Garlic shrimp with zucchini noodles
Juicy garlicky shrimp tossed with lemony zucchini noodles, a light, bright dinner that’s ready in twenty-five minutes.
- 25 min total
- 20 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 2
- About $9.29 a serving
- 450 calories
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: I’d make this on a weeknight. It’s on the table in 25 minutes.
Ingredients
For 2 servings.
- 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 packages zucchini noodles, 12 oz each
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
From your pantry
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Each serving has about 450 calories, 50 g protein, 15 g carbs and 22 g fat, and costs about $9.29 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No raw shrimp? Frozen raw shrimp works.
- No lemons? Limes work.
- No fresh parsley? Cilantro works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the garlic, and and juice the lemon.
Mince. Mincing means chopping something into the tiniest pieces you can, smaller than a grain of rice. Tiny pieces melt into the dish, so you get the flavor without biting into a chunk of garlic.
How you’ll know: Every piece is tiny and about the same size, and the pile starts to look almost like a paste.
Zest. Zest is the thin, colored outer layer of citrus peel, rubbed off on the smallest holes of a grater. It holds the fruit’s fragrant oils, so it adds bright flavor without the sourness of juice.
How you’ll know: You see bright flecks and smell citrus right away; stop when you reach the white layer, which is bitter.
the shrimp dry with paper towels and them with half the salt and the pepper.
Pat dry. Patting dry means pressing paper towels onto food to soak up the moisture on its surface. Wet food steams instead of browning, so this is how you get a good sear and crisp skin.
How you’ll know: The surface feels tacky, not wet, and the last paper towel comes away barely damp.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Dolly’s tip: Frozen shrimp? Thaw them in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes first.Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large over medium-high heat, add the shrimp in one layer, and cook 2 minutes, until pink underneath.
Skillet. A skillet is a frying pan: wide and flat with low, sloped sides. The shape lets steam escape, so food browns instead of stewing.
How you’ll know: It’s the pan you’d fry an egg in, and a 10 or 12 inch one handles most recipes.
Medium-high heatTimer: 2 min
Flip the shrimp, add the garlic and pepper flakes, and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, , until the shrimp are opaque and curled into a loose C.
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
Medium heatTimer: 1 min 30 sec
Dolly’s tip: Garlic burns fast, which is why it goes in last. Pale gold is perfect.Food safety: Shrimp are done when they turn pink and opaque all the way through and curl into a loose C. A tight O means overcooked, not unsafe.
Tip the shrimp and garlic onto a plate, leaving the pan on the stove.
Medium heat
Add the rest of the oil, the zucchini noodles and the rest of the salt to the pan and for 2 to 3 minutes, until just .
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Heat through. Heating through means warming food that’s already cooked until it’s hot all the way to the center. You’re not cooking it more, just making sure no part is still cold.
How you’ll know: It’s steaming, and a piece from the middle is hot, not lukewarm.
Medium-high heatTimer: 2 min 30 sec
Dolly’s tip: Stop while they still have a little bite. Zucchini noodles go watery if they cook longer.Take the pan off the heat, return the shrimp, and with the lemon and juice, plus parsley if you like.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Zest. Zest is the thin, colored outer layer of citrus peel, rubbed off on the smallest holes of a grater. It holds the fruit’s fragrant oils, so it adds bright flavor without the sourness of juice.
How you’ll know: You see bright flecks and smell citrus right away; stop when you reach the white layer, which is bitter.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
