This Sweet Potato, Kale and Shrimp Skillet only requires 4 ingredients, and it’s whole30, gluten-free, paleo, and super-easy to make!
Looking for more shrimp recipes? Try these ones too: Garlic Butter Shrimp, Air Fryer Shrimp and Shrimp Fried Rice.
This Sweet Potato, Kale, and Shrimp Skillet is so easy to make for lunchtime or a busy weeknight meal. It takes only a few minutes to be ready on your table. The only thing that takes a little time is for the sweet potatoes to cook.
Since you sauté the kale leaves, you need to keep the heat low to so that they don’t become soggy. I dislike soggy leaves, which is why they look almost raw in the pictures. I just sauté them for about one minute or so, but if you wish, you can sauté them for longer. It is really up to you. Let’s talk a little bit about the shrimp now.
Why did you use a cast iron skillet to make this recipe?
I’m a huge fan of cast iron skillets. If you visit Primavera Kitchen often, you know that I have a variety of cast iron skillet recipes for you to try. I love cooking with cast iron pans because they are very versatile. You can use them for frying, baking, grilling, broiling, braising, and sautéing meats, vegetables, and more! You can make almost everything in them. Isn’t that great? Cast iron is also very resistant and durable. I have had my three cast iron skillets for over 7 years now, and they look absolutely new.
They are also fairly cheap for the quality you get, and they have a precise heat distribution, which makes foods cook evenly and taste delicious. I have two favourite cast iron skillets.
You can see the Le Creuset one in the pictures in this post, and the other one is my Lodge skillet, which I use to make lots of recipes for my family such as Asparagus Sweet Potato Chicken Skillet, Chimichurri Chicken Green Beans Skillet, and Creamy Parmesan Chicken Skillet or any of these 50 Healthy Cast Iron Skillet Recipes or these 15 Healthy Skillet Dinner Recipes.
This Lodge skillet is great because it has a very good price for the quality. I highly recommend this type of skillet, and you can get yours here.
Can I make this Sweet Potato, Kale and Shrimp Skillet with frozen shrimp?
Absolutely, but you need to thaw the shrimp before cooking it. If your shrimp are frozen, place them in a bowl with cold water in the sink, and leave them for about 5 minutes. The shrimp are thawed when they are soft and easily bendable.
Then, rinse, and pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Now, they are ready to cook. It’s such an easy to cook protein! Try my Sweet Potato Green Beans Shrimp Skillet if you want another tasty shrimp recipe.
Why are my shrimp so chewy?
It’s probably because you overcook your shrimp. When shrimp are overcooked, they become tough, rubbery, dry, and chewy. Shrimp cook very quickly. So, as soon as the shrimp turn pink, it’s a sign that they are done. It will only take about 3-5 minutes to cook if the shrimp are medium-sized. If the shrimp are larger, they will take about 6-7 minutes.
5 more shrimp skillet recipes to try:
All these recipes are low-carb, paleo, gluten-free, and whole30.
- Shrimp Vegetable Skillet: This is a great one-pan meal for the entire family. Super-healthy and perfect for a quick dinner or a delicious lunch.
- Chimichurri Shrimp Broccoli Skillet: This recipe is another quick-and-easy, one-pan meal for your busy weeknight dinners. It’s ready in less than 15 minutes and super-flavourful.
- Garlic Shrimp Asparagus Skillet: Perfect for a busy weeknight since this one-pan meal will be ready in 20 minutes or so.
- Creamy Parmesan Shrimp Skillet: This recipe is full of so many flavours that you’ll think you are eating a gourmet meal!
- Shrimp, Bell Pepper and Onions Skillet: I love this recipe because even if you don’t have bell peppers or onions, you can still make this recipe with other veggies of your choice.
For more quick and healthy lunch or dinner recipes, please visit my lunch time and what’s for dinner Pinterest boards!
I hope I inspired you to create a delicious healthy lunch dish in your own kitchen today.
As a memory, I kept the original photo from 2014!
Sweet Potato, Kale and Shrimp Skillet
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or ghee
- ½ cup onions diced
- pinch crushed red pepper to taste
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups sweet potatoes diced
- 2 cups shrimp peeled, deveined, and thawed if frozen
- 3 cups trimmed and coarsely chopped kale leaves
- salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the onions and crushed red pepper.
- Cook until the onions are soft and golden.
- Add the garlic, and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add the sweet potatoes, and cook until soft. Add a few tablespoons or ¼ cup of water to help steam the sweet potatoes, if necessary.*
- Add the shrimp, and cook for 2-3 minutes or until they turn pink.**
- Turn the heat to low, and add the kale, stirring until wilted.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Tips
- Don't add more than a ¼ cup of water to cook the sweet potatoes because they may become soggy. Also, cover the skillet with a lid for about 2 minutes. It helps cook the sweet potato faster.
- If I'm using more than 2 cups of shrimp, I cook the shrimp first and set them aside to avoid overcrowding the skillet.
- Here is a complete list of shrimp recipes for you to try. They are healthy, easy-to-make, and also great as leftovers.
- If you don't have a cast-iron skillet, you can use a large non-stick skillet instead.
- To store: Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To reheat: You can microwave leftovers or reheat on the stovetop.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
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Brittany says
About how many servings did this make?! It looks so yummy!
Olivia says
Up to 3 or 4 people, Brittany! Thanks for the question.
Lauren says
Excellent! I am trying to slowly move our household to clean eating and am so glad I found this recipe tonight. I did not have Sweet Potato so substituted peeled Butternut Squash. It took a bit longer to cook (20 minutes vs. 10-15 for Sweet Potato). I also added a squeeze of lemon when I added the Kale.
I will definitely make this again – my husband ate it all and asked for seconds.
Olivia says
So glad you and your husband enjoyed this recipe. Thanks a lot for your comment!
Olivia says
Thanks so much for your comment, Lauren. Butternut squash is a great substitute to this recipe. It was a great idea! I am glad you enjoyed this meal 😉
Melanie says
Delicious, enjoyed every bite!
Olivia says
Awesome!
Melanie says
My husband prepared this recipe, it was so good!!
Olivia says
So glad you and your husband enjoyed this dish 😉
Olivia says
I am so happy you loved this recipe, Lorraine! Thanks for your kind words 😉
Whitney says
Do you peel the sweet potato? And what type of onion did you use? Making this tonight.
Olivia says
Yes, I peeled the sweet potato and I used yellow onions, but you can use a different type of onion too 😉
Kenita says
It was very delicious, I would have never combined these ingredients until I stumbled upon this recipe. Great Job!
Olivia says
Thanks a lot for your comment, Kenita! So happy you enjoyed this recipe 😉
J. says
I just got done eating this and it was awesome! I was going to make a different dish with my shrimp but I was missing an ingredient so I googled shrimp and kale and this recipe popped up. Next time for a side dish I will leave out the shrimp. Thanks for the recipe,
Olivia says
Thanks a lot for your comment and feedback, J. So glad to hear that 😉
Kristine says
I and my little minions will love this! This is a great base to add a few other seasonings that can be varied depending on season or mood.
Olivia says
I particular prefer to cook with gas heat, but electrical heat is fine too 😉