If you're trying to shed a few pounds before summer, zucchini noodles with grilled shrimp from What's Gaby Cooking will help you do it. This low carb meal uses shredded zucchini in place of pasta. To achieve uniform zucchini shreds, use a food processor, mandolin, or vegetable spiralizer. This will ensure that each strand is the same width and cook evenly. The vegetable pasta is tossed with a bright lemon basil dressing and succulent grilled shrimp.
Zucchini Noodles and Grilled Shrimp with Lemon Basil Dressing
Courtesy of What's Gaby Cooking
Serves 4
Lemon Basil Dressing:
2 cups basil, stems removed (packed)
1/3 cup sliced almonds, divided
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 shallot, roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup olive oil, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 lemon, zested
Zucchini Noodles and Grilled Shrimp:
1 pound shrimp (26 – 30 count, peeled and de-veined)
5 medium-sized zucchinis
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
In a high powdered blender combine basil, 1/4 cup sliced almonds, garlic, shallot, red pepper flakes, 1/2 cup olive oil, red wine vinegar and lemon zest. Pulse on medium until evenly combined and smooth. Season with salt and pepper as needed and set aside.
Place the remaining almonds in a small skillet over medium high heat to toast. Shake pan every few seconds, until the almonds turn just golden brown. Remove almonds from heat and set aside.
Heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Add shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Cook shrimp for 6 – 8 minutes until fully cooked and pink, and add two heaping spoonfuls of the lemon basil dressing into shrimp and toss to combine. Transfer seasoned shrimp to a clean bowl and set aside.
Using a mandolin or vegetable spiralizer, cut zucchini into thin spaghetti shaped noodles. Add zucchini noodles to the same pan used for the shrimp and sauté for 1 – 2 minutes over medium heat until just tender. Season the zucchini noodles with salt and pepper and then toss with an additional two heaping spoonfuls of the lemon basil dressing. Turn heat off. Reserve any extra lemon basil dressing for another use.
Toss seasoned shrimp with the zucchini noodles and cherry tomatoes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Top with the toasted sliced almonds. Serve immediately.
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