This article explores a quick, easy, and delicious keto-friendly creamy shrimp recipe that is perfect for families and individuals seeking a low-carb seafood option. Ready in under 30 minutes, this dish combines simple ingredients to create a flavorful and satisfying meal.
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe brings together several desirable elements: it's creamy, garlicky, and features seafood. The total preparation and cooking time is around 25 minutes, making it an ideal weeknight meal. Furthermore, it aligns with low-carb and ketogenic diets, catering to those with specific dietary needs. It can be served with various side dishes, including steamed vegetables, cauliflower rice, or zucchini noodles.
Essential Ingredients
The magic of this Creamy Garlic Shrimp With Parmesan lies in its essential ingredients. Each one contributes to a rich, flavorful sauce that envelops succulent shrimp in creamy perfection.
Shrimp: Opt for fresh, wild-caught shrimp for the best flavor and texture. When buying shrimp, look for firm, translucent flesh and a mild, sea-like scent. Whether you choose tails on or off is up to you-both work beautifully in this recipe. Size matters! For this recipe, you want large, extra large or jumbo shrimp.
Garlic: Fresh garlic is key to achieving that robust, savory flavor. Choose garlic bulbs that are firm with dry, papery skins. Avoid any bulbs that feel soft or have started to sprout.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Dry White Wine or Chicken Broth: For a touch of elegance, use a dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. It adds a subtle acidity that enhances the sauce’s depth. White wine can also be substituted for chicken broth or left out completely.
Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan is a must for the best flavor and texture. Avoid pre-grated options, as they often contain additives that can affect the sauce’s creaminess. Look for Parmigiano-Reggiano from Italy. The Italians have a strict regulatory aging process requirement. Parmesan has no such requirement and is considered an imitation to Parmigiano-Reggiano. Since the sauce in this recipe only has a couple of ingredients, use Parmigiano-Reggiano for the rich nutty flavor that will add to this recipe.
Heavy whipping cream - Look for cream that has been pasteurized, not ultra-pasteurized. Ultra pasteurized is heated longer to help extend the shelf life of the cream. *I use reduced fat cream (or light cream) for this recipe. Substitute with half and half if you wish, being careful not to bring the sauce to a boil or it may curdle. Heavy or thickened cream may also be used and will not require thickening with cornstarch.
Olive oil: While you can use other oils if you’d rather, I prefer cooking shrimp in olive oil. It tastes great and cooks perfectly.
Butter: Using butter not only adds healthy fat to the Tuscan shrimp, but it also enhances the flavor too. Yum!
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
Italian Seasoning: Italian seasoning typically consists of a blend of herbs such as basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley, marjoram and often times other herbs and spices can also make an appearance. For this recipe, I used 1 teaspoon of Club House Italiano Seasoning Blend and 1 tsp of a homemade italian herb blend of oregano, basil and thyme.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Season and Sauté Shrimp: Season the shrimp with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning blend, then set aside. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, working in batches if needed, and sauté for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until just about cooked through and pink. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp. The shrimp is cooked when it turns pink and opaque. It usually takes about 1-2 minutes on each side. Be careful not to overcook them as they can become tough.
Make Creamy Garlic Parmesan Sauce: Add butter to the same skillet, when melted add garlic and sauté until softened and fragrant (do not burn the garlic). Pour in the dry white wine or chicken broth and deglaze the pot (scrape any bits off of the bottom of the pan) and allow to simmer until reduced to half.
Simmer the Sauce: Reduce heat to medium-low heat, and slowly add the cream, allow to simmer while stirring occasionally. Season with additional Italian herb blend, more salt and pepper to taste. Add the parmesan cheese and allow sauce to simmer until melted and sauce thickened to your liking (add cornstarch slurry to thicken if needed). For a thicker sauce you may consider this Keto Alfredo Sauce with cream cheese.
Return Shrimp to Skillet: Return shrimp to the skillet, stir well to coat, and garnish with fresh parsley.
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto
Tips for the Perfect Dish
Deglaze with Wine or Stock: After sautéing shrimp, remove and add wine or stock to the hot skillet to dissolve the very flavourful golden bits stuck to the base of the skillet into the sauce.
Shred the Parmesan: It is highly recommended to use parmesan cheese in which you shred yourself. Pre-shredded cheese have a starchy coating to prevent each piece from sticking together, this will take more time to melt into the sauce. Also, it just tastes so much better!
Tails are Optional: Feel free to remove the tails from the shrimp, they are not required for this recipe. Many will leave them on to create a beautiful contrast when plating or taking pictures.
Use a good quality dry white wine. For this recipe you can use a Pinot Grigio, however Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay will work as well. Avoid fruity/sweet white wines.
Serving Suggestions
The ultimate question arises: carbs or no carbs? For team carbs, consider pairing the shrimp with pasta, Easy Creamy Mashed Potatoes, or Garlic Cheese Bread. For team vegetables, try pairing the shrimp with Cauliflower Fried Rice for a lighter twist on the classic, Mashed Cauliflower as a creamy and low-carb alternative to mashed potatoes, or Sautéed Green Beans for a crisp and refreshing side. Each option offers a delicious way to complement your shrimp while keeping things.
Variations and Customizations
- Butter Options: If you prefer not to use salted butter, opt for unsalted butter and season the shrimp to your taste.
- Cream Alternatives: Feel free to use reduced fat cream (or light cream), half and half, or heavy/thickened cream depending on your preference.
- Enhance the Flavor: If you’re feeling adventurous, add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a bit of heat or a squeeze of lemon juice for a bright, zesty finish.
- This recipe can easily be customized. Any size shrimp can be used.
Storing and Reheating
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat to prevent the sauce from breaking. This keto shrimp dish can also be frozen. Freeze in an airtight container for up to three months. To re-heat thaw completely in the refrigerator before warming. Reheat the creamy shrimp in a skillet with medium heat. It just takes a few minutes to warm up. Keep a close watch on it and don’t heat it too long or the shrimp will become tough. You can also warm the shrimp up in the microwave if you don’t have access to a stove. Just warm it for a minute or so and check it. You’ll need to check it often because it can become rubbery if cooked too long.
Wine Pairing
I recommend choosing a white wine to go with this dish. A light Chardonnay or Pinot Gris pairs really well with the creamy, garlicky flavors. For a sweeter option, choose a Riesling or a Sparkling Moscato.
Is Shrimp Keto-Friendly?
Yes! Shrimp is a low calorie and low carbohydrates food, which is a great protein for anyone following the ketogenic diet.