If you love easy skillet dinners, this one belongs right alongside Creamy Tuscan Chicken and Creamy Garlic Chicken in your regular weeknight rotation.
One-Pan Tuscan Garlic Shrimp & Spinach is the kind of dinner that looks and tastes like you put in way more effort than you actually did. Plump shrimp, juicy grape tomatoes, and a big pile of fresh spinach all come together in a smoky, garlicky, herb-laced sauce made from coconut milk and chicken stock — and the whole thing is on the table in about 30 minutes, start to finish, in a single pan.
What really makes this dish sing is the layering of flavor: smoked paprika and Italian seasoning build a warm, savory base, the fresh basil brightens everything at the end, and that creamy coconut milk sauce ties it all together without feeling heavy. It’s the kind of weeknight meal you’ll find yourself making on repeat — equally at home as a casual family dinner or a low-key date night at home.
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Reader Love
I made it for friends that came unexpectedly; all I had was frozen shrimp in the freezer. They were so delicious, thanks for the quick and easy-to-follow recipe.
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💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ready in 30 minutes. From cold pan to dinner table, this recipe moves fast — perfect for busy weeknights when you don’t want to order takeout.
- One pan, minimal cleanup. Everything — the shrimp, the sauce, the veggies — comes together in a single skillet, which means fewer dishes waiting for you after dinner.
- Big, layered flavor. Smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, fresh garlic, basil, and a touch of red pepper flakes build a sauce that tastes like it simmered all afternoon.
- Works with frozen or fresh shrimp. No need to plan ahead — frozen shrimp works beautifully here, so you can make this any night the craving strikes.
- Flexible and crowd-pleasing. Serve it as-is, spoon it over rice, cauliflower rice, or zucchini noodles — it’s an easy dish to adapt to whoever’s at the table.
- Dairy-free and paleo-friendly. The creamy sauce gets its richness from full-fat canned coconut milk instead of cream, making it naturally dairy-free without sacrificing any of that satisfying, saucy texture.
➡️ Ingredients
⏲ How to make this recipe
👉 Easy ingredient swaps
- Shrimp: Fresh or frozen both work well — just make sure frozen shrimp are fully thawed and patted dry before cooking so they sear rather than steam.
- Coconut milk: Full-fat canned coconut milk gives the sauce its body. If you’d prefer to skip it, you can use additional chicken stock, though the sauce will be thinner and less creamy.
- Chicken stock: Vegetable stock works as a 1:1 swap if you’d like to keep this dish fully plant-based (aside from the shrimp).
- Avocado oil: Any neutral high-heat cooking oil you have on hand — like light olive oil — will work fine here.
- Smoked paprika: Regular paprika can be substituted, though you’ll lose a bit of that subtle smokiness that makes the sauce so good.
- Fresh basil: Flat-leaf parsley (also listed as an optional garnish) is a great swap if fresh basil isn’t available.
✨ Variations
- Over rice: Spoon the shrimp and sauce over steamed white or brown rice to soak up every bit of that garlicky coconut milk sauce.
- Over cauliflower rice: A great option — try it with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice for an extra flavor boost.
- Zucchini noodles: Serve over spiralized zucchini noodles for a lighter, veggie-forward meal.
- Add more vegetables: Bell peppers or baby kale can be added with the spinach if you’d like to stretch the dish further.
- Extra heat: Love spice? Double the red pepper flakes or add a pinch of cayenne to the sauce.
- As-is in a bowl: Several readers enjoy this exactly as written, scooped straight from the pan into a bowl — the sauce is that good on its own.
〰️ How to serve
- Ladle into shallow bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of Italian seasoning and plenty of fresh chopped basil or parsley.
- Serve over steamed rice, Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice, or zucchini noodles to soak up the sauce.
- Pair alongside Lemon Garlic Spinach or a simple green salad for a complete meal.
- This dish is best served fresh and hot, straight from the pan.
💬 FAQs
Can I use frozen shrimp?
Yes — frozen shrimp works great in this recipe. Just make sure to fully thaw them first and pat them dry with paper towels before they go into the pan. Excess moisture will cause them to steam instead of sear, and you want that quick, golden cook on the outside.
Can I leave out the coconut milk?
You can skip it and use additional chicken stock in its place, but the sauce will be noticeably thinner and less creamy. Full-fat canned coconut milk is what gives the sauce its rich, silky texture, so it’s worth keeping in if you can.
How do I know when the shrimp are done?
Shrimp cook very quickly — about 1 minute per side over medium-high heat. They’re done when they’ve turned pink and opaque and curled into a loose C shape. If they curl tightly into an O shape, they’ve cooked a little too long. Pull them from the pan as soon as they’re cooked through and set them aside while you build the sauce.
What can I serve this over?
This dish is delicious as-is straight from the pan, and several readers eat it that way. If you’d like to serve it over something, rice, cauliflower rice, and zucchini noodles are all great options for soaking up the sauce.
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One-Pan Tuscan Garlic Shrimp & Spinach
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons avocado oil, divided
- 1 pound frozen shrimp or fresh shrimp, thawed, de-veined
- 1 Tablespoon + 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ small white onion, finely chopped
- 1 ¼ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 ½ cups grape tomatoes, halved
- 5 ½ cups fresh spinach
- ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh basil leaves
- ¼ cup full-fat canned coconut milk
- ¼ cup unsalted chicken stock
Optional Garnishes:
- ⅛ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Chopped fresh basil or parsley
Instructions
- In a large pan over medium-high heat, heat 2 tbsp oil. Wait for oil to be hot and glistening. Add shrimp and cook until cooked through, flipping once, about 1 minute on each side. Using tongs, transfer cooked shrimp to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce stovetop heat to medium. In pan, heat remaining 1 tbsp oil before adding and cooking chopped onion until softened, about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly and being careful to watch it closely to avoid burning.
- Using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits from the pan. Then, add smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes. Stir tomatoes into spices. Add spinach and chopped basil, then pour in coconut milk and chicken stock. Cook until spinach has fully wilted, about 3-4 minutes, gently stirring occasionally.
- Add cooked shrimp back to the pan to reheat, sprinkle with Italian seasoning and fresh basil or parsley, and serve.
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