Creamy Garlic Shrimp Zucchini (Printable View)
Succulent shrimp in garlic cream sauce served over fresh zucchini noodles for a light, flavorful meal.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
→ Vegetables
02 - 4 medium zucchini, spiralized into noodles
03 - 2 tbsp olive oil
04 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
06 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
→ Sauce
07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 1 tsp lemon zest
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
11 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
# Cooking Steps:
01 - Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season evenly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove shrimp and set aside.
03 - Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same skillet. Sauté minced garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
04 - Add cherry tomatoes if using, cook for 2 minutes until slightly softened.
05 - Pour in heavy cream, bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in Parmesan cheese and lemon zest. Cook while stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce slightly thickens.
06 - Toss zucchini noodles gently in the sauce. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until noodles are tender but retain slight crispness.
07 - Return shrimp to the skillet. Toss to combine everything evenly. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if used.
08 - Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve immediately for optimal freshness.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Ready in 30 minutes flat, which means you can have restaurant-quality shrimp on a random Tuesday night.
- The sauce is so good you'll want to scrape the pan and eat it with a spoon, and it happens to be naturally low-carb.
- Zucchini noodles somehow transform into something you actually crave instead of settle for.
02 -
- Don't prep your zucchini noodles until the very last minute or they'll turn into mush; spiralize them as your shrimp is cooking if possible.
- The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools, so it should look slightly looser than you think it needs to be when you plate it.
- Heavy cream can break if the heat is too high, so simmer gently and avoid boiling hard; a quiet bubble is your friend here.
03 -
- Spiralize your zucchini just before cooking to keep it from releasing water and making your sauce thin and watery.
- Freshly grated Parmesan melts smoothly into the sauce, while pre-shredded cheese often turns grainy because of the anticaking agents mixed in.