This Creamy Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp is a healthy and delicious alternative to pasta. Full of vegetables and tender shrimp, this dish has all the scrumptious flavor you could want.
Looking for a lighter, but still tasty pasta dish to enjoy this season? This Creamy Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp has it covered. Packed with vitamins and minerals, spaghetti squash takes the place of regular wheat pasta so you have a similar texture without all the calories or gluten. Creamy sauce that has a hint of garlic and nutty Parmesan cheese goes so well with tender shrimp.
This dish is easy to make and has lots of tasty variations to try. It's also gluten-free, high in protein, and low in calories. This is a great way to introduce more vegetables to your kids since they are tossed in a delicious sauce that conceals the "noodles." Let's look at what you'll need to prepare it.
Video Tutorial
Main Ingredients
- Spaghetti Squash. We'll drizzle it with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast it. Find out more about how to cook spaghetti squash.
- Butter. Or olive oil.
- Shrimp. Use any size you like. Peeled and deveined.
- Garlic. Fresh is best. You can use garlic powder instead though.
- Veggie Broth. Use homemade or store-bought vegetable broth. If you're using store-bought, pay attention to how much sodium it contains, so you can adjust how much extra salt you add, or if any is needed.
- Cream. Heavy cream or Half and Half can be used here.
- Parmesan Cheese. Can use Gorgonzola instead, if perferred.
- Parsley. To garnish.
- Salt & Pepper. To taste.
How to Make it
1. Cut the squash in half lengthwise with a serrated knife and remove the seeds with a spoon. Cut the squash in half lengthwise with a sharp knife and remove the seeds with a spoon. Brush the flesh of each half with 1 teaspoon of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Put the halves flesh-side down on a baking sheet and bake at 400F until the edges just turn brown, about 45 minutes.
2. Once baked, let it cool down a bit, and separate the strands of squash by scraping the flesh with a fork. Transfer the scraped strands to a large bowl.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter, shrimp, salt, and pepper, and cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until the shrimp reaches the desired doneness. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set it aside.
4. Reduce the heat to medium. To the same skillet, add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
5. Then add the veggie broth and cream, and bring it to a gentle simmer. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes before stirring in the Parmesan cheese.
6. Add the spaghetti squash and cover it nicely with the sauce. Let it heat fully.
7. Lastly, add the reserved shrimp on top. Sprinkle with some parsley and serve.
Tips for the best Creamy Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp
- Use fresh ingredients. Fresh herbs and garlic give this Creamy Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp so much more flavor than dried or pre-minced varieties. Fresh is usually best.
- Don't overcook the spaghetti squash. The squash should be cooked al dente and just a little firm. This keeps it from getting mushy and lets you scrape out and separate the strands.
- Check the shrimp for doneness. The easiest way to make sure shrimp are thoroughly cooked is by cooking them until they are pink and opaque. Once they reach this point, they are safe to eat.
Variations to this Recipe
- Try different sauces. This creamy sauce could be substituted with a tomato-based sauce or even something spicier. This recipe is versatile so most sauces would work with the squash and shrimp.
- Add vegetables. Diced tomatoes, mushrooms, asparagus, or peppers could all be added to this Creamy Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp for another layer of flavor.
- Make it vegan. Substituting olive oil for butter, nutritional yeast for cheese, and full-fat coconut milk for cream will make the sauce vegan-friendly. Instead of shrimp, try using tofu.
- Substitute a lighter cream. For a lighter version of this recipe, substitute fat-free Half and Half or whole milk in place of the cream. The consistency of the sauce may be slightly thinner.
How to Store and Reheat it
You can store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can freeze this dish as well once it's cooled by placing it in a freezer-safe container. When reheating, you may need to stir in a little bit of cream to help the sauce re-combine. Heat it in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through.
What to Serve this with
- On its own. This dish isn't too heavy and is perfect just as it is for lunch or dinner.
- With protein. For a more hearty meal, pair this dish with a protein, such as Chicken Meatballs or steak.
- Alongside vegetables. Serve a side of Roasted Baby Potatoes, Crunchy Baked Broccoli, or an Amazing Kale Salad with this spaghetti squash.
- With soup. Start the meal with a bowl of Hearty Beef Barley Soup or Ultimate Mushroom Soup.
- With bread. To soak up some of that delicious sauce, serve some toasted baguette pieces, these Gluten-Free Crescent Rolls or dinner rolls.
This Creamy Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp is flavorful, healthy, and so simple to make. Your family is going to love the taste of it, and you'll know that you're serving them something that's good for them as well as delightfully delicious.
More tasty recipes to try:
- Breakfast Potato and Egg Pancake
- Chicken Snap Pea Stir-Fry
- Shrimp Fettuccine
- Crunchy Baked Broccoli
- Healthy Tuna
Creamy Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp
Ingredients
For the spaghetti squash
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
For the sauce
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 12 oz. shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ¼ tsp. sea salt or to taste
- ¼ tsp. pepper or to taste
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup veggie broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 tbsp. chopped parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Cut the squash in half lengthwise with a sharp knife and remove the seeds with a spoon. Brush the flesh of each half with 1 teaspoon of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Put the halves flesh-side down on a baking sheet and bake at 400F until the edges just turn brown, about 45 minutes.
- Once baked, let it cool down a bit, and separate the strands of squash by scraping the flesh with a fork. Transfer the scraped strands to a large bowl.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter, shrimp, salt, and pepper, and cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until the shrimp reaches the desired doneness. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set it aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. To the same skillet, add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Then add the veggie broth and cream, and bring it to a gentle simmer. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes before stirring in the Parmesan cheese.
- Add the spaghetti squash and cover it nicely with the sauce. Let it heat fully.
- Lastly, add the reserved shrimp on top. Sprinkle with some parsley and serve.
Notes
Tips for the best Creamy Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp
- Use fresh ingredients. Fresh herbs and garlic give this Creamy Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp so much more flavor than dried or pre-minced varieties. Fresh is usually best.
- Don't overcook the spaghetti squash. The squash should be cooked al dente and just a little firm. This keeps it from getting mushy and lets you scrape out and separate the strands.
- Check the shrimp for doneness. The easiest way to make sure shrimp are thoroughly cooked is by cooking them until they are pink and opaque. Once they reach this point, they are safe to eat.
Cheryl says
This was my first time making this recipe. The only change I made was adding half and half because I didn't have any heavy cream.
My husband and I always rate whatever new recipes I try. This was superb beyond belief. It had great flavor. I look forward to making this in the near future.
On a side note my husband is a diabetic so this really fit the bill.
Thank you for sharing
Tania Sheff says
Thank you, Cheryl! It means a lot to me!