Fresh and fast keto shrimp scampi is light, satisfying, and sure to switch up your next pasta night. Zucchini noodles and shrimp both cook quickly, so you can whip up a flavorful meal in no time. Butter, a little garlic, and this dish is all yours.
Zucchini makes for a great pasta alternative. Take it to the next level, or maybe I should say layer?? With this zucchini lasagna.
Don’t Skimp on the Shrimp
There’s no need to. A light protein, it cooks quickly and easily absorbs any flavor profile—shrimp just might be my favorite protein. Controversial? Maybe. Here’s the thing—I love spending time testing my recipes. That can sometimes mean spending a lot of time in the kitchen without any dinner to show for it.
That’s one of the reasons I love shrimp so much. Shrimp makes it easier to pull dinner together. A meal that’s filling, but not too heavy—which makes zoodles a perfect pairing. In fact, I like to swap shrimp in recipes that call for chicken all the time. It’s a great way to reconsider a recipe that I already know and still end up with a completely different dish.
Easy, veggie-forward, with a punch of protein—dress up your ordinary zoodles with shrimp zucchini pasta. – Linds x
Is Shrimp Zucchini Pasta Keto? Low Carb? Paleo? Gluten Free?
- Keto + low carb – Yup! Every ingredient here is low in carbs and keto.
- Paleo – You can turn this into paleo shrimp scampi by substituting butter for olive oil, and skipping the parmesan.
- Gluten free- Yes, zucchini noodles make this a gluten free shrimp scampi.
Ingredients For Healthy Shrimp Scampi
- The sauce: Shallots, garlic, white wine, lemon juice and zest make up our classic keto shrimp scampi sauce. For a dry white wine, opt for a sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio. If shallots aren’t available, feel free to use 1/2 of a finely chopped white onion.
- The shrimp: Be sure to purchase peeled + deveined shrimp. As for the tail–it’s most traditional to make this dish with the tail on, however, I hate removing it while trying to eat! The tail adds a bit more flavor to the sauce. Do what works best for you.
- The noodles: I love zucchini noodles here. Opt for fresh noodles rather than frozen (they get soggy when cooked).
Keto Pasta Alternatives
You have options! Zucchini noodles are my favorite when making keto shrimp scampi. Their mild taste allows the butter garlic sauce to shine, and they cook in just 1 minute. That said, you can pick from any one of the following:
- Spaghetti squash
- Butternut squash noodles
- Shirataki noodles
- Almond flour pasta, which is also the base for my keto gnocchi
How to Make Keto Shrimp Scampi
1. Make or purchase zucchini noodles.
PRO TIP: If making zucchini noodles at home, I suggest cutting the strands with kitchen scissors so they aren’t super long (it makes them easier to eat).
2. Melt butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and saute until soft. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant.
3. Add the shrimp and seasoning. Toss to coat. Add the wine, lemon juice, and zest. Bring to a simmer and maintain until the shrimp is cooked through.
4. Add zucchini noodles and parsley. Continue to cook for 1 minute, then remove from heat.
5. Sprinkle your shrimp zucchini pasta with parmesan before serving, and enjoy!
Pro Tips!
Not much to this quick and easy healthy shrimp scampi, just a few things to keep in mind before getting started:
- Use fresh noodles, even if you purchase spiralized noodles from the store. Just don’t use frozen zucchini noodles. They’ll get mushy when cooked.
- Don’t overcook the noodles! I literally toss them in the sauce for 1 minute, not more! Otherwise, they get soggy. This applies to all zucchini pasta recipes, which is why I even eat them raw! (Check out this zoodle salad to see what I mean)
- Buy shelled + tail-off shrimp. It’ll save you so much time. I know, I know, shrimp with the tail on adds a touch more flavor. But it also adds a touch more time when you just want to eat!
- Using frozen shrimp? Make sure they’re fully FULLY defrosted. Frozen (even partially) shrimp will release loads of liquid into the sauce and ruin the dish.
Reheat/Storing/Freezing Tips, Serving Recommendations
Store leftover healthy shrimp scampi in the fridge, in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave and top with freshly grated parmesan before serving. I don’t recommend freezing this dish.
More Low Carb Pasta Recipes
- Eggplant Lasagna
- Spaghetti Squash Casserole
- Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
- Cabbage Lasagna
- Keto Spaghetti Sauce
- Keto Alfredo Sauce
- Zucchini Lasagna Roll Ups
Keto Shrimp Scampi
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 shallot diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound raw shrimp peeled, deveined + tails removed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest about 1/2 a lemon zested
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 pound zucchini noodles about 3 medium spiralized zucchinis
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup Parmesan grated
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and saute until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add shrimp, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Toss to coat the shrimp in butter. Add the white wine, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, and cook until the shrimp are opaque in the center and fully cooked through.
- Add the zucchini noodles and parsley, and toss to coat in the sauce. Cook for 1 minute, then remove immediately from heat. Sprinkle with parmesan before serving, and enjoy!
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