Shrimp Scampi with Zoodles

4.95 from 243 reviews

Healthy Shrimp Scampi combines the classic flavors of the dish with simple swaps like using zoodles zucchini noodles) instead of pasta for a lighter meal!

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Comments
46

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Easy shrimp scampi recipe made with zucchini noodles.
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A lighter shrimp scampi meal

Shrimp Scampi gets a little update in this version with zucchini noodles – aka zoodles! This shrimp scampi is a full meal and full of healthy ingredients, tons of flavors of the traditional dish, but lighter in calories and fat.

The traditional shrimp scampi is all about the combination of garlic, butter, shrimp and white wine paired with pasta. To make my healthy shrimp scampi, I still use garlic, butter and shrimp, but I cook it with vegetable broth and swap the pasta for zucchini noodles. So there are less carbs and calories overall. It still has the essence of the original dish with a lighter, fresher flair.

Happy Cooking!
– Yumna

How to Make Shrimp Scampi

Zucchini after shredded into zoodles.
Step 1: The fun part of this recipe is the zoodles, which are zucchini noodles made with a spiralizer. This tool shreds the zucchini into noodle-like shapes, and many have settings to adjust the thickness, from thin spaghetti-like strands to thicker ones similar to fettuccine. You can also use a vegetable peeler, but it will yield wider zoodles.
Aromatics in an oiled skillet.
Step 2: To cook the shrimp, start by heating butter in a pan, then adding minced garlic and crushed red pepper. This helps to develop the garlic and pepper flavor, while also infusing it into the melted butter.
Seasoned shrimp added to pan.
Step 3: When the garlic becomes fragrant, add the shrimp, and season with salt, pepper and paprika.
After cooking shrimp in pan with butter sauce.
Step 4: Cook it just long enough for the shrimp to turn pink and opaque. You want to avoid the shrimp curling up too much, which means that the shrimp is drying out.
Step 5: Remove the shrimp from the pan and set them aside, leaving the juices.
Step 6: Add vegetable broth, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice to the pan, scraping up the browned bits. Bring to a boil and cook for a few more minutes until the sauce reduces.
Cooked shrimp added to pan with sauce and zoodles.
Step 7: That’s your signal to add the zoodles and cooked shrimp back in the pan.
Shrimp scampi recipe with zoodles.
Step 8: Give everything a gentle toss, enough to warm the noodles and combine all the flavors. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice and grate some Parmesan cheese on top.

Recipe Tips

  1. Defrost the shrimp fully before cooking. It’s hard to find wild caught fresh shrimp in Michigan, so I buy it frozen. If you’re using frozen shrimp, thaw it with running cold water for a few minutes to remove all ice crystals. Then use a paper towel to dab it dry. This will limit the amount of water getting released when you cook the shrimp.
  2. Prep the zoodles before cooking the shrimp. Even though the zoodles go in last, you want to have them prepped in advance to avoid leaving the shrimp in the sauce for too long while waiting on the zoodles. It’s a quick cooking recipe, so it’s best to prep everything first and then cook, versus prepping as you go.
  3. Don’t overcook the shrimp. The shrimp only needs about 2-4 minutes total of cooking time. Cook only long enough for the shrimp to turn pink and opaque. If you overcook them, they can become tough and chewy.
  4. Use half zucchini noodles and half spaghetti. If you have picky eaters who are skeptical of the zoodles, try mixing them with spaghetti and peeling the green skin off the zucchini. This lets it blend right into the spaghetti, adding more vegetable servings without it being too obvious. I often do a 50/50 blend myself because I love having the mix of pasta and zoodles.
Two servings of shrimp scampi zoodles with parmesan.

Serving Ideas

Because my shrimp scampi is served with zoodles, it is a really well balanced meal. For a bigger meal, you can serve it with a caesar salad or a side of sauteed spinach. Garlic bread is always a good option too!

Recipe Help & FAQs

How do I store and reheat shrimp scampi with zoodles?

Kept in the fridge in an airtight container, the shrimp will keep for 3 days. To reheat, you can warm the shrimp in a skillet over low heat. Just note that the zucchini will shrivel after being cooked and again after storage and reheating

Can I freeze shrimp scampi?

I wouldn’t advise it since it’s tossed with zucchini which will get very soggy after freezing and thawing

How do you thicken shrimp scampi?

Usually once you add the liquid to the browned bits and bring to a boil, some of the liquid will evaporate leaving a thicker sauce. If you want to make it even thicker, you can add one tablespoon of flour to the sauce, or mix in a tablespoon of cornstarch thinned with a tablespoon of water. Keep whisking until the sauce thickens.

Shrimp scampi recipe with zoodles in a bowl.

More Pasta Recipes:

If you try this Shrimp Scampi with Zoodles recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!

Shrimp Scampi with Zoodles

Author: Yumna Jawad
4.95 from 243 reviews
Healthy Shrimp Scampi combines the classic flavors of the dish with simple swaps like using zoodles zucchini noodles instead of pasta for a lighter meal!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Servings4 servings

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Ingredients
  

Instructions

  • In a large skillet, heat the butter, then add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Add shrimp to the pan and season with paprika, salt and pepper. Cook until the shrimp turns pink, 3-4 minutes, depending on their size, and remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate covered.
  • Add the vegetable broth, lemon juice and red wine vinegar to the pan, scraping the sides, and bring the sauce to a boil.
  • Turn off heat and add the spiralized zucchini and the shrimp to the pan and toss together to warm with the sauce.
  • Serve immediately with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Notes

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 2-3 days in the fridge. However, the zoodles will absorb a lot of liquid by the second day, so it’s best to enjoy this the same day

Nutrition

Serving: 2cups, Calories: 285kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 48g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 380mg, Sodium: 722mg, Potassium: 1051mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 760IU, Vitamin C: 41mg, Calcium: 185mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

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4.95 from 243 votes (229 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Duncan says:

    awesome

    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      Thank you so much!

  2. Shelley says:

    You say use 2 lbs large shrimp, shelled and deveined and wild caught. Are they bought frozen and cooked already—or do you buy them frozen, shelled, deveined, and uncooked?

    1. Yumna J. says:

      Hi there! I buy frozen wild caught shrimp that are shelled, deveined, and uncooked.

  3. Antonella says:

    The sauce is awful, super bitter. I’ve had shrimp scampi before but this recipe with vinegar ruined the whole meal. DISGUSTING

    1. Yumna J. says:

      Oh no! I’m so sorry you didn’t like it, Antonella. It sounds like a lot of people agree with you about the vinegar; I’m going to look into retesting the recipe. Thank you for the feedback. I really appreciate it!

  4. Cheryl says:

    This is not even close to shrimp scampi. Followed the recipe closely. It’s way too tangy. We were able to eat the shrimp but the zoodles in sauce were just horrible and went in the trash.

    1. Yumna J. says:

      Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear you didn’t like it! I’m going to look into retesting this recipe again. Thank you for your feedback, Cheryl.

  5. Heather V says:

    I don’t know how this is so highly rated. It is way too tangy with the red wine vinegar. Very overpowering and not good at all. The shrimp was good, but the sauce ruined the whole dish.

    1. Yumna J. says:

      I appreciate the feedback, Heather! Glad to hear you liked the shrimp turned out but so sorry you didn’t like the sauce.

  6. Rita says:

    What can you use instead of red wine vinegar?

    1. Yumna J. says:

      Any vinegar or citrus would work well! I would do balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, or lemon juice if you have any of those on hand. Enjoy!

  7. Katie says:

    This is the quickest meal I have ever made! Plus it is delicious. I used high quality butter and I would recommend doing so for optimal flavor. We will definitely be making this again.

    1. Yumna says:

      So happy you loved this one, thank you!

  8. Susan says:

    Can you tell me how much spaghetti you use when you do the 50/50 of veggie/pasta?

    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      I would do roughly 1 zucchini and 8 ounces of pasta!

  9. Matt says:

    This dish was amazing! My gf and I gave it 5 stars! We shared it on our Instagram as well!

    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      Thank you! I love that!!

  10. Renee says:

    This recipe is delicious . I basically followed it to the T. Only miss step was I was out of red wine vinegar- I did some Miran cooking wine and some tarragon vinegar- it was delicious just the same. I used fresh zucchini noodles. I will definitely make again

    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      Thank you so much! I’m glad it still worked out that way. Yay!!

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    1. Yumna J. says:

      Wow, thank you so much! That truly means a lot!!

  12. Cathy says:

    Awesome meal!! Everyone loved it!
    Thank you so much

    1. Yumna J. says:

      Yay! Thank you!!

    2. Angela says:

      I wanted to know if this recipe can be made for two? My husband and I are now empty nesters in our early sixties and I have never made small meals since I was 16 when my mother became ill.

      1. Yumna Jawad says:

        Yes, it can be! All you need to do is move the toggle next to the number of servings to two.

  13. Hollie says:

    Will it work with white wine like traditional scampi instead of red wine vinegar?

    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      Yes absolutely!

  14. Carmen says:

    Lovely, quick and deliciously healthy dinner! Thank you! I used yellow zucchini so it looked like pasta!

    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      Nice!! Love that idea and so glad you enjoyed the recipe!

  15. Lauralala Thomson says:

    So good!

    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      So glad you liked it!

  16. Krystal says:

    Amazing! I really enjoy all of your recipes!!

    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      So glad to hear it! Thank you so much!

  17. Asya Jones says:

    It was really tasty and easy to make. I’m a beginner and it still came out awesome. Thank you!

    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      So glad to hear it. Thank you!

  18. Madelyn says:

    Do not use 1/2 C of red wine vinegar!

    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      Oops…typo! I updated to 1/4 cup. Thank you!

  19. Carol says:

    Can you tell me appx how many cups of zoodles should be used? ( if buying pre-spiralized)

    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      Each zucchini makes about 3 cups of spiralized zoodles. Since I used 3 zucchinis, you can use up to 9 cups, but it’s not necessary to use the full amount. You’ll just have extra sauce.

  20. rebecca Ainsworth says:

    love it. My Husband and I really enjoy this meal. Would recommend to anyone this recipe.

    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      So glad to hear you and your husband enjoyed it! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂

  21. Liz says:

    This was super easy to make and very delicious! Rating it 4 starts because it was a little tangy/sour for our liking. I would reduce the amount of vinegar if I made this again!

    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      Thanks for the feedback! I’m glad you enjoyed it still 🙂

  22. Ali says:

    Simple and awesome.

    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      Yay! Thank you!