Zucchini Pasta Shrimp
by Zucchini Pasta Shrimp with creamy avocado pesto sauce. This zoodles-with-avocado-pesto recipe is quick and perfect for summer. Zucchini noodles with shrimp can be made vegan, with shrimp, or with chicken. The whole family will enjoy this light and healthy Paleo Whole30 Keto Zucchini Pasta Shrimp!
Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. I received the 3-blade spiralizer from OXO Good Grips. I love the quality of the spiralizer and wanted to share with you as well.
When weather gets warm and humid, all I can think about is no-cook meals or meals made in the Instant Pot. This Zucchini Pasta Shrimp recipe falls under the former category. The zoodles are tossed and coated in creamy avocado basil pesto. Pair the spiralized zoodles with poached shrimp for extra lean protein.
Zucchini Pasta Shrimp (or Chicken or Make It Vegan)
This Zucchini Pasta Shrimp recipe is very versatile. I use the OXO spiralizer to make long zucchini noodles. The recipe can be made completely vegan. Enjoy the zoodles with pesto alone or swap-out the shrimp for more vegan-friendly proteins.
The America’s Test Kitchen made an awesome video on how to poach shrimp and it’s super simple. Bring a pot of water to boil then add the shrimp, then remove the pot from the stove and cover it with a lid for 5 to 10 minutes. You can stop the cooking by soaking the shrimp in iced cold water like this recipe. The shrimp will be perfectly tender and juicy.
How To Make Zucchini Pasta – long zucchini noodles
- Cut off both ends of a zucchini. Cut the zucchini in half at the midpoint into two shorter tube sections.
- Secure the OXO spiralizer by pushing down the lever handle so that the bottom suction cup is secured onto a flat countertop. Select a blade size (⅛ inch for pasta spaghetti cut). Secure the zucchini and push it through the blade by rolling the hand-wheel handle.
- Line a large flat tray or bowl with paper towel to help soak up extra moisture from the zucchini noodles. You can lightly saute it with avocado or olive oil for 1-2 minutes or enjoy it raw like my Dan Dan “Noodles”, Paleo Japanese Cold Ramen, or Spicy Shrimp Paleo Spaghetti Noodles.
Note: When selecting a vegetable spiralizer I prefer that the machine is compact and has a good solid suction cup at the bottom. I own two spiralizers from different brands and the OXO spiralizer by far is my favorite. It’s lightweight and compact, and makes it easy to create long spiralized vegetable noodles.
You can sprinkle nutritional yeast over the Zucchini Pasta Shrimp or blend a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast into avocado basil pesto sauce to give the zoodles a lovely “cheesy” flavor.
This Zucchini Pasta Shrimp is so simple and literally takes no time to make. I don’t recommend making this dish ahead as the zucchini noodles tend to become more watery after spiralizing. It is also best to serve and finish the dish right away. In general, 1 medium/large size zucchini per adult serving.
So my friends this Zucchini Pasta Shrimp with avocado pesto is –
Creamy
Low carb
Nutritious
No prep/no cook
Pair with any protein you like
Paleo, Whole30, Keto
& can be made vegan
If you give this Zucchini Pasta Shrimp a try, let me know ! Leave a comment and rate the recipe. And don’t forget to take a picture and tag it #IHeartUmami on Instagram. I’d love to see what you come up with. XOXO !
Zucchini Pasta Shrimp with Avocado Basil Pesto
Video
Ingredients
- 2 large size zucchinis, spiralized
- 6-12 medium size shrimp, peeled and deveined, uncooked (optional)
Vegan Avocado Basil Pesto:
- 1 ripe avocado
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ⅓ cup fresh Italian basil
- Half to three-quarter one whole lemon juice
- Coarse sea salt to taste
- 1-2 tsp nutritional yeast, optional
Instructions
- Make zucchini noodles using a spiralizer. Lay the spiralized zoodles over paper towel in a large/flat tray or plate to soak up extra moisture. Store in the fridge while working on the pesto sauce.
- Blend all ingredients under avocado basil pesto until creamy smooth. You might need to scrape the side of the work bowl a few times.
- Toss the zoodles with avocado pesto sauce right before serving. The noodles will turn softer in the avocado sauce after a few minutes.
- If adding shrimp, bring a pot of water to boil then add the shrimp and remove the pot from the stove and cover it with a lid for 5 to 10 minutes. You can stop the cooking by soaking the shrimp in iced cold water. Place the poached shrimp on top of the zoodles or serve it on the side.
Nutrition
For more zucchini noodle recipes, check out Moroccan Spaghetti Meatballs with Zoodles, Dan Dan Sesame Noodles, and Paleo Cold Ramen noodles.
Seriously good. Substituted chicken, added sauteed onions. Lightly sauteed zucchini. Tastes decadent but so healthy!
So happy to hear!
This dish was so surprisingly great! I bought store made doodles and sautéed them for a few minutes in olive oil and salt. Otherwise I followed the directions exactly, including for the shrimp (which I have never boiled before). It was so tasty!!! I went very generous on the lemon juice and loved the zing of the pesto. It was also the first time I used nutritional yeast. But this recipe is definitely a keeper! I had company over, and they loved it too! Thank you!
Oh my gosh! I told my husband I was craving Asian so I found your blog/insta looking for gluten free options. Of course he picks out an Italian option for dinner. It was incredible! I’ll def be making more and purchasing your cookbook. I was a little trepidatious about the raw zucchini noodles but oh my goodness I don’t think I’ll ever cook them again. Thank you!!
So happy to hear. Thanks for sharing!
I love zucchini noodles with avocado sauce.
Is there a recommendation for meal prepping this dish or is this one best to eat right after being made?
Hi Meagan, you can spiralize the zoodles a day ahead and lay them flat over paper towel and cover them up. You can also make the avocado sauce ahead and store it separately in a glass container in the fridge. I recommend using both ingredients the next day for best flavor. 🙂
I made this a few weeks ago and it’s so delicious. I did lightly cook the zoodles because I am not fond of raw zucchini and I put diced chicken on top. The sauce flavor is wonderful! I am making it again for a friend in a couple of days. Great recipe, and so easy!
That’s so fantastic to hear ! Thank you so much, Laura !
Avocado makes the most creamy pesto ever, I love this idea! And to serve it with shrimp is a total winner for me x
Thank you, Georgie. This Paleo Zucchini Pasta Shrimp has become one of our go-to main dishes in hot summer !