Recipe: Shrimp with White Beans, Spinach & Tomatoes — Weeknight Dinner Recipes from The Kitchn |Cooking With Amanda

Let's add something new to our weeknight meal rotation, shall we? This dish of pan-seared shrimp served over a saucy mix of beans, spinach, and tomatoes is perfect for those nights when you crave a grown-up meal, but lack the energy for anything elaborate. It's quick, forgiving of end-of-day bloopers, and 100% satisfying.

This meal came to us from Lauren, in one of the very first (and last) recipe contests we ever ran on The Kitchn! Here's what she has to say about her recipe:

This meal is healthy, fast, and uses ingredients that I almost always have on hand. Best of all, it's delicious and impressive, so if a friend stops by unexpectedly, I don't have to scramble to hide the PB&J sandwich or bowl of cereal I'm eating! - Lauren

For a complete meal, Lauren recommends adding a batch of toasty garlic pita bread.

Shrimp with White Beans, Spinach & Tomatoes

Serves 4

Olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium ripe tomato or a handful of cherry tomatoes, diced (3/4 cup diced)
A few handfuls of washed baby spinach
8 fresh basil leaves, sliced into a chiffonade
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 (15.5 ounce) cans Great Northern beans or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chicken stock
12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (thawed if frozen)

Warm a teaspoon or two of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until they begin to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like your food), and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir the diced tomato into the onions and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until some of the tomato liquid has evaporated and the tomatoes are beginning to break down. Add the spinach and stir until wilted. Add the beans and chicken stock, and simmer for a few minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated and the beans are warmed through. Stir in the basil, lemon zest, and juice. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired. Turn the heat down to low and partially cover to keep warm.

Wash the shrimp, pat them very dry, and season both sides with salt and pepper. Set a second pan over high heat and coat the bottom with olive oil. When the oil is hot enough that a flick of water evaporates immediately, begin cooking the shrimp in batches. Cook the shrimp, 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until they are pink and opaque all the way through. Transfer to a plate.

To serve, spoon the spinach and bean mixture into bowls and top with a few of the shrimp.

This post was originally published September 2009.

(Image credits: Kimberley Hasselbrink)