Shrimp, Leek, and Spinach Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce

Name: Shrimp, Leek, and Spinach Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: u00be pound penne, fusilli, or other short pasta; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 leeks (white and light green parts only), halved lengthwise then crosswise; kosher salt and black pepper; 1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp; finely grated zest of 1 lemon; juice from 1 lemon; u00be cup heavy cream; 10 ounces baby spinach

By Leslie Blythe Pasta, Sauce, Seafood, Shrimp Boiling, Sautéing

January 6, 2019

My husband was out of town last weekend and I can never figure out what to eat. Usually, I buy something ready made. I can see your eyes rolling, but I do cook a lot and sometimes get tired of it. Though this time I decided to make myself an elegant lunch. Why not?

This Shrimp, Leek, and Spinach Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce is quick to make. The dish relies on the leeks, tang of lemons with the richness of cream sauce for its flavor.

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients

¾ pound penne, fusilli, or other short pasta

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 leeks (white and light green parts only), halved lengthwise then crosswise

kosher salt and black pepper

1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

juice from 1 lemon

¾ cup heavy cream

10 ounces baby spinach

Directions

1Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot.

2Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks have softened, 3 to 5 minutes.

3Add the shrimp and lemon zest, lemon juice, and cook, tossing frequently, until the shrimp is opaque throughout, 4 to 5 minutes more.

4Add the cream and ½ teaspoon salt to the pasta in the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring, until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the shrimp mixture and the spinach and toss to combine.

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5 Reviews

Danielle

May 10, 2025

I modified the recipe slightly by including cherry tomatoes, doubling the spinach, substituting gluten free pasta, substituting non-dairy yogurt for the heavy cream and topping with Parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts when plating. We loved it.

Pim Vermeulen

February 11, 2025

very nice recipe although I made a few adaptations;

I doubled the spinach and leek proportion to have less carbs, and added 4 chopped cloves of garlic when I started with the leek in the butter.

It turned out perfect for us, less carbs and amazing mix with the lemon juice and zest.

Thank you

Deb

November 24, 2024

We really enjoyed this recipe. I did tweak it by adding garlic to the leek mixture and a little Trader Joe’s soffritto seasoning blend to spice it up. Next time I would also add fresh basil. It was delicious and very simple to make.