Get ready to savor all the rich garlic goodness and creamy textures of traditional shrimp scampi, but with a healthy twist! This Healthy Shrimp Scampi isn’t just a mouthwatering meal — it’s also a low-carb, keto-friendly, and ridiculously easy to make. Paired with zucchini noodles, it’s a quick, delicious dish that’s perfect for any occasion. Whether you choose to enjoy it solo or alongside your favorite sides, this healthy shrimp scampi is about to become your go-to recipe for guilt-free indulgence!
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What Is Healthy Shrimp Scampi?
Healthy shrimp scampi is simply a lighter take on the classic comfort food. Made with all the same garlic flavor and rich sauce you know and love, we serve it over zucchini noodles for a keto take on a crowd-pleasing dish. It’s high in protein, super cheesy, and loaded with flavor! The best part is this healthier shrimp scampi is so tasty your kids won’t even realize they’re eating their veggies.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and simple, it bakes in a single dish in less than 15 minutes.
- Healthier than standard recipes, this shrimp scampi is high-protein, low-carb, and full of healthy fats to keep you full.
- Healthy shrimp scampi makes a large batch and can easily be doubled, making it perfect for feeding a crowd.
- Versatile and customizable, you can pair this shrimp over any noodles you hav on hand, and serve it with all your favorite sides for the ultimate crowd-pleasing comfort food.
Ingredients You’ll Need
If you’ve ever made standard shrimp scampi, these ingredients will likely look familiar to you. Here’s your grocery list for whipping up our guilt-free version:
- Shrimp – We recommend using large shrimp. Just make sure they are peeled and deveined.
- Shallot and Garlic – These aromatics add a bold, savory flavor to the dish.
- Butter – We suggest using unsalted butter so as to add a rich flavor to the scampi without overwhelming the dish.
- Lemon – Both lemon juice and lemon zest are used to lighten up the flavor of some of the heavy fats.
- Broth – We use seafood broth, but any low-sodium broth such as chicken or veggie broth will do.
- Seasonings – A combination of salt, paprika, pepper, red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley add a savory flavor and just a hint of spice.
- Zucchini – Use a spiralizer or buy pre-made zucchini noodles for a low-carb pasta alternative.
- Heavy Cream – This forms the base of the sauce.
- Parmesan Cheese – Plenty of cheese is added in and on top of the dish for a recipe no one can resist!
How to Make Healthy Shrimp Scampi
This healthier shrimp scampi may look like a gourmet masterpiece, but the secret is, it’s incredibly easy to make! Follow these simple instructions, and you’ll have a restaurant-worthy dish on your table in no time:
- Combine the Ingredients. Add the shrimp, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and broth to a baking dish.
- Add the Zoodles. Layer the zoodles (zucchini noodles) on top. Do NOT stir!
- Bake. Place the dish in the oven until the shrimp are opaque and no longer pink.
- Top. Add the remaining ingredients, and stir to combine.
- Garnish. Add extra Parmesan and parsley, and dig in!
Serving Suggestions
This healthy shrimp scampi is a nutritional powerhouse all on its own, thanks to the zucchini noodles paired with the protein-rich shrimp. You can eat it all on its own or elevate your meal even further by pairing it with some delicious sides. Here are some of our absolute favorite combinations:
- The Best Greek Salad
- Creamy Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
- Olive Cheese Bread
- Egyptian Cucumber & Tomato Salad
Storage Options
This healthy shrimp scampi is best served right away while it’s still warm. However, if you happen to have leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. Reheat your leftovers in a saucepan over medium heat just until warm. Be careful not to overcook! Otherwise, your shrimp will become rubbery.
Healthy Shrimp Scampi Common Questions
This shrimp scampi is chock-full of protein from the shrimp and dairy. Plus, it gets a nutrient boost over the traditional version since it uses zucchini instead of noodles.
We use seafood broth instead of wine in shrimp scampi. You can also use chicken broth or vegetable broth.
Scampi sauce is a blend of garlic, butter, and white wine. In our recipe, we swap out the wine for seafood broth and add lemon, aromatics, and spices. We also use cream and cheese for a rich twist on the traditional version.
This is a matter of personal preference. However, if you cook the shrimp with the tails on they’ll retain their shape better than if cooked with the tails off. Of course, you’ll want to slice the tails off when you actually eat the dish.
More Shrimp Recipes
If you’re ready to dive into more easy and delicious shrimp recipes, we’ve got what you’re looking for! Check out some of our favorite shrimp creations below:
- One Pot Cajun Pasta
- One Pot Pesto Pasta
- Shrimp Bake in Tomato Sauce
- Blackened Shrimp with Cilantro Lime Dressing
Healthy Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 small shallot chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- Juice of half a lemon
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes + more or less to taste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper + more or less to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 cup seafood broth or choice of broth
- 1 large ~3 ounces zucchini, spiralized
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley + more for garnish
- Optional Garnish: Parmesan cheese and parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a medium-sized baking dish, combine the shrimp, shallot, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, butter, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, paprika, and broth.1 pound large shrimp, 1 small shallot, 2 cloves garlic, Juice of half a lemon, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes + more or less to taste, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper + more or less to taste, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 cup seafood broth or choice of broth
- Top with zoodles. Do not stir!1 large
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the shrimp is fully cooked and no longer pink.
- Add the heavy cream, cheese, and parsley. Stir well.1/4 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup fresh parsley + more for garnish
- Garnish with more parsley and Parmesan cheese!Optional Garnish: Parmesan cheese and parsley
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.
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Equipment
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How many servings and calories for the Heathy Shrimp Scampi recipe? It wasn’t listed the way it is on other recipes on this site. Thanks for the recipe! Looks delicious!
This serves 3-4!
What could you substitute for the heavy cream and less parm -to lower the fats and cals without sacrificing too much of the taste/integrity of the dish?
You can actually keep out the heavy cream and reduce the parm! If you want some creaminess you can reduce the heavy cream to 2 tablespoons. It still tastes delicious and light!