There's so much we love about shrimp — from how quick and easy it is to cook to its sweet, slightly briny flavor to just how darn nutritious it is (hello, low-fat, low-cal, high-protein, high-antioxidant manna from the sea). So naturally, it makes the perfect protein base for all kinds of healthy recipes. And trust me, we've got them. We'll start with these four yummy and super-nutritious shrimp recipes that are so fast and easy (plus tasty!) that you can make them on weeknights.
Shrimp and Zoodles
I live in a house full of people who are not necessarily veggie lovers. So, I'm always sneaking in something green. This easy and tasty recipe went over incredibly well — they all loved it and nobody complained that there were veggies in place of their noodles. I'll take that as a win. It serves 4.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 to 1½ pounds medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed (or thawed frozen shrimp)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Zest of ½ a lemon
- 1 cup dry white wine
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 4 medium-sized unpeeled zucchinis, cut into noodles
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium-high until it shimmers.
- Add the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until it's soft, about three minutes.
- Add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until it turns pink, about two minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until it's fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, white wine, sea salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Bring to a simmer.
- Add the zucchini. Cook until the zucchini is soft, about four minutes.
- Stir in the basil just before serving. Garnish with the cherry tomatoes.
If you don't have a spiralizer, you can use a vegetable peeler to cut the unpeeled zucchini into long strips, and then cut the strips lengthwise into noodles with a sharp knife.
Sweet and Spicy Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
I love lettuce wraps. They're super customizable and fun to eat. If you want, you can put out all kinds of fun garnishes like peanuts, cooked rice noodles (or rice), shredded carrots, sprouts, sesame seeds, cilantro, fruit salsa, peanut sauce, or whatever sounds delicious. This recipe serves 4.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 2 peaches, pitted and chopped
- 1 to 1½ pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 8 large pieces butter lettuce
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium-high until it shimmers.
- Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they're soft, about four minutes.
- Add the peaches and shrimp. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp is pink, about three minutes.
- Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until it is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the bourbon, cayenne, cinnamon, and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, for one minute more.
- Serve with the shrimp spooned into the lettuce leaves. Garnish as desired.
If you peel and devein the shrimp and cut off the tails, save the peels and tails in the freezer in a freezer bag for up to six months and use them to make seafood stock.
Grilled Shrimp With Mango Salsa
Get ready to throw your shrimp on the barbie. We love this simple grilled shrimp in the summer. The recipe serves 4.
Ingredients
- Juice of 3 limes, divided
- Zest of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt, divided
- 1½ pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 mangos, cut into cubes
- ½ red onion, minced
- 1 jalapeño chili, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the juice of two limes, lime zest, Dijon mustard, garlic, olive oil, cayenne, and ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Marinate the shrimp in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- Thread the shrimp onto soaked wooden skewers.
- Heat your grill to medium-high. Oil the grate with olive oil.
- Grill the shrimp until it's pink, about two minutes per side.
- In a small bowl, mix the mangos, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, ¼ teaspoon of sea salt, and the juice of one lime.
- Serve the shrimp with the salsa on the side.
I like to thread the shrimp onto sugar cane skewers. It adds a delicious sweetness to the dish.
Shrimp Ceviche
I think ceviche is the ultimate summer dish. It doesn't involve any cooking (that is, using heat to cook it), so you get to stay cool while you prepare it, and it's light, refreshing, and bursting with fresh flavors.
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds very fresh shrimp meat, chilled and chopped
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
- 1 serrano chili, minced
- ½ red onion, minced
- 2 heirloom tomatoes, chopped
- ½ avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into cubes
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp and citrus juices, stirring to mix well. Allow the shrimp to "cook" in the citrus juice for 15 minutes — until it turns pink.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Toss to combine.
- Serve immediately.
Easy, Nutritious Recipes for Shrimp Lovers
Shrimp is nearly the perfect ingredient for light, nutritious recipes, so it's a family favorite at my house. It's so fast and easy to cook that you'll be able to pull together healthy meals in a snap.
