Keto Shrimp Scampi

This Keto Shrimp Scampi Recipe is as easy as tossing a few ingredients on a sheet pan and popping it in the oven. With a little lemon, garlic, and parmesan cheese you have a fabulous dinner with less than 2 net carbs in no time.

Ever since my sister-in-law Julie baked shrimp for dinner one night that has been my favorite way to prepare it. You just dump it on a cookie sheet with some herbs, veggies, and spices and pop it in the oven. It comes out perfect every time.

A few weeks ago we had Julie and my brother-in-law Lee over for dinner. Since two of my kids were at grandma's for the weekend we decided to splurge and have shrimp for dinner. Those two kids could each eat a pound of their own shrimp.

That is why we eat poultry and pork for dinner most nights. It is much more economical when feeding a big family. But keto shrimp scampi is so delicious I try to make room in our budget. There are a lot of birthdays that my children request seafood for.

Is shrimp good for a low carb diet?

Absolutely! Shrimp is keto, low carb, gluten-free, and perfect for any of those diets.

Ingredients

Shrimp - Any variety of raw shrimp is fine in this recipe. I personally prefer tail-off shrimp so they are easier to eat but most restaurants serve tail-on shrimp in scampi.

Lemon - Fresh lemon is a much better choice than bottled lemon juice when you are pairing it with seafood. Bottled lemon juice can have an offputting flavor that can overpower the delicate flavor of the seafood.

Olive Oil - Extra virgin olive oil is most commonly used but a light olive oil or avocado oil can work too.

Garlic - Fresh garlic is one of the stars of this dish. I roast whole cloves along with the shrimp.

Butter - I use salted butter so with that combined with the parmesan cheese this recipe does not need added salt. If you are using unsalted butter you may want to add a pinch to the sauce before serving.

Parmesan Cheese - Most often I use the cheese in the green shaker can because it is convenient and we always have it in the house. You can use freshly grated parmesan instead if you have some.

How to Make Keto Shrimp Scampi

Once you learn how to make keto-friendly shrimp scampi you'll want to make it again and again. My low carb shrimp scampi is one of the easiest dinners I make for my family.

Step One: Bake the shrimp. Simply place the shrimp, garlic cloves, and lemon wedges in a rimmed baking dish. Drizzle with the olive oil and bake until the shrimp turn pink and curl up.

Step Two: Saute zucchini noodles. While the shrimp are cooking add the zoodles to a large skillet or saucepan. Saute with a little olive oil just until they begin to wilt and are al dente in texture.

Step Three: Toss the shrimp with the zucchini noodles and serve. You can add the shrimp to the pan with the zoodles and serve from that or the other way around. Or add both to a large serving bowl. I really just lightly sauteed my zucchini noodles and then just dumped the shrimp scampi on top. I served right from the pan. My company did not complain.

Variations

Spicy - Want to add a little heat? Sprinkle on some crushed red pepper flakes and freshly ground black pepper.

Lemon - Love lemon? Add a little extra lemon juice or lemon zest.

Cream - If you want a richer creamier garlic butter sauce you can a few tablespoons of heavy cream.

Wine - Drizzling a little dry white wine over the shrimp during the last 5 minutes of cooking also adds a nice flavor.

Garnish - Garnish the plated keto shrimp scampi with some chopped fresh parsley or shredded parmesan cheese.

How do you thicken shrimp scampi sauce?

If you want to thicken the sauce you can simply mix in a tiny pinch of xanthan gum or glucomannan. We like this sauce as is. It is a bit brothy but light and refreshing.

What type of shrimp should I use?

You can use any raw shrimp but you will need to adjust the cooking time accordingly. If you are using frozen shrimp it is best to thaw them first.

I prefer using the medium, peeled, tailless shrimp. I don't like having to take the tails off while eating them.

Shrimp recipes always have a wow factor no matter which variety you choose. I also love serving this Baked Shrimp with Garlic for dinner company.

What else should I serve with shrimp scampi?

This garlic shrimp scampi is really a meal all by itself with zucchini noodles. Since scampi is traditionally served with pasta, normally linguini, I like having it with a low carb noodle. Shirataki noodles or hearts of palm noodles work well in place of the zucchini.

If you want to serve a side dish along with your keto shrimp scampi I'd recommend a Caesar salad or roasted green beans.

How to make Zucchini Noodles

Zucchini noodles are SO easy to make. You need a spiralizer but other than washing the zucchini and cutting the stem off you don't have to do anything else to it.

I love my spiralizer. I don't use it as often as I like because with a small kitchen I have to put it away into the bottom of the closet but every time I pull it out I think how I need to use it more. Besides zucchini, I love using it for sweet potatoes. They are amazing spiralized and roasted. Cucumber noodles are fun too in the summer.

This is the one I have. I got it 3 or 4 years ago when there weren't so many brands on the market. If you don't have one yet I do recommend it. I like the option of being able to make fat noodles or thin noodles. Thin noodles are great for cold salads.

I really like to use my spiralizer to make summer squash noodles into a raw zucchini salad.

You can also serve this keto shrimp recipe on spaghetti squash or cauliflower rice.

 

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Originally Published January 1, 2017. Revised and Republished September 27, 2021