Published on February 21, 2025, and updated on the same day, this article explores a variety of keto-friendly shrimp recipes perfect for those seeking low-carb meal options. Shrimp is a versatile and quick-cooking seafood that fits seamlessly into a ketogenic lifestyle. These recipes cater to busy weeknights, diverse flavor preferences, and various cooking methods.
Keto Shrimp Coconut Curry
This keto shrimp coconut curry is a flavorful and easy-to-make dish with a distinctive taste. The combination of cumin, cinnamon, and curry spices creates a unique and satisfying meal.
Ingredients:
- Shrimps: Any size, peeled and deveined.
- Unsweetened coconut milk: Thai Kitchen organic coconut milk is recommended.
- Spices: Curry powder, black pepper, cinnamon, cayenne pepper (optional), ground cumin, and salt.
- Onions, ginger, and garlic.
- Arrowroot powder (optional, for thickening).
Instructions:
- Rub the shrimps with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper (if using) and set aside.
- Peel and chop the onions and ginger, and mince the garlic.
- Heat oil in a pan, add the onions, ginger, and garlic, and stir for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the shrimp to the pan and cook until done.
- Season with more salt and pepper as desired.
- If the sauce is too thick, add about ¼ cup of water. If the curry is too watery, mix 1 tablespoon of arrowroot powder with 2 tablespoons of water and pour it into the curry to thicken it.
- Once the shrimp is cooked, turn off the stove and let it sit for a few minutes before serving.
Creamy Tuscan Shrimp
Creamy Tuscan Shrimp is a mouthwatering, keto-friendly recipe ideal for busy weeknights. With minimal ingredients and a simple cooking process, this one-skillet meal is both quick and delicious. It exemplifies Tuscan cuisine, known for its simplicity and reliance on high-quality, locally sourced ingredients.
Ingredients:
- Large raw shrimp, uncooked jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Butter
- Garlic
- Dry white wine
- Half and half or heavy whipping cream
- Fresh baby spinach (or frozen)
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper
Instructions:
- Cook the shrimp: In a large skillet, melt the butter then saute the garlic for 1-2 minutes. Add the fresh shrimp and cook in a single layer over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, flip then cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside.
- Make the creamy Tuscan sauce: Deglaze the pan by slowly adding the wine while stirring to get the bits off the bottom of the pan. Allow the wine to reduce by half. Add the half and half, fresh spinach, sundried tomatoes, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Cook until the spinach is wilted.
- Serve: Add the shrimp back to the pan and stir to combine. Serve as is or over pasta.
Tips:
- Don’t overcook the shrimp: Shrimp cooks fast, so keep an eye on them to avoid rubbery shrimp.
- Deglaze like a pro: Use wine to scrape up the flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Frozen shrimp: Yes, you can use frozen shrimp. Just thaw them first and pat them dry so you remove as much water as possible. Water in the pan can cause the shrimp to steam and boil instead of fry, changing their texture considerably.
- Deveining shrimp: Use a small knife or kitchen shears to make a shallow cut along the back, then remove the vein.
- Pre-cooked shrimp: You can, but your sauce will be a bit less flavorful, because you’ll be making it without all the flavor from cooking the shrimp. If you use pre-cooked shrimp, add them right near the end, so they have time just to heat up, and so they won’t get overcooked.
Serving Suggestions:
- Serve with keto Brussels sprouts for a satisfying keto meal.
- A fresh green salad with a zesty vinaigrette makes this a complete, healthy meal.
Leftovers:
- Reheat gently in a pan over low heat, stirring often, until warm. You can also use a microwave-safe dish and heat in short bursts, stirring in between.
Gluten-Free:
- It’s already gluten-free as-is (double check your own ingredients).
Creamy Parmesan Shrimp
This delicious Keto Shrimp Recipe is a rich and satisfying simple one-skillet meal. Large juicy shrimp folded into creamy parmesan sauce with a hint of garlic. This easy recipe can be on the table in under 30 minutes!
Ingredients:
- Fresh shrimp, large 16 count, also called jumbo shrimp.
- Baby Spinach- remove long stems if desired. No spinach? Chopped kale is a tasty alternative.
- Fresh garlic cloves, diced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
- Fresh parmesan cheese, grated. You’ll need about 1 cup. Look for Parmigiano-Reggiano from Italy.
- Heavy whipping cream - Look for cream that has been pasteurized, not ultra-pasteurized.
- Butter
Instructions:
- Clean and devein raw shrimp removing the shell and black vein. Pat dry with a paper towel.
- Melt butter in a large skillet (two tablespoons) over medium high heat. When the butter melts add the shrimp to the skillet in a single layer. Don’t overcrowd the skillet and cook in batches if needed.
- Shrimp cooks quickly over medium heat, (about 2 minutes on each side) so watch carefully and let the shrimp cook undisturbed for the full 2 minutes. The butter may form a nice crust on the shrimp, which is fine and delicious! One handy way to get the shrimp in the skillet quickly is to place a paper towel on a plate in a single layer slightly smaller than the surface of the skillet. Gently flip paper towel from the plate into the skillet and arrange the shrimp so that there is no overlap.
- Remove from skillet and keep warm.
- Add heavy cream and butter to skillet.
- Add the spinach and garlic and stir until the spinach is wilted.
- Add the parmesan cheese and stir until the sauce is creamy.
- Return the shrimp to the pan and stir to combine.
- Serve immediately.
Serving Suggestions:
- Serve with cauliflower rice, zucchini or shirataki noodles for your main dinner or enjoy as an appetizer.
- For a low-carb dinner enjoy this creamy shrimp with zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice.
Tips:
- Size matters! For this recipe, you want large, extra large or jumbo shrimp.
- Frozen shrimp: Yes! Frozen shrimp thawed under cold water is what I usually use since I stock frozen shrimp in my freezer. However, if I’m at the grocery store, and I want to make this right away I pick up thawed shrimp from the seafood counter.
Nutritional Information:
- Please note that the nutritional information provided are guidelines and may vary based on the brand of products used. For your specific nutritional goals use My Fitness Pal or Verywell Fit recipe calculators.
Creamy Tuscan Garlic Shrimp
Creamy Tuscan Shrimp is a low carb dinner the entire family will devour. Juicy shrimp, creamy sauce, plump tomatoes, and seasoned beautifully. You can quickly make this Tuscan garlic shrimp with just 10 ingredients and in under15 minutes! Cooking shrimp is super easy, and it makes for a fantastic dinner and lunch option for all occasions. It doesn’t matter if you just are looking for a quick idea to feed the family or if you are hosting an event. If you haven’t cooked with shrimp a lot or at all, don’t worry! It’s so much easier than you could ever imagine. This creamy Tuscan shrimp is a great meal for a beginner too, so don’t be afraid to dive in there and get busy.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Ingredients:
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Shrimp
- Salt & pepper
- Cloves garlic
- Tomatoes: You can use cherry, grape, or even sundried tomatoes with this Tuscan butter shrimp.
- Baby spinach
- Heavy cream
- Freshly grated Parmesan
- Basil
Instructions:
- Start by heating the oil with the butter in a skillet.
- After the oil and butter mixture is really hot, add the shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Cook each side for 1 minute.
- Put the garlic, tomatoes, and spinach in the skillet and saute for 1 minute.
- Pour in the heavy cream, parmesan, and basil then reduce heat to medium.
- Simmer for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
Tips:
- Frozen shrimp: Yes, you can easily swap fresh shrimp for frozen shrimp. You will just need to thaw it in cool water. Typically, it will be defrosted in around 15 minutes. It’s important that you never try to thaw the shrimp with warm or hot water. It should always be cool or cold water.
Leftovers:
- Allow the Tuscan shrimp to cool down all the way, then place it in an airtight container. It should be kept in the refrigerator until ready to warm up. It will last 3-4 days in the fridge.
- Never freeze the shrimp recipe, or the sauce will separate and it won’t look or taste too good.
- 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.
- Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is super hot and the butter has melted, add the shrimp and a generous sprinkle of salt & pepper, sautee for 1 minute. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside then add the garlic, tomatoes, and spinach to the same pan. Saute for 1 minute or until the garlic is fragrant. Stir in the heavy cream, parmesan cheese, and basil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until sauce is slightly reduced about 2-3 minutes. Return the shrimp to the pan and stir to combine. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
Keto Cajun Shrimp
This ultra low-carb, one-pan Keto Cajun Shrimp recipe has about 1 net carb per serving!
Ingredients:
- Raw, shelled shrimp
- Butter
- Garlic
- Cajun spices (paprika, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes)
Instructions:
- Heat a large skillet to medium heat.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter, add garlic and the raw, shelled shrimp to the skillet and sprinkle the cajun spices over the shrimp.
Tips:
- Cajun Shrimp should be stored in the refrigerator in an air-tight container up to four days.
Nutritional Information:
- This ultra low-carb, one-pan Keto Cajun Shrimp recipe has about 1 net carb per serving!
Other Keto Shrimp Recipe Ideas
Here are some additional keto-friendly shrimp recipes to explore:
- Keto Chinese Orange Peel Shrimp: A remake of the classic sweet and spicy orange peel shrimp.
- Air Fryer Shrimp: Quick and versatile, with options for Bang Bang Shrimp and Coconut Air Fried Shrimp.
- Shrimp and Grits: A keto remake of a comfort food classic, combining bacon, chorizo, shrimp, and cauliflower rice.
- Shrimp Scampi: A garlicky, buttery dish with tips for wine selection and sugar-free broth recommendations.
- Spicy Coconut Shrimp: A warm and flavorful dish with Fresno peppers, Indian spices, and coconut milk.
- Shrimp Kabobs: Spicy and sweet kabobs with red onions and green bell peppers, perfect for grilling.
- General Tso Shrimp: A keto-friendly take on Chinese takeout, using no-sugar-added ketchup and Lakanto.
- Cilantro Lime Air Fryer Shrimp Skewers: A quick and easy seafood option for those who don't want to use a grill.
- Cajun Shrimp Salad: A flavorful salad with bacon and homemade cilantro lime dressing.
- Keto Shrimp Scampi with Spaghetti Squash: A healthy and delicious meal served over spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles.
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