Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini (Printable Format)
Tender shrimp cooked with garlic and lemon served over zucchini noodles for a light, fresh dish.
# What You Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
→ Vegetables
02 - 4 medium zucchini (about 2 lbs), spiralized into noodles
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
05 - 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
→ Sauce & Seasoning
06 - 3 tbsp olive oil
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter (or additional olive oil for dairy-free)
08 - 1/4 cup dry white wine
09 - Zest and juice of 1 lemon
10 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
12 - Extra chopped parsley
13 - Lemon wedges
# How-To Steps:
01 - Pat shrimp dry and season evenly with salt and pepper.
02 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté shrimp 1–2 minutes per side until opaque. Remove to a plate.
03 - Add remaining olive oil and butter to skillet. Sauté minced garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Pour in white wine and lemon juice. Simmer 2 minutes, scraping browned bits from skillet.
05 - Incorporate crushed red pepper flakes, lemon zest, and cherry tomatoes if using. Cook 1 minute.
06 - Add zucchini noodles to skillet. Toss gently for 2–3 minutes until warmed and slightly tender.
07 - Return shrimp to skillet. Toss to combine and heat through, about 1 minute.
08 - Remove from heat. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Adjust seasoning as desired. Serve immediately garnished with extra parsley and lemon wedges.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It tastes indulgent but won't leave you drowsy afterward—shrimp and lemon do that trick where they feel fancy but feel light.
- Comes together faster than delivery arrives, which means you can actually cook something real on a Tuesday.
- The zucchini noodles soak up that buttery garlic sauce without turning into mush if you're paying attention.
02 -
- Zucchini releases water when it sits in heat too long—two to three minutes is the window between tender and tragic. Watch it carefully the first time you make this.
- Shrimp goes from done to rubbery in seconds once it's cooked. Opaque and just set is the target; there's no recovering from overdone shrimp.
- Taste the sauce before you add the zucchini—this is your chance to fix the seasoning while nothing else is in the way.
03 -
- Keep the heat at medium-high and don't increase it—high heat will burn the garlic and make the sauce taste acrid before anything is actually done.
- A splash of chicken broth added with the wine deepens the flavor if you have it, but the dish doesn't need it; this is a lean, clean meal by design.