Shrimp scampi spaghetti squash – salty, lemony, buttery shrimp over a healthy bowl of spaghetti squash tossed in savory parmesan cheese. Totally yummy and ready in 25 minutes!
Shrimp scampi spaghetti squash
I heart shrimp scampi pasta. It’s the perfect meal to have when you crave a bowl of noodles packed with Mediterranean flavors. Yum.
Unfortunately, I don’t get to enjoy it as often as I would like to since it’s loaded with butter and carbs. That is, until I discovered that spaghetti squash can be a great substitute for pasta (and that you don’t need to use a ton of butter to achieve a delicious scampi recipe). Pretty amazing!
If you love buttery, lemony shrimp noodles as much as I do, you will be happy to know my version is just as satisfying as the real thing – but with less fat, calories and carbs!
Cooking with spaghetti squash is also very easy. You can bake it in the oven for about an hour or, even better and faster, zap it in the microwave for 12-15 minutes. Both methods yield good results – you just need to figure out if you prefer your strings crunchy or soft.
For this recipe, I’ve stirred in freshly grated parmesan cheese to up the umami level and tame the natural sweetness of the spaghetti squash.
The sauce is made with the classic combination of butter (only 2 tbsp), white wine (or low sodium chicken stock), lemon, garlic and pepper flakes.
I have also added cherry tomatoes to lighten up the dish and a few saffron threads for smokiness. If you don’t have saffron, no need to worry since it’s only optional for this shrimp scampi recipe.
The whole thing is finished with a handful of chopped flat leaf parsley because you can never go wrong with fresh herbs!
I also have a nifty little new gadget that makes dealing with lemons, a pain free experience – meet my new dome lid juicer!
Although I’ve always loved my wooden reamer, having to scoop out lemon seeds time and again got tiresome. So I went on Amazon, did some digging and fell in love with this juicer from Prepworks by Progressive. Not only does it keep the seeds separate from the juice, it also has a bottom part with printed measurements and a lid that can be used as a measuring cup.
You’re probably wondering if I got paid to write (and boast) about this gadget, and the answer is no.
I just think it’s a great prepping tool to have!
You can serve this shrimp scampi spaghetti squash recipe as a main (it’s quite filling) with a simple green salad on the side.
Other delicious and easy spaghetti squash recipes:
- spaghetti squash with mushrooms and parmesan cheese
- spaghetti squash yakisoba style
- spaghetti squash alfredo
Did you like this Shrimp Scampi Spaghetti Squash Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!
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Shrimp Scampi Spaghetti Squash
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 people 1x
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: American
Description
Shrimp scampi spaghetti squash – salty, lemony, buttery shrimp over a healthy bowl of spaghetti squash tossed in savory parmesan cheese. Totally yummy and ready in just 25 minutes!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds spaghetti squash
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or 1/2if you like more heat)
- 1/3 cup dry white wine (or low sodium chicken stock)
- 10 cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1/2 pound shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 6–10 saffron threads (optional)
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Slice both ends of spaghetti squash and slice in half lengthwise. Scrape off the seeds and place in a microwave-safe baking dish or tupperware, skin facing up. Fill the dish with one inch of water and microwave for 12-15 minutes, until spaghetti squash is tender.
- Gently fluff and separate the strings with a fork and transfer to a bowl.
- Stir in parmesan cheese and half of the chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- In a pan over medium heat, melt butter and add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add white wine and cherry tomatoes, and when the wine bubbles, add shrimp. Cook shrimp on one side for 3 minutes and turn them over. Add lemon juice and saffron thread, stir, and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until cooked through.
- Turn the heat off, season with salt and pepper and add remaining chopped parsley.
- Pour shrimp scampi over spaghetti OR serve separately in a bowl next to spaghetti squash.
Notes
This Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Scampi Recipe Is:
High in phosphorus
Very high in vitamin A
High in vitamin B6
Very high in vitamin C
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 221
- Sugar: 1.7 g
- Sodium: 194.1 mg
- Fat: 8.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 20.6 g
- Fiber: 0.7 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 110.1 mg
I don’t like any squash and dreaded having to include it into my diet…until I found this recipe. My lawd, this was incredible. I’m a squash fan for life. I didn’t use wine or chicken broth. I just added a little parmesan to the shrimp and it thickened it into a sauce. This recipe saved me from my squash phobia!
Thank you so much Melissa! 🙂
I’m new to the wonderful world of spaghetti squash. You mentioned I can cook it in the microwave or oven- depends on if I want the strands to be crunchy or soft. If I want them more soft which method would I use?
Thanks so much!
Christy
Hi Christy!
You can use both methods, you just need to increase the cooking time. You should know that softer means mushier and more watery though, which is why I prefer a little crunch. I hope you enjoy cooking with spaghetti squash as much as I do, it’s such a wonderful substitute to pasta!
I made the shrimp scampi with spaghetti squash and sad to say we are not ready for 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes. Modifications are in order for our family, yet this recipe is otherwise a five star dish. I will definitely make it again and adjust that part.
Thanks for letting me know Janel! I’ll mention to start with 1/4 tsp and move up if more heat is needed. Great to get honest opinions, they’re always welcome! 🙂