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This single serving zucchini noodles with shrimp comes together in 15 minutes. Garlic butter coats plump shrimp and tender zucchini noodles, brightened with a squeeze of lemon and Parmesan.
Featured Comment
“Absolutely delicious! It was quick and easy, too!”
– Penny
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Equipment: 10-inch skillet, spiralizer (or julienne peeler)
- Cook Method: Stovetop
- Servings: 1
- Difficulty: Easy
- Flavor Profile: Buttery and garlicky with a bright hit of lemon; the shrimp stay tender and the zucchini noodles keep a light bite.
This low carb zucchini noodle recipe is naturally gluten free and made for one, turning a single zucchini and a handful of shrimp into a stovetop dinner in 15 minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Single Serving Zucchini Noodles Recipe
I came up with this recipe on a night when all I had was one zucchini and a small handful of shrimp, and I didn’t want to cook a big pot of pasta. It turned into one of the dishes I make most, because it uses just what one person needs and leaves nothing behind.
You turn the zucchini into noodles using a spiralizer, but you don’t need a special tool to make this. A julienne peeler or even a regular vegetable peeler gives you ribbons that work just as well. You cook the noodles only long enough to soften them while they keep a little bite, so they never go limp the way zucchini can.
Here’s the part that makes it taste so good. I cook the shrimp first in butter with fresh garlic, pull them out, then cook the noodles in that same garlic butter so every strand picks up the flavor left in the pan. A squeeze of lemon at the end keeps it bright, and a little Parmesan pulls it together.
The shrimp stay tender and the noodles hold their shape, and the whole thing tastes buttery and fresh without sitting heavy the way a bowl of pasta can.
If you like this easy dinner recipe, you’ll want to try my shrimp scampi for one and my mini zucchini lasagna. For a night when you do want real noodles, there’s my pasta primavera for one, and if you’ve got more shrimp to use, my bang bang shrimp rice bowl is a good one.
Ingredient Notes
Everything you need for this zucchini noodles with shrimp recipe comes down to a few fresh ingredients, and most of them you likely already have. If you have anything left over, our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder will show you what else you can make with it.
Butter: I use salted butter because it does double duty here. It cooks the shrimp and then becomes the base that flavors the noodles, so the salt seasons the dish as it goes.
Garlic: Fresh minced garlic gives the butter its backbone. Cook it just until fragrant before the shrimp go in, since garlic turns bitter if it browns too far.
Shrimp: Medium or large shrimp work best because they stay tender in the short cooking time and don’t overcook the way small shrimp can. If you have extra, use them in shrimp fettuccine for one or single serve shrimp tacos.
Zucchini: One medium zucchini makes the right amount of noodles for a single serving. Keep the skin on because it helps the noodles hold their shape instead of going soft. Leftover zucchini is good in small batch chocolate zucchini bread or a vegetable casserole for one.
Lemon: A squeeze of fresh lemon at the end lifts the garlic butter and keeps the dish from tasting flat. Add it off the heat so it stays bright.
Parmesan: Shredded Parmesan melts into the warm noodles and adds a salty, savory finish that ties the shrimp and zucchini together.
Salt and pepper: Season at the end rather than the start. Salting the zucchini early pulls out water and makes the noodles watery.
Recipe Variations
This shrimp and zucchini noodles recipe is easy to change up depending on what you have and what you’re in the mood for. Here are a few that work well.
Add heat. Stir a pinch of red pepper flakes into the garlic butter for a little warmth that plays against the lemon.
Add vegetables. A handful of halved cherry tomatoes or a few handfuls of spinach cook down right alongside the noodles and stretch the dish into a fuller plate.
Change the protein. Swap the shrimp for sea scallops, cooked chicken, or cubed tofu. Each one works with the same garlic butter base.
Make it part pasta. If you want something heartier, cook a small amount of thin pasta and toss it with the zucchini noodles so you get the noodle feel with fewer carbs than a full bowl of pasta.
How To Make Zucchini Noodles With Shrimp
Here is how to make this zucchini noodles recipe step by step. See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts.
How to peel and devein shrimp:
Pull off the legs with your fingers, then crack the shell open underneath and peel it away. Pinch where the tail meets the body and pull the tail off. Run a paring knife in a shallow cut along the back, and use the tip to lift out the dark vein.
How to make zucchini noodles
With a spiralizer: Trim both ends of the zucchini, press it onto the spiralizer, and turn the handle until the whole zucchini becomes noodles. Snip any extra-long strands with scissors so they’re easier to eat.
Without a spiralizer: A julienne peeler gives you thin, spaghetti-like strands. A mandoline with the noodle blade works too, just use the hand guard. A regular vegetable peeler makes wide ribbons like pappardelle.
Either way, leave the skin on and use a straight, medium zucchini.
- Cook the shrimp. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until you can smell it. Add the shrimp and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side, until they turn pink and opaque. Move the shrimp to a bowl and cover to keep them warm.
- Cook the zucchini noodles. Melt the second tablespoon of butter in the same skillet. Add the zucchini noodles, season with black pepper, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, tossing with tongs, until they soften but still have a little bite.
- Bring it together. Take the skillet off the heat. Add the shrimp and any garlic butter back in, toss everything together, then squeeze on fresh lemon and top with Parmesan. Serve right away.
Expert Tips
Dry the shrimp before cooking. Pat them with a paper towel so they sear instead of steam. Wet shrimp release water into the pan and turn rubbery.
Salt the zucchini noodles only at the end. Salt draws water out of zucchini, so adding it early makes the noodles watery. Season after they come off the heat, or if you want to go further, salt the raw noodles in a colander first, press out the water, then cook them dry.
Don’t overcook the noodles. Zucchini noodles cook fast, so taste a strand as you go and pull them while they still have a little bite, or they turn to mush.
Don’t overcook the shrimp. Cook them just 1 to 2 minutes per side. Overcooked shrimp go dry and tough, and they keep cooking for a moment after they leave the pan.
Have everything ready before you start. The dish comes together quickly, so mince the garlic, prep the noodles, and zest or cut the lemon before the pan goes on the heat.
Troubleshooting
If your zucchini noodles with shrimp aren’t turning out quite right, here is how to fix common issues like watery noodles, rubbery shrimp, or a bland dish.
Why are my zucchini noodles watery or soggy?
Watery, soggy noodles mean the zucchini released its water, usually from salting too early or cooking too long. Drain the noodles in a colander, press gently, and return them to the hot pan for a few seconds to dry. Next time, salt only at the end and cook them just 3 to 4 minutes.
Why is my shrimp rubbery or tough?
Rubbery shrimp are overcooked, so cook them only until pink and opaque, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Pull them as soon as they curl into a loose C shape. A tight, curled-up O shape means they went too far.
Why is my dish bland?
A flat dish usually needs salt and acid, so season at the end and add a squeeze of fresh lemon. Taste before serving, adjust the salt and pepper, and finish with lemon and a little extra Parmesan to lift the garlic butter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Thaw the shrimp completely and pat them dry before cooking so they sear instead of steam. The fastest way to thaw is in a bowl of cold water for about 15 minutes.
No. A julienne peeler makes thin strands, a mandoline with the noodle blade works well, and a regular vegetable peeler makes wide ribbons. Any of them turns one zucchini into noodles.
Salt them only at the end of cooking, not the start, and cook them just 3 to 4 minutes. For drier noodles, salt the raw strands in a colander first, press out the water, then cook them.
Yes. With zucchini noodles in place of pasta, this dish is naturally low carb and gluten free. Check your Parmesan label if you follow a strict gluten free diet.
Sea scallops, cooked chicken, or cubed tofu all work in place of shrimp. Cook them in the same garlic butter so the flavor stays the same.
Medium or large shrimp work best. They stay tender in the short cooking time, while small shrimp overcook quickly and large jumbo shrimp take longer than the noodles need.
Yes. Spiralize the zucchini up to a day ahead and store the raw noodles in the fridge wrapped in a paper towel. Cook them fresh, since cooked zucchini noodles turn soft and watery on standing.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The noodles soften as they sit, so leftovers are best eaten cold or gently reheated, not cooked again.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you make this single serving zucchini noodles with shrimp, I’d love to know how it turned out. Leave a star rating and a comment below to tell me what you thought, and if you snap a photo, tag us on Instagram at (@onedishkitchen) so we can see your dish.
Zucchini Noodles With Shrimp For One
Equipment
- spiralizer or a julienne peeler, mandoline slicer, or standard vegetable peeler
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons salted butter – divided
- 1 clove garlic – minced
- 3 ounces shrimp – peeled and deveined
- 1 medium zucchini spiralized (about 3 cups noodles)
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 lemon wedge
- 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until they turn pink and opaque. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl and cover to keep warm.
- Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in the same skillet. Add the zucchini noodles, season with black pepper, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, tossing with tongs, until tender but still slightly firm.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Return the shrimp and garlic butter to the pan and toss to combine.
- Squeeze fresh lemon over the top, sprinkle with Parmesan, and serve right away.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This was really good and very simple and satisfying. After tasting, I thought it needed some acid, so I added lemon zest. Next time, I’ll add some lemon juice too. Some red pepper flakes might also be good. Will definitely make this again. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it! Lemon zest and a little juice are wonderful additions, and red pepper flakes would be great too.
Great recipe, I added a small handful of full of broccoli, just because I needed to use it up. Had with garlic toast.