Garlic butter shrimp with zucchini noodles
27 min · 31 g protein · 257 cals / serving
Plump shrimp seared hard in a hot pan, then tossed in a glossy sauce of butter, lots of garlic, chili flakes and lemon, with zucchini noodles warmed through for the last minute so they stay crisp-tender. A shower of parsley and a fine grating of parmesan finish it. Fifteen minutes, one pan.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb shrimp, large, peeled and deveined, patted dry
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup vegetable broth, or dry white wine
- 4 medium (2 lb) zucchini, spiralized
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
To serve
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan, finely grated
Steps
- Season the shrimp with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in your largest skillet over high heat until it shimmers, then sear the shrimp in one layer, in two batches if needed, 1 minute per side, until pink and just cooked (145°F). Move them to a plate.
- Turn the heat to medium, add the butter, and when it foams add the garlic and chili flakes. Stir 45 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant and pale gold, then pour in the broth and let it bubble for 1 minute, scraping up the browned bits.
- Add the zucchini noodles and toss them in the sauce with tongs for 1–2 minutes, only until warm and bright. Longer and they release water and go limp.
- Return the shrimp and their juices, add the lemon juice, zest and parsley, toss once more and taste for salt. Serve straight away with the parmesan grated over.
Good to know
How do I stop the zucchini noodles going watery?
Spiralize them up to a few hours ahead, toss with a pinch of salt and let them drain in a colander, then pat dry. And keep them in the pan for only a minute or two: they are meant to be warmed, not cooked.
Can I use store-bought zucchini noodles?
Yes, fresh ones from the chiller work well. Frozen zucchini noodles hold a lot of water; thaw and squeeze them first, or use half the amount mixed with fresh.
Want some pasta in it?
Swap half the zucchini for 4 oz dry linguine, cooked and tossed in with the zucchini. It is closer to classic scampi and still mostly vegetables.
Alternatives
Per
- Calories
- 71
- Protein
- (48%)
- 9 g
- Fat
- (36%)
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- (16%)
- 3 g
- of which sugar
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 155 mg
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Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. General guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber. How
As written, 1030 kcal goes into the pot and 1788 g of ingredients comes out as about 1450 g of food: 71 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.