Zucchini Pasta with Shrimp in Spicy-Sweet Sauce

You’ve got questions? I’ve got answers! If you have a question you don’t see listed below, please drop them in the comments section. I’m happy to help when I can! 

You’ll need a spiralizer, mandoline, julienne peeler, or Chef’s knife to slice the zucchini into long, thin spaghetti noodle-like strips known as “zoodles”. Alternatively, you can purchase prepared zucchini noodles at major grocery stores.

When making zucchini pasta for this recipe, be sure to cut them on the thicker side (think: bucatini noodles) so they hold their shape during cooking.

Absolutely. You can swap out the zucchini pasta for regular spaghetti, wheat pasta, or even rice noodles if you prefer. However, please note that the zucchini noodles make this dish “low carb”.

• Soba Noodles: Buckwheat noodles, known as Soba noodles, are savory with a distinct nutty, slightly earthy flavor. They’re firm and retain some bite even after stir-frying.
• Udon: Japanese Udon noodles are one of the thickest noodle options. They’re dense and chewy with a neutral taste that works well in stir fries.
• Lo Mein: Lo Mein noodles are soft, round and long, resembling thick Italian spaghetti with a yellow hue. They’re fat, dense and taste fresh with an almost doughy texture after cooking.
• Chow Mein: Unlike Low Meins soft texture, Chow Mein retains its crunch and firmness after cooking. They’re perfect if you are looking for a crispy noodle texture.
• Shirataki: These Japanese yam starch noodle are prized for their fiber content and lack of calories. They are largely flavorless; however, you need to rinse them to remove the starchy taste before cooking.
• Italian Pasta: Long pasta noodles, such as spaghetti, linguine, or even fettuccine are great options if you are in a pinch and want to use up any pasta you already have at home.

To prevent the zucchini pasta from becoming soggy and mushy, be sure to add the noodles to the pan during the last 2 minutes of cooking and stir fry them just until they’re slightly softened but still crisp in texture. The longer you cook the zucchini, the more they will release water, so make sure you only cook them until they’re just soften.

As well, make sure you do not salt the zucchini prior to or during cooking, as that will cause the noodles to release moisture as well.

While this shrimp and zucchini recipe is obviously written for shrimp, you can use your favorite protein to prepare this recipe:

• Egg: I love to add scrambled eggs to this shrimp noodle stir-fry; however, you can swap out all the shrimp and use just eggs instead!
• Beef: Either ground beef or sirloin steak work great if you want to make beef noodle stir fry! If you are using steak, make sure you slice the steak against the grain into 1-inch thick strips.
• Pork: Both ground pork and pork tenderloin are delicious in stir-fry! If you are opting to use pork tenderloin, I recommend slicing it into 1-inch thick strips.
• Tofu: There are a lot of varieties of tofu out there, but for the best texture I recommend using extra-firm tofu to make this pasta with zucchini.

This shrimp with zucchini recipe is incredible customizable and there are limitless options for veggies you can add. I recommend you use this recipe as a guide instead of a precise recipe. Try throwing in whatever vegetable you have lying around or mixing and matching your family’s favorites from the list below. Just keep in mind, If you are going to add vegetables, I recommend either increasing the amount of stir fry sauce OR reducing the amount of zucchini pasta.

• Bell Peppers: Bell peppers are my go-to if I’m looking to add a little more bulk to this recipe! Both red and mini bell peppers add a beautiful touch of savory sweetness!
• Carrots: Shredded carrots are a great way to add a bit of sweet crunch to your stir fry!
• Broccoli: Crunchy broccoli is another go-to as it’s always easy to find fresh at the store!
• Mushrooms: Fresh mushrooms are a great way to bring an extra earthy, umami flavor to your noodles!
• Asparagus: Tender, crisp asparagus is a wonderful addition if you can find it fresh and in season!
• Cabbage: Thinly sliced cabbage is a delicious addition, just make sure to add it towards the end as it’s incredibly quick cooking!
• Edamame: Edamame beans are an fun way to add a slightly sweet and salty flavor to your dish!
• Water Chestnuts: A can of water chestnuts is a quick and easy addition that requires no prep!
• Other – Sesame Seeds and Nuts: Toasted sesame seeds and salty, crunchy nuts (cashews and peanuts) are a pretty finishing touch and a great way to add a mild nutty flavor!

Expert-tip: Make sure you cut your vegetables into uniform, bite-size pieces so everything cooks evenly and is easier to eat!

One of the great things about shrimp also happens to be their downfall – they are extremely quick cooking! And, there is a very thin line between perfectly cooked shrimp and over or undercooked shrimp.

Cooking shrimp in a skillet or wok will only take a matter or 3-4 minutes, depending on size. For the best result, always make sure your shrimp are of the same size and you are cooking them over high heat! This will ensure the shrimp have a juicy and tender texture without any rubbery chewiness.

Properly cooked shrimp should have a flesh that turns from translucent to slightly opaque in color. You always want to make sure you stop cooking the shrimp as soon as they show a sign of being properly cooked.

With just a few quick and easy swaps you can make this a gluten-free noodle stir fry!

• Noodles: Stick to using vegetable noodles (zoodles), mung bean noodles, rice noodles or other gluten-free noodle of choice.
• Soy Sauce: Make sure you use a brand of gluten-free soy sauce or you can substitute Tamari.
• Oyster Sauce: Check your brand of oyster sauce to ensure it is gluten-free! Many brands contain soy sauce, which is made from wheat. Make sure you are using a gluten-free brand of oyster sauce! (Kikkoman makes a gluten-free oyster sauce that is quite good!)

You can easily make this shrimp zucchini pasta vegetarian by omitting the shrimp entirely or simply swapping it out for tofu instead.