Why You’ll Love This Shrimp Scampi with Zoodles
- It’s unbelievably quick and easy. We’re talking about 20 minutes from start to finish. The sauce comes together in the time it takes to cook the shrimp, and the zoodles require almost no cooking at all. It’s the ultimate weeknight hero.
- The flavor is outrageously good. You get the rich, savory notes from the butter and garlic, a bright zing from the fresh lemon juice, and a little kick from the red pepper flakes. It’s a symphony of flavors that feels decadent but is actually quite light.
- It’s a fantastic low-carb alternative. By swapping traditional pasta for spiralized zucchini, you get a meal that’s packed with vegetables but still has that comforting “pasta” feel. It’s a great way to enjoy a classic without the heaviness.
- It’s incredibly versatile. Not a fan of shrimp? You can easily use chicken or even chickpeas. Want to add more veggies? Throw in some cherry tomatoes or spinach. This recipe is a wonderful template you can make your own.
Ingredients & Tools
- 450 g large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 3 medium zucchini, spiralized
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 120 ml dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc)
- 1 large lemon, juiced (about 3 tbsp)
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- To taste salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tools: A large skillet (12-inch is ideal), a spiralizer or julienne peeler, a microplane or zester, tongs.
The quality of your ingredients really shines here, so don’t skimp. Fresh, wild-caught shrimp and a good, drinkable white wine will make all the difference in building a complex, delicious sauce. And that fresh lemon juice? Non-negotiable for that bright, clean finish.
Serves: 3-4 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Pat your shrimp dry. This is the secret to getting a nice sear instead of steaming them. Just give them a quick pat with a paper towel before seasoning—it makes a world of difference.
- Don’t overcook the zucchini noodles. The trick is to just warm them through in the sauce. They should still have a slight bite (al dente, if you will). Overcooking will make them watery and mushy.
- Mince, don’t crush, the garlic. For a scampi sauce, you want fine pieces of garlic that will meld into the butter and oil, not large chunks. A good mince gives you the best texture and flavor distribution.
- Have everything prepped and ready. Because this cooks so quickly, you’ll want your garlic minced, lemon juiced, and parsley chopped before you even turn on the heat. This is a classic “mise en place” situation that prevents any scrambling.
How to Make Shrimp Scampi with Zoodles
Step 1: Start by preparing your zucchini noodles. Spiralize your zucchini and then place the noodles in a colander. Sprinkle them lightly with salt and let them sit for about 10 minutes. This step is optional but helpful—it draws out some of the excess moisture, preventing your final dish from being too watery. After 10 minutes, gently press down on the noodles with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to soak up the released liquid.
Step 2: While the zoodles are draining, pat your shrimp very dry with paper towels. Season them generously on both sides with salt and black pepper. This is your chance to build the base layer of flavor, so don’t be shy.
Step 3: Heat the olive oil in your large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering hot, add the shrimp in a single layer. You should hear a satisfying sizzle. Cook for just 1-2 minutes per side, until they’re pink and opaque. The goal is to sear them, not steam them, so don’t overcrowd the pan—you might need to do this in two batches. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set them aside on a plate.
Step 4: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the butter to the same skillet. Once it’s melted, add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 30-60 seconds, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant. You have to watch it closely—garlic burns in a heartbeat and turns bitter. You just want to wake up its flavor.
Step 5: Pour in the white wine and lemon juice. Let the mixture simmer for 2-3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. This is where the magic happens—the alcohol cooks off, and the sauce reduces slightly, becoming rich and flavorful. You’ll notice the sharp smell of the wine mellowing out.
Step 6: Now, add the prepared zucchini noodles to the skillet. Using tongs, toss them gently in the sauce for just 1-2 minutes. You really just want to heat them through and coat them evenly. They’ll soften slightly but retain a pleasant texture.
Step 7: Return the cooked shrimp to the skillet, along with any accumulated juices from the plate. Toss everything together to combine and heat the shrimp through for another 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and stir in the fresh parsley. Give it a final taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon if needed.
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- A simple arugula salad — The peppery bite of arugula dressed with just a little lemon vinaigrette provides a crisp, refreshing contrast to the rich, garlicky scampi.
- Crusty, warm bread — Absolutely essential for sopping up every last drop of that incredible sauce. A baguette or some sourdough toast is perfect.
- Roasted asparagus — Another vegetable that pairs beautifully with lemon and garlic. Roasting it brings out a lovely sweetness that complements the shrimp.
Drinks
- A crisp Sauvignon Blanc — The same wine you used in the sauce! Its citrusy and herbal notes are a match made in heaven with the flavors of the dish.
- Sparkling water with lemon — A non-alcoholic option that cleanses the palate between bites and enhances the citrus notes in the scampi.
- A light Pinot Grigio — If you prefer something a little less acidic than Sauvignon Blanc, this is a wonderful, easy-drinking alternative.
Something Sweet
- Lemon sorbet — A scoop of bright, tart sorbet continues the lemon theme and acts as a perfect palate cleanser after the rich meal.
- Fresh berries with whipped cream — Simple, light, and not too heavy. The sweetness of the berries is a lovely way to end the meal.
- Panna cotta with a berry coulis — For a slightly fancier finish, the creamy, delicate texture of panna cotta is a dream after the zesty main course.
Top Mistakes to Avoid
- Mistake: Overcooking the shrimp. Shrimp cook incredibly fast and become rubbery and tough if left on the heat for too long. They’re done as soon as they turn pink and opaque. Remember, they’ll heat through again at the end.
Mistake: Adding raw, wet zucchini noodles directly to the sauce. If you skip the salting and draining step, you’ll end up with a watery pool at the bottom of your skillet instead of a glossy, emulsified sauce. Taking that extra 10 minutes is worth it. - Mistake: Burning the garlic. Garlic goes from golden and fragrant to burnt and bitter in seconds. Keep the heat moderate after searing the shrimp and stir constantly. If it burns, it’s best to start over—it will ruin the entire sauce.
- Mistake: Crowding the pan when searing the shrimp. If you put too many shrimp in the pan at once, they’ll steam instead of sear. You want that beautiful caramelization. Cook in batches if your skillet isn’t large enough.
Expert Tips
- Tip: Use a microplane for the garlic. For an even more integrated garlic flavor, try grating your garlic cloves on a microplane instead of mincing. It creates a paste-like consistency that melts seamlessly into the butter.
- Tip: Add a splash of pasta water. If you happen to be boiling pasta for others, save a quarter cup of the starchy water. Adding a splash to the sauce at the end helps it cling to the zoodles beautifully.
- Tip: Brown the butter. For a deeper, nuttier flavor, let the butter cook a little longer until it turns a light golden brown and smells nutty before adding the garlic. Just be careful not to let it go too far.
- Tip: Finish with a drizzle. Right before serving, drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over the top. This adds a lovely fruity note and makes the dish look restaurant-glossy.
FAQs
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
You can prep the components ahead of time—spiralize the zucchini (store it in an airtight container in the fridge), peel the shrimp, and mince the garlic. However, I don’t recommend cooking the entire dish in advance. Zoodles release a lot of water upon reheating, which will make the sauce watery. It’s truly a 20-minute meal best enjoyed fresh.
What can I use instead of white wine?
No problem! You can replace the white wine with an equal amount of chicken or vegetable broth. To mimic the acidity that the wine provides, add an extra tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to the broth. It will still be delicious.
My sauce turned out watery. What happened?
This almost always happens if the zucchini noodles weren’t drained properly or if they were cooked for too long. Next time, be sure to salt and drain the zoodles, and remember they only need a minute or two in the hot sauce to warm through. If it happens, you can try simmering the sauce for a bit longer to reduce it after removing the zoodles and shrimp.
Can I use frozen shrimp?
Absolutely! Just make sure they are fully thawed first. The best way to thaw shrimp is to place them in a colander under cold running water for a few minutes. Pat them extra dry before seasoning and cooking.
How do I store and reheat leftovers?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheating is tricky because the zoodles will become soft. The best method is to gently reheat it in a skillet over low heat, but expect some extra liquid. Alternatively, you can eat it cold, almost like a shrimp scampi salad!
Shrimp Scampi With Zoodles
Whip up this easy Shrimp Scampi with Zoodles in just 20 minutes! A light, low-carb twist on the classic with garlic, lemon, and juicy shrimp. Perfect for a healthy weeknight dinner that feels fancy.
Ingredients
Ingredients
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450 g large shrimp (peeled and deveined)
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3 medium zucchini (spiralized)
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4 cloves garlic (minced)
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60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
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3 tbsp unsalted butter
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120 ml dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc)
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1 large lemon (juiced (about 3 tbsp))
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1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
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1/4 cup fresh parsley (finely chopped)
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salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
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Start by preparing your zucchini noodles. Spiralize your zucchini and then place the noodles in a colander. Sprinkle them lightly with salt and let them sit for about 10 minutes. This step is optional but helpful—it draws out some of the excess moisture, preventing your final dish from being too watery. After 10 minutes, gently press down on the noodles with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to soak up the released liquid.01
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While the zoodles are draining, pat your shrimp very dry with paper towels. Season them generously on both sides with salt and black pepper. This is your chance to build the base layer of flavor, so don't be shy.02
-
Heat the olive oil in your large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering hot, add the shrimp in a single layer. You should hear a satisfying sizzle. Cook for just 1-2 minutes per side, until they're pink and opaque. The goal is to sear them, not steam them, so don't overcrowd the pan—you might need to do this in two batches. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set them aside on a plate.03
-
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the butter to the same skillet. Once it's melted, add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 30-60 seconds, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant. You have to watch it closely—garlic burns in a heartbeat and turns bitter. You just want to wake up its flavor.04
-
Pour in the white wine and lemon juice. Let the mixture simmer for 2-3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. This is where the magic happens—the alcohol cooks off, and the sauce reduces slightly, becoming rich and flavorful. You'll notice the sharp smell of the wine mellowing out.05
-
Now, add the prepared zucchini noodles to the skillet. Using tongs, toss them gently in the sauce for just 1-2 minutes. You really just want to heat them through and coat them evenly. They'll soften slightly but retain a pleasant texture.06
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Return the cooked shrimp to the skillet, along with any accumulated juices from the plate. Toss everything together to combine and heat the shrimp through for another 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and stir in the fresh parsley. Give it a final taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon if needed.07
