Spicy Shrimp Pasta with Marinara Sauce (Whole30, Keto, Paleo)
Missing pasta while on a Whole30? This quick and easy spicy shrimp “pasta” is made with zucchini noodles tossed in a zesty tomato garlic sauce! This weeknight meal will satisfy your cravings for a low carb, paleo, and keto-friendly pasta dish!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds large shrimp (21-25 count per pound) shelled and deveined
- ¾ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound zucchini ends trimmed
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion thinly sliced
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 tablespoon capers drained
- 2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley roughly chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with salt and pepper. Set aside
- Grab the zucchini and use a spiralizer to crank out some zoodles. (I like my Inspiralized spiralizer but it’s no longer on the market. The Oxo spiralizer is my second favorite model.)
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil. Toss in the sliced onion and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes or until softened.
- Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Stir in the marinara sauce and capers and bring everything to a simmer.
- As soon as the spicy tomato sauce is bubbling, add the seasoned shrimp to the sauce in a single layer. Don’t just lay the shrimp on top; make sure to tuck them into the sauce!
- Cook for about 2 minutes and then flip the shrimp over. Continue simmering the shrimp in the sauce for another 2 to 3 minutes or until the shrimp is fully cooked. The shrimp are ready to eat when they’re opaque and bright orange or pink. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper if needed. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a clean platter.
- Add the zucchini noodles (a.k.a. zoodles) to the sauce in the pan. Toss and stir until the zucchini noodles are softened and warmed through.
- Divide the sauced zucchini onto four plates. Add the cooked shrimp to the zoodles and garnish with Italian parsley.
Video
Notes
Because I like my zoodles to be slightly al dente and not watery, I simply throw them in the hot sauce to soften slightly before serving. It’s a fast and healthy way to enjoy low carb pasta.
Of course, if you don’t want the hassle of making vegetable noodles but still want to keep it Whole30, feel free to serve the spicy shrimp over cauliflower rice or salad greens!
Nutrition
Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 9g | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g