One Pot Lemon Shrimp and Beans with Pearl Couscous
, Published Apr 14, 2025
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Looking for a quick and healthy meal? This easy one pot lemon shrimp, beans and pearl couscous is packed with protein and zesty flavor, perfect for a busy weeknight dinner.
There’s few meals I love more than one pot wonders and this lemony shrimp, bean and couscous recipe is all about the quick and easy! I got inspiration from a popular recipe published by the New York Times, adding pearl couscous to turn it into a hearty and delicious meal.
You really can’t go wrong with plump juicy shrimp, creamy white beans and lemon juice as a combo – there’s so much zingy zesty flavor! The best part though is that this recipe is both incredibly easy and really quick – dinner on the table in under 30 minutes ticks ALL the boxes!
Lemony Shrimp Beans Couscous Ingredients
There’s very few ingredients in this recipe and you can certainly play around with some of the ingredients to make this dish all your own. Here’s what you will need:
- Shrimp – large deveined shrimp (or prawns) are readily available frozen and you can thaw them in less than five minutes. I always have some stashed in the freezer for dinner emergencies!
- Leeks and spring onions pair so well with the shrimp, adding flavor without overwhelming the dish. Only use the white and light green parts of the leeks, giving them a good rinse first.
- Lemon zest and lemon juice add a bright note of acidity that livens up this one pan meal.
- Salt, freshly ground black pepper pepper, garlic powder, paprika and dried parsley make up our seasoning blend.
- White beans such as cannellini beans (or other types of white beans), drained and rinsed.
- Vegetable stock or chicken broth.
- Pearl couscous – also known as giant couscous or Israeli couscous.
- A splash of white wine to deglaze the pan after searing the shrimp – not essential so you can replace it with more broth.
- You will also need unsalted butter and olive oil for searing and fresh parsley to garnish.
How to make Lemon Shrimp and Beans with Pearl Couscous
Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!
- Peel and clean the shrimp (unless they are already prepped). Pat them dry using paper towels and sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and dried parsley.
- Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp once the butter is foaming and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the shrimp start turning pink. Use a slotted spoon to set them aside on a plate.
- Pour the wine into the hot pan and use a wooden spoon to loosen any bits stuck to the pan. Cook until the wine aroma is gone and most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Add a bit more butter to the pan stir in the leeks and spring onions. Sprinkle with the remaining seasoning and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the pearl couscous, beans, lemon juice, lemon zest and vegetable broth. Bring to the boil then reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes or until the couscous is almost ready.
- Add the shrimp and any juices back into the pan to finish cooking for a minute or two or until cooked through. Have a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Spoon into bowls and serve sprinkled with the chopped parsley and perhaps some lemon wedges on the side.
Recipe Variations
- You can replace the shrimp with scallops or a flaky white fish, adjusting the cooking time as needed.
- Orzo makes a great substitute for the giant couscous but keep an eye on the liquid – you may need to add more broth as the orzo soaks it up quickly. This dish would also work well with easy cook long grain rice.
- If leeks aren’t available you can replace them with a few finely chopped shallots or one large onion. You can also add more quick-cook veggies in the pan such as peas, asparagus or zucchini. A handful of baby spinach stirred at the end also works well.
Lucy’s Pro Tip
Recipe Tip
Don’t overcook the shrimp as they can become rubbery. Sear them quickly at the start of the recipe and add them back into the dish right at the end so that they remain tender and flavorful.
Check out my other shrimp recipes!
Lunch & Dinner
Creamy Shrimp Pasta | Shrimp Alfredo
Pasta & Rice
Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Fish & Seafood
Easy Butter Shrimp Curry
I hope you love my One Pot Lemon Shrimp and Beans recipe as much as we do! Please leave a rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and share your photos on Instagram with @supergolden88 and the tag #supergoldenbakes
One Pot Lemon Shrimp and Beans with Pearl Couscous
Video
Ingredients
Seasoning
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the dish
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter , or as needed
- 2 tbsp olive oil , plus extra as needed
- 1 pound (450) large shrimp , deveined
- 2 tbsp white wine (optional – sub with stock)
- 2 large leeks , white and light green parts only, diced
- 1 bunch spring onions , chopped
- 15 oz (400g) cannellini beans , drained
- 1 ½ cups (215g) pearl couscous (Israeli couscous)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 lemon , zest only
- 3 cups (750 ml) vegetable stock , or chicken stock
- 2 tbsp parsley , chopped
Instructions
- Peel and clean the shrimp (unless they are already prepped). Pat them dry using paper towels and sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and dried parsley.1 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp dried parsley, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, 1 pound (450) large shrimp
- Heat a tablespoon each of the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp once the butter is foaming and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the shrimp start turning pink. Use a slotted spoon to set them aside on a plate.2 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 tbsp olive oil
- Pour the wine into the hot pan and use a wooden spoon to loosen any bits stuck to the pan. Cook until the wine aroma is gone and most of the liquid has evaporated.2 tbsp white wine
- Add the remaining butter to the pan stir in the leeks and spring onions. Sprinkle with the remaining seasoning and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.2 large leeks, 1 bunch spring onions
- Stir in the pearl couscous, beans, lemon juice, lemon zest and vegetable broth. Bring to the boil then reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes or until the couscous is almost ready and most of the stock has been absorbed.15 oz (400g) cannellini beans, 1 ½ cups (215g) pearl couscous, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 lemon, 3 cups (750 ml) vegetable stock
- Add the shrimp and any juices back into the pan to finish cooking for 1-2 minutes or two or until cooked through. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil.
- Have a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Spoon into bowls and serve sprinkled with the chopped parsley and perhaps some lemon wedges on the side.2 tbsp parsley
Notes
- You can replace the shrimp with scallops or a flaky white fish, adjusting the cooking time as needed.
- Orzo makes a great substitute for the giant couscous but keep an eye on the liquid – you may need to add more broth as the orzo soaks it up quickly. This dish would also work well with easy cook long grain rice.
- If leeks aren’t available you can replace them with a few finely chopped shallots or one large onion. You can also add more quick-cook veggies in the pan such as peas, asparagus or zucchini. A handful of baby spinach stirred at the end also works well.
- Tip: don’t overcook the shrimp as they can become rubbery. Sear them quickly at the start of the recipe and add them back into the dish right at the end so that they remain tender and flavorful.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
