Creamy Garlic Shrimp Zucchini (Printable)

Tender shrimp with garlic cream sauce atop fresh zucchini noodles, offering a light and flavorful meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

→ Vegetables

02 - 4 medium zucchini, spiralized into noodles
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)

→ Sauce

04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
05 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 cup heavy cream
07 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Garnish

12 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

# How To Make It:

01 - Pat shrimp dry, then season evenly with salt and black pepper.
02 - Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove from skillet and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add remaining butter and minced garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds until aromatic.
04 - Pour in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring until sauce thickens.
05 - Add fresh lemon juice and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Adjust salt and black pepper to taste.
06 - Return shrimp to the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce. Cook for an additional minute.
07 - Incorporate zucchini noodles and cherry tomatoes if desired. Toss gently for 2 to 3 minutes until noodles are tender but retain slight firmness.
08 - Plate immediately and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent but cooks faster than ordering takeout, and you'll feel good after eating it instead of heavy.
  • The garlic cream sauce clings to every shrimp and noodle without needing actual pasta, so you get all the comfort with none of the carb crash.
  • Zucchini noodles stay crisp if you don't overcook them, giving you that satisfying bite you'd miss in most low-carb swaps.
02 -
  • Zucchini noodles release water when they sit, so spiralize them just before cooking and don't salt them in advance or you'll end up with a watery sauce.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks greasy, it got too hot too fast, so pull it off the heat and whisk in a splash of cream to bring it back together.
  • Shrimp cook in under 5 minutes total, so have everything prepped and ready before you start or you'll overcook them while scrambling for ingredients.
03 -
  • Cook the zucchini noodles in the sauce for no more than 3 minutes or they'll go limp and watery, and the whole dish will lose its texture.
  • Save a few tablespoons of the starchy pasta water if you're tempted to add real pasta later, because it helps the sauce cling, but for zucchini noodles, the cream alone does the job.
  • Use a large skillet so everything has room to breathe, because crowding the pan will steam the shrimp and vegetables instead of giving them that quick, hot sear that makes them taste alive.

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