This Shrimp with Zucchini Noodles is a vibrant, fast, and nourishing meal ready in under 30 minutes. Plump garlic shrimp and tender-crisp zucchini noodles are tossed in a light lemony sauce for a dish that feels special yet simple. It’s the perfect weeknight hero for a healthy, delicious dinner.

Why You’ll Love This Shrimp with Zucchini Noodles

• Quick & fuss-free: Ready in about 20 minutes of active cooking.
• Bright, vibrant flavors: A zesty, savory balance with a touch of heat.
• Light & nourishing: Naturally low-carb and high in protein.
• Endlessly adaptable: Easy to tweak with ingredients you have on hand.

Ingredients & Tools

• 450 g large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 medium zucchinis (about 600-700 g total)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lemon (juice and zest)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Tools: A spiralizer or julienne peeler, a large skillet or non-stick pan, tongs, a medium bowl.

Notes: Use the freshest shrimp and good olive oil. Don’t skip the lemon zest—it adds a beautiful aromatic lift.

Nutrition (per serving)

Serves: 3 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes

Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes

• Pat your shrimp dry. This is a small step that makes a huge difference. Moisture is the enemy of a good sear, so taking a moment to thoroughly pat the shrimp dry with paper towels will help you achieve that beautiful, slightly crispy exterior.
• Don’t skip salting the zucchini noodles. After you spiralize them, give them a light sprinkle of salt and let them sit in a colander for 5-10 minutes. This draws out excess water, preventing your final dish from becoming watery. Just be sure to pat them dry before cooking.
• Mise en place is your friend. Have all your ingredients prepped and within arm’s reach before you start cooking. The process moves quickly once the shrimp hit the pan, and you won’t have time to mince garlic or juice a lemon mid-way.
• Use a high-quality spiralizer. A good, sturdy spiralizer will make turning your zucchinis into perfect “noodles” an absolute breeze. If you don’t have one, a julienne peeler works well, though it might take a bit more time and effort.

How to Make Shrimp with Zucchini Noodles

Storage & Freshness Guide

• Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days; zucchini noodles will soften.
• Freezer: Not recommended; zucchini becomes very watery upon thawing.
• Reviving: Reheat gently in a skillet; avoid microwaving to prevent mushiness.

Serving Suggestions

Complementary Dishes

• A simple arugula salad — The peppery bite of arugula dressed with just a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil provides a crisp, refreshing counterpoint to the savory shrimp and zucchini.
• Crusty garlic bread — For those who want a little more heft, a slice of warm, crusty bread is perfect for sopping up every last bit of the delicious lemony sauce left on the plate.
• Quinoa with herbs — A fluffy bed of lemon-herb quinoa makes the meal more substantial while keeping it firmly in the healthy, gluten-free zone.

Drinks

• A crisp Sauvignon Blanc — The wine’s citrusy and grassy notes mirror the lemon and fresh herbs in the dish, creating a beautifully harmonious pairing that feels light and elegant.
• Sparkling water with lemon — For a non-alcoholic option, the effervescence cleanses the palate between bites, and the lemon wedge continues the bright, citrus theme of the meal.
• An ice-cold lager — The clean, crisp finish of a light lager cuts through the richness of the olive oil and garlic, making for a surprisingly refreshing combination.

Something Sweet

• Lemon sorbet — It’s a classic for a reason. The intense, clean citrus flavor is the perfect palate-cleanser after a garlic-forward meal and feels incredibly light.
• Fresh berry salad with mint — A bowl of mixed berries with a hint of mint and a tiny drizzle of honey offers a sweet, juicy, and antioxidant-rich end to your dinner.
• Dark chocolate squares — Just a square or two of high-quality dark chocolate (70% cacao or higher) provides a rich, slightly bitter finish that contrasts wonderfully with the meal’s bright acidity.

Top Mistakes to Avoid

• Overcooking the shrimp. Shrimp cook incredibly fast and become rubbery and tough if left on the heat for too long. As soon as they turn pink and opaque, they’re done. I’ve messed this up before too, and it really changes the texture of the whole dish.
• Skipping the zucchini salting step. Zucchinis are mostly water, and if you don’t draw some of it out beforehand, you’ll end up with a watery sauce that dilutes all the lovely flavors you’ve worked to build.
• Crowding the pan when searing the shrimp. If you add too many shrimp at once, they’ll steam instead of sear. Cook them in batches if necessary to ensure each one gets that beautiful, flavorful crust.
• Burnt garlic. Garlic burns in a heartbeat and turns bitter, which can ruin the entire sauce. Keep the heat at medium after cooking the shrimp and sauté the garlic just until it’s fragrant—usually no more than a minute.

Expert Tips

• Tip: For an extra flavor boost, marinate your shrimp. Toss them with a tablespoon of the olive oil, half the minced garlic, and a pinch of the red pepper flakes for 15-20 minutes in the fridge before cooking. This infuses them with flavor from the inside out.
• Tip: If you have one, use a microplane for the lemon zest. It creates super-fine zest that disperses its aromatic oils throughout the dish more evenly than larger gratings, giving you maximum lemon flavor without any bitterness.
• Tip: Add a tablespoon of cold butter at the very end. After you’ve tossed everything together, swirl in a pat of butter off the heat. It emulsifies with the lemon juice and olive oil to create a richer, silkier sauce that clings beautifully to the noodles.
• Tip: Toast your red pepper flakes. Before adding them to the oil, toast the flakes in the dry skillet for 30 seconds over medium heat. This wakes up their oils and gives the dish a deeper, more complex heat rather than just straight spiciness.

FAQs

Can I make this dish ahead of time?
You can prep the components ahead, but I don’t recommend cooking it entirely in advance. You can spiralize the zucchini and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for a day, and you can also peel and devein the shrimp ahead of time. However, the zucchini noodles will release more water upon reheating, becoming mushy. It’s truly a dish best served immediately after cooking for the best texture.

My sauce turned out watery. What happened?
This almost always happens if the zucchini noodles weren’t salted and dried properly before cooking. Zucchinis have a very high water content, and salting them is the key step to drawing that moisture out. Next time, be sure not to skip that 10-minute salting and thorough drying step. If it happens, you can try thickening the sauce with a slurry of a teaspoon of arrowroot or cornstarch mixed with a little water.

Can I use frozen shrimp?
Absolutely! Frozen shrimp are often just as good as “fresh,” which are typically previously frozen anyway. The key is to thaw them properly. Place them in a bowl in the refrigerator overnight, or for a quicker method, seal them in a plastic bag and submerge them in cold water for 30-60 minutes. Just be extra diligent about patting them completely dry before seasoning and cooking.

What can I use if I don’t have a spiralizer?
No spiralizer, no problem! A julienne peeler will create similar, if slightly flatter, “noodles.” You can also use a standard vegetable peeler to create wide, fettuccine-like ribbons. In a real pinch, you can even thinly slice the zucchini into matchsticks with a sharp knife. The goal is to create long, thin pieces that will cook quickly and mimic the feel of pasta.

How can I add more protein to this dish?
This dish is already protein-packed from the shrimp, but you can easily bump it up further. Adding a can of rinsed and drained chickpeas or white beans when you toss the zucchini noodles is a fantastic option. For a non-vegetarian boost, you could also add some diced, cooked chicken breast or even some pan-seared scallops alongside the shrimp.