Keto Shrimp Scampi

Seafood is best when served with butter. A hot, yummy, buttery bowl of keto shrimp scampi goodness will make even the worst of days better!

WHAT IS SHRIMP SCAMPI?

Shrimp scampi is a food that contains crustaceans (shrimp, lobster, prawn, etc.).

Scampi preparations vary greatly across the world, though traditionally the dish uses scampi, an edible lobster popular in the Mediterranean.

Variations, of course, can be defined by the crustacean meat used, as well as other ingredients used in the dish.

Shrimp scampi is the United States variation of the dish. Traditionally, the shrimp are prepared and served tossed in a sauce of garlic butter, dry white wine, and parmesan cheese.

Then, this is served over a bed of noodles or rice. In some instances, you will find the shrimp served in the garlic butter sauce alone, without a starchy component.

Since scampi is often misconstrued as a preparation method as well, there are other variations on the dish. These include chicken scampi, lobster scampi, and scallop scampi.

Fun fact: technically, shrimp scampi should not be called such since real scampi are not available in the United States.

KETO SHRIMP SCAMPI INGREDIENTS

To make this buttery shrimp delight, you’ll need to make sure you have the following ingredients on hand:

• 1 lb shrimp (peeled, deveined, and tails removed)
• 1 spaghetti squash
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 6 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp pink Himalayan salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp onion powder

After you’ve got these, you’re set and ready to go!

HOW TO MAKE SHRIMP SCAMPI

To being, melt the butter in a skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. If using extra butter as discussed below, make sure you add it here as well.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the skillet or saucepan with the exception of the noodle substitute.

If using spaghetti squash isn’t for you, check out our information below regarding different noodle substitute options.

Leave on this heat until shrimp are done, then reduce heat and simmer to thicken the sauce.

When desired sauce consistency is reached, add the noodle substitute and simmer for 5 more minutes.

Remove from heat and top with grated parmesan cheese.

Eat and enjoy!

STORING SHRIMP SCAMPI

Storing shrimp scampi is about as easy as it is to make. Ideally, you should always use a glass storage container for storing leftover food.

These containers don’t stain, can be used in the oven for reheating the food, and are easily cleaned. Furthermore, they have a long lifespan and you don’t have to worry about plastic leeching out chemicals into your food.

If you don’t have glass storage containers, any other type of air-tight storage container will work just fine.

Keeping the scampi for up to five days, refrigerated is acceptable. However, it might be best to discard of any leftovers after this point in time.

REHEATING KETO SHRIMP SCAMPI

When reheating shrimp scampi, care must be taken to not cook the shrimp again, which makes them tough and chewy. The goal is to reheat the scampi more slowly, allowing it to gradually warm to the desired temperature.

To do this, consider using one of the following methods:

REHEATING ON THE STOVE

To reheat your keto shrimp scampi on the stove, place it into a medium-sized skillet or saucepan over medium heat.

Stirring occasionally, bring the mixture up to temperature.

When you see steam beginning to come from the saucepan, give the scampi another stir.

Take a sample bite to see if it is warm enough.

If not, continue to warm in the skillet a few more minutes until the desired temperature is reached.

Remove, serve, and enjoy!

REHEATING IN THE OVEN

Another great option is to reheat your leftover shrimp scampi in the oven. Hopefully, you used a glass storage container to store your scampi in, which makes this option even easier.

If not, grab an oven-safe glass dish (or another oven-safe dish) and place the scampi in it.

Heat your oven to 300˚F and place the dish inside.

Heat the mixture for 10 – 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, before removing from the oven and testing the temperature.

If the desired temperature still isn’t reached, stir the mixture and heat in 3-minute increments until it is.

Remove from the oven and chow down!

WHAT NOODLES TO USE WITH KETO SHRIMP SCAMPI

Since the shrimp scampi we are used to (almost) always has noodles with it, we might as well make it as “authentic” as possible.

Using a keto-friendly noodle is a great way to make this dish even more satisfying and delicious. This recipe calls for spaghetti squash, but other types of noodles can be substituted in its place.

Here are some ideas and information about different noodles you can use with this scampi if spaghetti squash isn’t for you.

SHIRATAKI NOODLES

We recommend using shirataki noodles. If you aren’t familiar with them, these noodles are made from the root of konjac yam.

The word shirataki itself means white waterfall, which is a very accurate description of the appearance of the noodles.

In the United States, these noodles are normally found packaged in water. They are great for those on keto/low-carb diets because they are made up of water and glucomannan, which is a soluble fiber.

They are very, very low in digestible carbohydrates.

As a note of caution, be wary of shirataki noodles that contain all kinds of added ingredients. Some of the newer brands contain several non-keto ingredients as fillers instead of just the main shirataki ingredients.

ZUCCHINI NOODLES (ZOODLES)

If you prefer to not use shirataki noodles, using zucchini noodles (also known as zoodles) is the next best option. These noodles can easily be made using a spiralizer with a zucchini.

There are, however, some other harder methods to make zoodles.

One piece of advice is to salt the zoodles lightly. Let sit for about three minutes, then pat dry. Depending on how much water content the zucchini has, this can help draw out some of the moisture and make the noodles hold up better, especially when cooked.

You can find lots of information over at Living Well Mom on some different methods of making zoodles.

“LOW-CARB” OR “KETO” PASTAS

This is the worst type of noodle you should consider using and should be used as a “last ditch” alternative. There is an increasing number of pasta brands that tout themselves as “keto” or “low-carb.”

While some can deliver on some of their promises, most use sketchy science to lower their carbohydrate content.

As a general rule, you should steer clear of these types of products as they are full of false promises. If nothing else, they are also full of questionable fillers and other ingredients.

Having said that, if there is a brand of this pasta that you use and it works for you on your keto/low-carb journey, then, by all means, use it. We are all different and our bodies can tolerate different things and still lose weight.

However, if you have never tried these kinds of pasta before, it is best to not start.

WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE FRESH GARLIC?

If you don’t have fresh garlic, that’s absolutely fine! But, what are the options for garlic without fresh?

Check out these easy options for garlic that will keep the dish just as delicious, all while saving you a trip to the store for fresh garlic.

MINCED GARLIC IN A JAR

Minced garlic in a jar is becoming an increasingly popular way to have garlic on hand at any given time.

It is easy to store and use, all while being ultra convenient and still imparting a wonderful garlic taste.

Generally, you can find garlic in a jar in the produce section of your grocery store or supermarket. There are a few different brands out there, but Spice World brand is probably the most popular and widespread.

The minced garlic is stored in water, which doesn’t need to be drained before placing into whatever dish you are cooking.

Having garlic in this form is also easy to measure since you can easily get a measuring spoon in the jar to measure out what you need.

Remember, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic in this form is equal to about 1 clove of garlic. Similarly, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic is 3 cloves worth.

DRIED MINCED GARLIC

Dried minced garlic is another option for you. It is very similar to the jarred garlic discussed above, but as the name suggests, dried.

This kind of garlic is perfect for those who use garlic irregularly or perhaps are big into camping and outdoor cooking. It keeps a long time and is easy to transport and use.

Dried garlic also won’t have that pungent smell when first opened as “wet” garlic does.

There’s no need to hydrate this garlic since it will be able to get moisture from the butter.

The only downside to this garlic is often, it is not as flavorful as “wet” garlic. In this case, I am referring to fresh and or canned as wet garlic, since it contains moisture.

Having said all of that, if you have dried minced garlic on hand and want to use it, by all means.

GARLIC POWDER

The last, but probably the most common form of garlic in everyone’s home, is garlic powder. There’s no need to explain what it is because you already know.

As a fresh garlic substitute, garlic powder will work just fine. Sometimes garlic powder has a more bitter, pungent taste than fresh, but the garlic taste is still there all the same.

While maybe not the best option, garlic powder will do the job if you want or need to use it.

I KNOW IT SAYS SHRIMP BUT… CAN I USE SOMETHING ELSE?

Well, sure you can. As we discussed above, scampi can use any number of different crustaceans, not just shrimp. If you’d like to take this and turn it into lobster scampi, feel free.

Similarly, if you live in an area where you can buy something more regional, like prawn or crawfish, you could easily use those as well.

Want to turn this into chicken scampi? We’ve never eaten that before, but it’s probably pretty delicious!

If you decide to make a meat change in this recipe, let us know how it turns out in the comments below!

IF I FEEL I NEED MORE BUTTER, CAN I ADD MORE?

Of course, you can. Adding more butter is never a bad thing and is always an option.

If you decide more butter will make this dish that much better for you, make sure you keep track of its caloric effect if you are keeping track of calories.

Adding extra fat is great for keto, but just remember to do it in a smart way!

DOES THIS RECIPE USE WHITE WINE?

While a good number of shrimp scampi recipes use a dry white wine, this one does not.

Even though white wine is low in carbs (.7g of carbohydrate per serving) we opted not to use it in this recipe to make things easier and keep cooking lower.

Cooking low-carb and keto can get expensive, especially using real ingredients and often, more expensive variations of ingredients. So, no wine in this recipe helps to lower that cost.

If you’d like to use some white wine in your own cooking of this recipe, please feel free!

WHAT PAIRS WELL WITH SHRIMP SCAMPI?

This yummy dish is a great main course meal for any time of the year. It’s buttery, garlicky, and utterly delicious.

If you loved this dish pre-keto, you’ve now got the ability to love it again.

Every great meal needs an awesome side dish. Here are a few of our favorites:

• Low-Carb/Keto Biscuits
• Low-Carb Spicy Roasted Broccoli
• Keto Garlic Butter Brussel Sprouts
• Keto Cheesy Garlic Bread

For more ideas, check out our recipe index, or take a look at all of our side dish recipes.

TOOLS USED TO MAKE THIS KETO SHRIMP SCAMPI

• Saucepan – A good, non-stick saucepan is an absolute kitchen must have. Using a saucepan for this recipe will make life super easy and gives you plenty of room and depth to cook.

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