Creamy Low Carb Shrimp Pasta

I’m so excited to share my Creamy Low Carb Shrimp Pasta here today. This dairy-free main dish features tender shrimp coated in a light and zesty sauce and then tossed with a healthy pasta alternative that is made from the heart of palm

This Low Carb Creamy Shrimp Pasta was a huge hit here in our home. It’s true that it’s dairy-free and low carb but it sure satisfied our cravings for a pasta dish.

We didn’t even miss all the dairy or fat that is typically in some of our old favorite low-carb “pasta” dishes.

A few times a year our family steps away from dairy products, red meat, and poultry. So during those times we usually stick with dishes where our protein comes from seafood.

For that reason, it has been a goal of mine to come up with recipes we can still enjoy during those times.

It may be hard to imagine a low-carb recipe without dairy and I totally get that, as we love dairy and I have tons of recipes here on the blog that are full of dairy, but I’m so happy to share some options for those like our family and for those families that may have dairy allergies. 

This pasta dish is so delicious that even if you don’t avoid dairy you and other dairy lovers in your family will still enjoy this recipe. T

rust me, it is worth a try. With a creamy sauce, tender shrimp, and low-carb pasta options this recipe is perfect.

Here’s What You’ll Need:

• Raw Shrimp, peeled & tails off
• Veggie or Seafood Broth
• Unsweetened Almond Milk
• Nutritional Yeast
• Onion
• Minced Garlic
• Seasonings like: Salt, Italian Seasoning, and Black Pepper

For those friends that don’t eat or enjoy shrimp please give this recipe a try with chicken, it is just as delicious and filling! Now let’s jump into more about this new recipe.

Once you have all the ingredients ready this recipe will come together so easily. It is totally a meal that you can have ready to serve in under an hour.

It goes well with a nice green salad or some steamed broccoli.

How to Use Heart of Palm Noodles

The first thing that you need to know is that these Palmini Angel Hair noodles are a low-carb alternative to traditional pasta like spaghetti noodles.

But Palmini isn’t really a pasta at all because they are made from 100% Hearts of Palm.

For those not familiar with Heart of Palm, it is a white vegetable obtained from the center of specific varieties of palm trees.

While most commonly added to salads, the heart of the palm can also be eaten on its own too. It has a slight crunch similar to that of softer jicama.

These noodles have a very mild to neutral flavor so it works well in recipes where the sauce can be the star.

It really is a veggie and I’ve read that it has several beneficial minerals and antioxidants.

The reason I’m telling you all about the Heart of Palm is so you fully understand I’m not saying this is exactly like a traditional noodle. 

So be aware that if you eat it raw it will taste like the veggie it is.

Think of it as another form of a Zoodle that you would make from zucchini. That’s why I would never say it tastes exactly like pasta because it doesn’t.

How could it? But in my family’s opinion, it is a good replacement and it tastes delicious in this recipe.

Since these are veggie noodles with a bit of a crunch some people prefer to boil them before adding them to their recipes. T

his gives the palm noodles a softer texture.

There are instructions on the back of the package for parboiling them. I’ve started boiling them myself for about 15 minutes or so before I add them to recipes.

This softens them up some and make them delicious. 

And to be fully honest and upfront, they will still have a bit of a chew but it does make them feel closer to a real pasta texture.

Is Palmini Pasta a Healthy Choice?

At only 20 calories, 4g of carbs, and 2 grams of fiber (taking these down to 2 net carbs) per serving, these “noodles” are great for any low-carb diet.

Just add your favorite sauce and ingredients and you are set to enjoy a great pasta option without the heaviness of all those carbs.

If you follow Trim Healthy Mama the actual “noodles” would fall into your “Fuel Pull” category.

So depending on how you make them in a recipe they could be either an “S” or an “E” meal for you.

This recipe made as-is will be an “FP” with shrimp, which means it can be made into lower carb meal that has even lower fat.

This Recipe is lower carb and not too overly fatty unless you add more ingredients so I would think it would light “S” but don’t hold me to that. I’m sure you are the expert and can figure it out for your family.

I’ve heard that these would be moderately Keto, but I’m guessing that means some people on a Keto lifestyle can and will enjoy them, and then others may not.

If you follow a Keto diet and think they will fit your macros then give them a try. Then you can also test to see if they have an impact on your blood sugars.

I’d love to know how they work for you if you do test them out. 

They are also vegan, vegetarian, paleo, kid-friendly. Plus they are pretty full of great nutrients! How cool is that, right?

Finding The Palmini Noodles

These healthy noodles can be found locally at my small little food store in town called “The Country Cupboard”.

They can be a bit more pricey than some other low-carb pasta alternatives, but honestly, I think they are my favorite so far so I’m glad they are an option for those times I’m really wanting pasta.

For those who don’t have a health food store in your town or live near a larger chain like Whole Foods you can always find and order them on Amazon or the Palmini Website.

I’ll list those option links below so you can check them out. The company has a lot of options to choose from on their noodles including some lasagna sheets, and rice alternatives.

I noticed a new mashed version. I look forward to trying them as I find them! 

What Can Be Used If I Don’t Have Heart of Palm Noodles?

I know many of you may not have access to these hearts of palm noodles due to not having a local store that carries them or the fact that they can be more pricey.

In this portion of the recipe post, I wanted to share a few alternatives you can use in this recipe.

After all, I want my recipes to be accessible to everyone wanting low-carb options.

I’ve tried many of the zero-carb noodles in my days of eating low carb so I have a few tricks that will help you enjoy this dish even if you don’t have the noodles.

Look at the possibilities below that would work out amazingly well for this Low Carb Creamy Shrimp Pasta. Enjoy!

• Spaghetti Squash: This is a nice option in the low-carb and THM community and we love it too. Once the spaghetti squash is cooked and tender, you can use a fork to create strings or “noodles” of squash pasta.
• Shirataki noodles: These noodles are also sometimes referred to as konjac or miracle noodles, these fibrous noodles are made from glucomannan which creates a very realistic-looking replacement but some people find the texture or the smell before they are rinsed off-putting. 
• Spiralized Veggies: veggies like zucchini are most commonly used but there are many options now from veggies that can be found in the freezer sections of Walmart or other grocery stores. 
• Keto Gnocchi – small keto dumplings made with keto ingredients to make for a healthier pasta than the traditional made from potato, semolina, or flour, usually served with a sauce.

If you love different types of creamy and comforting dishes like this pasta dish then I highly recommend you hop over and try this delicious Keto Gnocchi with Bacon and Cream Sauce from the blog Low Carb Now Carb.

It looks amazing and I can’t wait to try her Gnocchi in many dishes!

A dairy-free Keto and THM “FP” pasta dish that is so creamy and delicious you won’t believe it is dairy-free or low carb.

Ingredients

Shrimp Pasta Sauce

• 12 ounces Raw Shrimp, peeled & tails off
• 1.5 cups of Veggie of Seafood Broth
• 1 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
• 2 Tablespoons of Nutritional Yeast
• 1/4 cup of Chopped Onion
• 2 teaspoons of Minced Garlic
• 1 teaspoon of Salt
• 1 teaspoon of Italian Seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon of Black Pepper

Pasta

• 2 Packages of Palmini Angle Hair, drain and rinsed

Instructions

1. Boil the pasta for 15 minutes and drain well. Set aside.
2. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and add the chopped onions and minced garlic. Sauté the onions on low heat until slightly tender.
3. Add in the veggie or seafood broth, almond milk, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and Italian Seasoning, and simmer on low for 5 minutes.
4. Whisk in the Nutritional Yeast and the low carb thicker of your choice. Whisk well and taste for seasonings. Add more if needed.
5. Add in the Palmini Angel Hair Pasta and combine well. Let the skillet pasta simmer for 5 minutes and add in the shrimp.
6. Avoid overcooking the shrimp because they will become rubbery and tough.
7. Remove the pasta dish from the heat and serve hot.

Notes

If you don’t enjoy shrimp you can replace it with some chicken breast or even top it with some nice white fish filets.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size

1/5 of recipe Amount Per Serving Calories 157 Total Fat 3g Trans Fat 0g Unsaturated Fat 2g Carbohydrates 13g Net Carbohydrates 5g Fiber 8g Sugar 3g Protein 19g