Shrimp Scampi Zoodles

⏲ ~19 min total · prep 16 · cook 3 · 4 servings

By the KFI Test Kitchen · Tested & approved by Jason Lieu, KFI recipe editor

Published Sep 15, 2026 · Updated Sep 15, 2026

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb large shrimp (21/25 count), peeled and deveined
• 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 medium lemon, zested and juiced (2 tbsp juice)
• 3 medium zucchini, spiralized into noodles
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Instructions

1. Blot the shrimp dry and season with 3/4 tsp of the salt.
2. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat; add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant but pale.
3. Raise the heat to medium-high, add the shrimp in one layer, and cook 2 minutes; flip and cook 1-2 minutes more until just opaque and curled into loose C-shapes. Transfer to a plate.
4. Pour in the wine and simmer 30 seconds, scraping the pan.
5. Add the zucchini noodles, lemon zest, lemon juice, and remaining 1/4 tsp salt; toss 1-2 minutes only, until the noodles are just tender with a slight bite and no liquid has pooled.
6. Return the shrimp with any juices, add the parsley, and toss 30 seconds to warm through.
7. Divide among bowls and finish each with the Parmesan.

Why this recipe works

• Shrimp dried before the pan Blotting the shrimp dry and salting them with 3/4 tsp up front lets the butter and oil sear instead of steam. Wet shrimp cool the pan, turn gray, and tighten up before they brown.
• Noodles cooked last, briefly The zucchini enters after the shrimp come out and tosses for 1-2 minutes, no more. That short contact keeps the noodles tender with some structure and keeps liquid from pooling in the pan.
• Four net carbs, whole plate At 4.0 net carbs per serving this is a full skillet of shrimp and vegetables, not a diet portion. Butter, olive oil, and Parmesan carry the richness without spending carbs.

Tips for making this recipe well

Cut the garlic in slices

Thin slices survive their full minute in the fat and turn pale gold and sweet. Minced garlic scorches in that same minute, and scorched garlic flavors the entire pan.

Read the curl

Shrimp announce doneness by curling into loose C shapes. A tight O means they went too far, so pull them at the first curl since they warm through again at the end.

Split the salt as written

The recipe gives the shrimp 3/4 tsp and the noodles only 1/4 tsp. Zucchini needs less salt than you expect because it releases water as it cooks and concentrates what is already there.

Zest first, juice second

Strip the zest from the whole lemon before cutting it for juice. Zesting around halved wedges is awkward and leaves most of the zest behind on the peel.

Serve within minutes

Zucchini noodles keep softening in the hot lemon butter after they leave the pan. Time any side dish to finish after the scampi hits the table, not before.

Serving suggestions

Twist the zoodles into nests in warm bowls, spoon the pan butter over each, and finish with the Parmesan. The whole dish takes 15 minutes, which makes it a real weeknight option, and 4.0 net carbs per serving leaves room for a green salad alongside. Red pepper flakes bring low warmth rather than heat you need to plan around, so most tables will want the flakes as written. Crusty bread is the traditional partner for scampi and it stays off the plate here so the carb count holds.

Storage and meal prep

Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days covered in the fridge, with one caveat: the noodles soften as they sit in the sauce. If you know you want extras, store the shrimp and butter sauce in one container and keep uncooked zucchini whole, spiralizing it fresh when you reheat. Warm everything in a skillet over medium-low heat, since shrimp turn rubbery fast in the microwave. Skip the freezer here, because thawed zucchini releases its water and never recovers its texture.

Variations worth trying

• Chicken version Swap in 1 1/2 lb of sliced chicken breast and cook through to 165°F before it comes out of the pan.
• No wine Replace the 1/4 cup of dry white wine with chicken broth and an extra squeeze of lemon.
• Scallop scampi Sea scallops sear in about 2 minutes per side and take the same garlic butter and lemon.
• Extra lemon Double the zest if you like the sauce sharper; the butter absorbs it well.

Frequently asked questions

Can I spiralize the zucchini ahead of time?

Up to a day ahead works. Store the raw noodles in a container lined with paper towels in the fridge, which pulls some water out and actually helps them stay firm in the pan.

What can I use instead of white wine?

Chicken broth with an extra squeeze of lemon gets close. The wine contributes acidity, and broth plus lemon covers that job.

Why did my zoodles turn watery?

Either the pan was crowded or the noodles tossed longer than 2 minutes. Zucchini holds a lot of water and releases it with heat, so work in batches if your skillet is smaller than 12 inches.

Can I use frozen shrimp?

Yes, thawed completely and blotted very dry. Frozen shrimp carry surface ice, and any water left on them steams the pan instead of searing it.

How do I know the shrimp are done?

They turn opaque and curl into loose C shapes, which takes 2 minutes on the first side and 1-2 more after flipping. Tight O shapes mean they are overcooked, so pull them early.

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