantages over canned beans: they are more affordable, take less space, weigh less, and have less sodium/preservatives.  Canned beans do offer the convenience of faster preparation as they do not require soaking or cooking as the dried versions do.  I personally prefer to use the canned version only for the sake of convenience.  I encourage you to experiment with both versions and see which you prefer!

Looking for more recipes using white beans?  My Rosemary Pork Chops with White Bean Mash offers a delicious alternative to mashed potatoes.  For another single skillet meal, try out my Red Pepper Chicken Skillet.

Shrimp and cannellini beans with bell peppers, cherry tomotoes, shallots, garlic, fresh basil

Shrimp and Cannellini Beans Skillet

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course dinner, lunch, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 15 oz can of cannellini beans, strained and rinsed
  • 1 shallot finely diced (60 grams)
  • 3 small garlic cloves finely minced
  • 1 dried chili or 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 16 oz multi-colored cherry tomatoes
  • 15 mini sweet peppers sliced into ½” rings
  • 2 tsp salt divided
  • 1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper divided
  • ¾ cup of water divided
  • 1 pound of peeled and deveined shrimp tails removed
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 lemon juiced (about 4 tbls)
  • 2 cups of kale or spinach chopped 85 grams
  • 16 olives halved (as garnish)
  • Basil chiffonades as garnish

Instructions
 

  • Heat a large, tall walled skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the oil and then the beans. Spread beans out across the skillet and let sear for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the shallot, stir, and cook for a few minutes. Next add the garlic and the chili and cook for another minute.
  • Next, add the tomatoes, sweet peppers, 1 tsp of salt, ½ tsp of pepper, and a splash of water. Stir to combine and cook for about 3-5 minutes
  • Then, add another 1/2 cup of water and add shrimp in. Before mixing the shrimp in, season with remaining salt, pepper, and paprika, then fold the shrimp down into the mixture and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Stir in the lemon juice and the greens. Continue stirring the greens until they wilt down.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Keyword Shrimp and Cannellini Beans Skillet