This Sweet Potato, Kale and Shrimp Skillet only requires 4 ingredients, and it’s whole30, gluten-free, paleo, and super-easy to make!
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.
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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!
Did you make a recipe? Tag @primaverakitchen on Instagram so we can find you!
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Sweet Potato, Kale and Shrimp Skillet
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.
Video
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
If you like this Sweet Potato, Kale and Shrimp Skillet recipe, please share it with your friends and family. Do you want to taste more? Subscribe to my newsletter, and follow Primavera Kitchen on Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for all delicious recipe updates. As always, I really appreciate you stopping by.
Aerielle Silloway says
I made this last night and it was absolutely amazing! It took me a little longer to cook the sweet potatoes but I don’t think I cut them up small enough! It paired really nicely with a sauvignon blanc 😊 thank you so much!
Olivia says
Yes, if you don’t cut the sweet potato in small pieces it will take longer to cook. Happy to know you enjoy this recipe 😉
Savannah says
This is really good. I’m newly gluten free and having a tough time finding recipes that I actually like, but I’ll make this again!
Olivia says
This is a great gluten-free meal option 😉
Kim Karras says
I made this tonight with white sweet potatoes! My husband and son loved it! I will try it again with orange sweet potatoes too! l only added a little lemon juice when cooking the shrimp. Some of the others posts have great ideas for next time! Yum!
Olivia says
That’s awesome, Kim. Happy to hear that. If you try any other recipe from PK, please let me know how it turned out. xoxo
Heather Davies says
Couldn’t believe such a simple recipe could turn out so delicious! Will definitely make again
Olivia says
That’s awesome. Happy to hear that!
Sherri says
So happy to find this recipe, it’s exactly what I need for tonight. All I have in the house is a bag of frozen shrimp, a bunch of Swiss chard, and two sweet potatoes. I googled sweet potato and shrimp and the first recipe I see it this! I was going to do the chard as a side dish but now I’ll just substitute it for the kale and make a one skillet meal!
Olivia says
I’m so glad you find my recipe! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your comment. 🙂
dom says
same here, eating a lot out of the fridge these days as we wait for the next grocery store run. Kale, sweet potatoes, frozen shrimp…check check check. Looking forward to it.
Olivia says
Awesome!
Diane says
How many sweet potatoes is 2 cups? 1.5?
Olivia says
It’s probably 2 cups.
Jacki F. says
Delicious, simple, and HEALTHY. I used frozen sweet potato fries, which I cubed, and added a bit of chopped fresh basil & tarragon. at the end. I also used fresh chopped chives instead of onions. Love this dish! A new lunchtime favorite!
Olivia says
That’s awesome! So happy to hear that 😉
ken says
don’t let her bother you with her yam /sweet potato mix up I thank you for taking the time to be kind to all of us that read your great meals thank you and God bless you and your family
Olivia says
Thank you so much, Ken. You’re so sweet and kind. I appreciate it 😉
Jenny says
So good! I’m on the path to removing lectins from my diet and came across your recipe. I drizzled a teensy amount of coconut aminos into my bowl and it was great. But then on my second helping (because it was THAT good), I didn’t add the aminos and it was equally awesome. I think it’s one of those dishes where you might need a few bites before you really get the taste going, but then find yourself inhaling it in no time because your body wants those nutrients! I can’t wait to try your other recipes. Well done and thank you!
Olivia says
You’re VERY welcome 😉
Carmen says
Just made this. Delicious! I used Lacinto Kale and white sweet potatoes because it’s what I had at home. I love the sweet, spicy, earthy flavors. Thank you for sharing! 😃 Btw, I agree with you on the sweet potatoes, they can be white or orange. Yams are different. 😉 The recipe is perfect with sweet potatoes. I think I will add a splash of lemon the next time. Might be good to add some zing. Could also be a disaster! 😂
Olivia says
hahahahah not sure about zing but a splash of lemon is a great idea.