Low Carb Vietnamese Shrimp And Zucchini
⏲ ~22 min total · prep 18 · cook 4 · 4 servings
Dinner⏱ 25 min total🔥 2.6g net carbs
By the KFI Test Kitchen · Tested & approved by Jason Lieu, KFI recipe editor
Published Sep 15, 2026 · Updated Sep 15, 2026
Ingredients
- 1 lb large shrimp (21-25 count), peeled and deveined
- 3 medium zucchini (about 1 1/2 lb), cut into 2-inch matchsticks
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp granulated erythritol
- 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp avocado oil, divided
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp torn fresh cilantro
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Whisk the fish sauce, erythritol, and lime juice in a small bowl until dissolved — this nuoc-cham-style sauce goes in at the end, not during, so it stays bright.
- Pat the shrimp dry and season with the black pepper. Heat 1 tbsp avocado oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high until it shimmers.
- Sear the shrimp in a single layer, 90 seconds per side, until they curl into loose C-shapes and turn opaque with pink edges. Transfer to a plate at once — they finish in the residual heat and turn rubbery if left in the pan.
- Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the skillet, then the shallot and garlic; stir 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the zucchini matchsticks and stir-fry over high heat 3-4 minutes, tossing constantly, until they bend without breaking and still have a wet-glossy snap — soft zucchini weeps water and ruins the dish.
- Return the shrimp and any collected juices to the pan, pour the fish-sauce mixture around the edge, and toss 30 seconds just to coat and warm through.
- Kill the heat, fold in the cilantro, and finish with the sesame seeds. Serve immediately over nothing or a bed of shredded cabbage.
Why this recipe works
- Sauce at the finish The fish-sauce mixture goes in during the last 30 seconds, poured around the edge of the pan. Added early it would boil down and turn dull; late, it stays bright and lime-forward.
- Ninety seconds a side Shrimp seared in a single layer curl into loose C-shapes and come out of the pan immediately. Carryover heat finishes them; extra pan time is what makes shrimp rubbery.
- Matchsticks, high heat Zucchini cut into 2-inch matchsticks stir-fries in 3 to 4 minutes while staying snappy. Thicker cuts steam before they char, then weep water into the pan.
Tips for making this recipe well
Dry shrimp, hot pan
Pat the shrimp dry, season, and wait for the avocado oil to shimmer before anything goes in. Surface water drops the pan temperature and turns a sear into a steam.
Read the curl
A loose C-shape with opaque flesh and pink edges means done. Shrimp that tighten into coils have gone past the point, so pull them early and let carryover do the rest.
Toss the zucchini constantly
High heat and constant tossing for 3 to 4 minutes keeps the matchsticks moving. They are ready when they bend without breaking and still look wet-glossy.
Pour the sauce around the edge
Aim the fish-sauce mixture at the hot pan wall, not straight onto the shrimp. It warms in the 30 seconds of tossing and coats more evenly.
Cilantro off the heat
Fold the torn leaves in after the burner goes off. Residual warmth is enough to release the aroma without cooking the herbs gray.
Serving suggestions
The only way to ruin this dinner is to dawdle; it cooks in 25 minutes and eats best in five. Serve it straight from the pan over nothing, or over a bed of shredded cabbage for more body. The sauce pools lightly at the bottom of the bowl, which is the part people chase with their fork. Cold leftovers are respectable, which is rare for stir-fry.
Storage and meal prep
Eat this the day you cook it when you can. Airtight in the fridge, leftovers keep 3 to 4 days, though the zucchini softens overnight and releases water into the container. Reheat briefly in a hot skillet for a minute rather than the microwave, or eat the rest cold over cabbage. The freezer is a poor fit; thawed shrimp toughen and the zucchini goes limp.
Variations worth trying
- Chicken version Use 1 lb of sliced chicken thigh, seasoned the same way, and cook it through to 165°F in the center before the vegetable step.
- Scallop swap Sea scallops sear in about the same window as shrimp; look for golden crusts and opaque centers. Keep everything else identical.
- Chile heat Thin-slice a Thai bird chile in with the shallot and garlic. The lime in the sauce keeps it from tasting one-note.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use frozen shrimp?
Yes; thaw them fully and pat them very dry before they meet the pan. Water on frozen-then-thawed shrimp is the fastest route to a steam rather than a sear.
Why did my zucchini turn watery?
The pan was crowded or the heat was too low, so the matchsticks steamed instead of stir-frying. Work in two batches if needed and keep the tossing constant over high heat.
What can I use instead of fish sauce?
Fish sauce is the backbone of the Vietnamese flavor here, but an equal amount of tamari with an extra squeeze of lime gets you close. The dish will read different, not wrong.
Can I prep components ahead?
The sauce can be whisked and the zucchini cut a day ahead, both stored covered in the fridge. Cook the shrimp and zucchini in the last 10 minutes before eating, since neither improves by waiting.
Do I need to salt the zucchini?
No. Salting draws water out, and this recipe wants the opposite: fast, dry, high heat that leaves the vegetable snappy instead of drained and soft.
Related keto recipes
As an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner, Keto Food Ideas earns from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. Nutritional values are estimates. Recipes are developed with AI assistance and reviewed by our editors before publishing.
← More Dinner recipes · Home
