Easy 20-Minute Keto Shrimp Scampi recipe with zucchini noodles is a quick and nourishing meal! Whip it up any night of the week for a healthy dinner that is deceptively fancy yet low-fuss.
This low-carb dinner is so fresh and simple!
Just when you thought life couldn’t get any better…
Enter: shrimp scampi.
Also known as the world’s most beloved use for butter.
You can quote me on that.
Let’s chat.
What is Shrimp Scampi?:
Shrimp scampi is sauteed shrimp in a white wine butter garlic sauce with lemon and is typically served with linguini.
A much beloved dish, shrimp scampi is popular in many parts of the world, including the Mediterranean, Noreastern Atlantic, the UK, Norway, and North Africa.
Depending on the region, shrimp scampi can be made with various types of crustaceans and there are varying approaches to shrimp scampi sauce.
I’m taking a quick and clean approach (as opposed to quick and dirty…because…well…just roll with me), using a combination of avocado oil, butter, white wine, garlic, and lemon zest and serving it up with zucchini noodles.
From start to finish, this dish takes no more than 20 minutes to prepare! You can cut the prep time down even more by using frozen pre-cooked shrimp, although I prefer using raw.
Let’s get down to it!
Ingredients For Keto Shrimp Scampi:
Shrimp Scampi Sauce: avocado oil, butter, white wine, garlic, lemon zest, onion powder, black pepper, fresh parsley.
This combination makes for a rich, creamy, zesty, tangy sauce that is well-rounded in flavor and does magical things to your taste buds!
You can replace the butter with all avocado oil to make the recipe dairy-free, or you can use all butter instead of partial butter and partial avocado oil. I like using some avocado oil to up the ante on unsaturated fat and decrease the amount of saturated.
You also need 1 pound of raw shrimp (you’ll be peeling and de-veining them if they don’t already come that way), 3 to 4 medium zucchini squash (depending on how many noodles you want), and that is it!
Shrimp Scampi Without Wine:
Can you make shrimp scampi sauce without wine? Absolutely. If you don’t cook with wine, you can replace it with 1 cup of chicken broth and 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.
If you use white wine, there will be 20 grams of carbohydrate per serving If you use chicken broth, there will be 8 grams of carbohydrate per serving.
If you make the shrimp scampi sauce with white wine, is still technically low-carb but not keto unless you have eaten less than 10-20 grams of carbs the rest of the day (depending on how many grams of carbs per day you’re going for.
Also note that there are varying carb counts for varying types of white wine. If you go with a dry white wine, like sauvignon blanc, there will be less residual sugar than a sweeter white wine.
Carb counts also vary across brands, so if you want to geek out, you can research which wines have the fewest carbs. I know Fit Vine Wine is a great low-carb wine that is also made with very clean ingredients.
Super clean, simple, and delicious!
Now that we have the ingredients figured out, let’s make it!
How to Make This Shrimp Scampi Recipe:
Heat the avocado oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir together the oil and butter. Once the butter has melted and the skillet is hot, add the shrimp. Cook 2 minutes, flip and cook another 1 minute.
Add the white wine (or chicken broth), garlic, lemon zest, onion powder, sea salt and black pepper. Stir and allow mixture to come to a full boil.
Continue cooking until sauce has thickened and reduced by a third of its original volume, about 5 minutes.
Add the zucchini noodles to the skillet and stir them into the sauce. Cover and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until noodles have softened but are still al dente.
Remove the lid and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until noodles have reached desired done-ness and everything is well-coated in thick sauce.
Recipe Adaptations:
- If you aren’t into zucchini noodles, cook up your favorite pasta noodles (I’d recommend angel hair or spaghetti) and toss them in with the shrimp to soak up the sauce. You can also serve shrimp scampi with rice (brown or white both work)!
- To make recipe dairy-free, omit the butter and add another 2 tablespoons of avocado oil. You can also add ¼ cup of full-fat canned coconut milk to make the sauce creamy.
- Substitute chicken broth for the white wine if you don’t cook with wine or to make the recipe paleo
Get that yummy!
More Healthy Shrimp Recipes:
- Lemon Garlic Foil Packet Shrimp
- Chili Lime Grilled Shrimp Skewers
- Mediterranean Shrimp Skillet
- Dairy-Free Paleo Shrimp Chowder
- Stuffed Grilled Avocados with Shrimp and Mango Salsa
My cookbook, Paleo Power Bowls, is now available! CLICK HERE to check it out. Thank you for your support!
If you make this recipe, please feel free to share a photo and tag @The.Roasted.Root on Instagram!
Keto Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- 4 Tbsp butter or ghee
- 1 lb raw shrimp peeled and deviened
- 1 cup white wine or chicken broth
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp onion powder optional
- 1/2 tsp sea salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3 to 4 medium-sized zucchini squash spiralized
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Heat the avocado oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir together the oil and butter. Once the butter has melted and the skillet is hot, add the shrimp. Cook 2 minutes, flip and cook for another 1 minute. Add the white wine, garlic, lemon zest, onion powder, sea salt and black pepper.
- Stir and allow mixture to come to a full boil. Continue cooking until sauce has thickened and reduced by a third of its original volume, about 5 minutes.
- Add the zucchini noodles to the skillet and stir them into the sauce. Cover and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until noodles have softened but are still al dente.
- Remove the lid and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until noodles have reached desired done-ness and everything is well-coated in thick sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Yay for options! I am trying to eat healthy, and Paleo is an ‘almost’ fit (but I refuse to give up my rice and beans and – gas – peanut butter! LOL). Keto often includes too much dairy for my cow milk allergy. So happy to see the adjustments for dairy free included – no guess work involved! Thank you!!!!
My pleasure, Sylvia! I agree – so many keto recipes contain way too much dairy. I love dairy but can only do it in small amounts. Hope you love this scampi! 😀 xoxox
Hi Julia,
You have a great blog of recipes. In replace of white wine, What do you think of using a seafood stock instead of chicken broth? Maybe it would add too much of a “fishy” flavor. Just interested in your thoughts
Hi Jack!
That’s a great question! I’ve actually never used seafood stock so I’m not sure how fishy it would taste. I love the idea of it, though! If you’ve used it in past recipes and enjoy it, I would think it would taste great, as the dish doesn’t have much of a fishy flavor as it stands. Hope this helps! xo
I’m nervous shrimp will overcook keeping on the skillet…. not too long?
Hi Hillary,
I didn’t think they became over-cooked, but if you’re worried about it, you can definitely cook the zucchini noodles separately. Hope you enjoy! xo
Hi Julia,
I have to let you know that I love your dishes!!Two years ago I was looking for a different kind of food and I came upon your blog. It was the start of me eating different and cooking so much more! I told everyone I knew about you and the great recipes. I follow now so many healthy bloggers but still come back to see what you’re cooking. Today I made the peach crisp and took to a family dinner.. Everyone loved it. I just wanted to say thank you and to let you know the difference in my life from your first recipes?
Renée
Hi Renee!
You’re so sweet! I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying my recipes and that your family enjoyed the peach crisp! Thank you so much for the kind note…your words are so appreciated! I hope you and your family are staying well during these crazy times!
xo