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–+ servings

Garlicky Shrimp with Zucchini Pasta

Overhead photo of Zucchini Vegetable Noodle Stir Fry with shrimp in a white serving bowl.
Made in one pan, ready in 25 or less, and utterly delicious, you'll never believe how easy it is to make this Shrimp and Zucchini recipe! Featuring silky strands of zucchini noodles, garlicky plump shrimp, and a tantalizing, sweet and spicy stir-fry sauce, zucchini shrimp pasta is the delicious, low-carb alternative to take out you've been missing. Best of all, you can completely customize this recipe with your favorite veggies and protein.
Author: Cheyanne Holzworth
Total Time: 25 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

  • 1 2 Cup Liquid Measure (for making the stir fry sauce)
  • 1 Large Skillet or Wok (for cooking zucchini pasta and shrimp))

Ingredients

Stir Fry Sauce

Zucchini Pasta and Shrimp

  • 1 TBS Neutral Oil (such as vegetable or canola)
  • 1 pound Large Shrimp – peeled and deveined
  • 1 large Shallot – finely diced (about scant ½ cup)
  • 2 cloves Garlic – peeled & thinly sliced
  • ½ tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes - to taste (SEE NOTE)
  • 3 medium Zucchini – spiralized or julienned
  • To Taste Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper
  • Optional Garnishes: Sliced Scallions, Chopped Peanuts, Fresh Cilantro, Thai Basil, Sesame Seeds, Lime Wedges

Instructions

  • Make the Stir Fry Sauce: In a small measuring cup, whisk together 2 teaspoons of the sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, oyster sauce and chili garlic sauce. Set aside.
  • Cook the Shrimp: Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over high-heat. Add the shrimp, being careful not to crowd the pan (SEE NOTE), and cook for 1 minute undisturbed. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and stir-fry, for 2-3 minutes or until slightly charred and cooked through. Season generously with salt and pepper and remove from the pan. Set aside.
  • Saute the Aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium-high and return pan to heat. (SEE NOTE) Add the add the shallots, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the Stir Fry Sauce to the pan and whisk to combine. Bring to simmer and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until sauce is reduced slightly.
  • Add the Zucchini Pasta Noodles and cook, stirring/tossing constantly to coat, for 2 minutes or until slightly softened (SEE NOTE).
    Add the shrimp back to the pan and toss again to coat.
  • To Serve: Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Squeeze with optional fresh lime, top with garnishes as desired and serve. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  1. Shrimp tails: I like to leave the tails on my shrimp for aesthetic purposes only. Feel free to remove the tails when peeling and deveining if desired.
  2. Shrimp size: I used large (16/20 count) shrimp in this recipe. You can substitute whatever size shrimp you would like, just be sure to scale the cook time up or down accordingly in step 1 of the recipe.
  3. Shrimp substitution: If you don't like shrimp, or if you have a shellfish allergy, you can substitute tofu, chicken, or beef for the shrimp.  Just make sure you adjust the cook time accordingly.
  4. Sesame oil: Do NOT use dark, toasted sesame oil when stir-frying the shrimp (or whatever protein you chose), as dark sesame oil can easily burn and taste bitter.
  5. Chili Garlic Sauce is NOT the same thing as Sweet Chili Sauce!  Chili Garlic Sauce can be found in the international aisle of your grocery store.
  6. Heat level: If you don't like overly spicy food, reduce the amount or completely omit the crushed red pepper flakes.
  7. Cooking shrimp: Do not crowd the pan when cooking the shrimp!  Cook the shrimp in 2 batches if necessary - complete step 1 with half the shrimp and then repeat with the oil and remaining shrimp.  
  8. Step 3: If the pan seems dry in step 3 (when adding the shallots, garlic and red pepper flakes), add a bit of neutral oil to the pan.
  9. Cooking vegetable noodles: The longer you cook the zucchini, the more they will release water, so make sure you only cook them until just softened. As well, make sure you do not salt the zucchini prior to or during cooking, as that will cause them to release moisture as well.
  10. Need to Scale the Recipe? Hover your mouse over the number of servings in the recipe card. You'll see a sliding scale pop up, you can use that to scale the recipe up or down as needed.
  11. Got questions? I've got answers! If you ever run into an issue, have a question, or need any clarification - please feel free to drop them in the comments section. I'm happy to help when I can! 
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and the nutrition facts are an estimate based upon 4 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.

Nutrition

Calories: 304kcal    Carbohydrates: 31g    Protein: 26g    Fat: 9g    Saturated Fat: 1g    Cholesterol: 286mg    Sodium: 1781mg    Potassium: 545mg    Fiber: 2g    Sugar: 26g    Vitamin A: 368IU    Vitamin C: 32mg    Calcium: 194mg    Iron: 4mg
Course: entree
Cuisine: Asian