This Shrimp Scampi with Cauliflower Rice is made with tender shrimp sautéed in a classic lemony, garlic, butter and white wine sauce. It's a flavorful quick and easy dinner, perfect for busy weeknights!

Jump to:

• ❤️ Why You'll Love This Shrimp Scampi Recipe
• 🛒 Ingredients in Shrimp Scampi
• 🔪 How to Make Keto Shrimp Scampi
• ☑️ Storage Instructions
• 💡 Tips for Buying Shrimp
• 🍴 What to Serve with Shrimp Scampi
• 🔄 Substitutions and Additions
• Is shrimp scampi healthy to eat?
• What is the sauce of shrimp scampi made of?
• What white wine is good for shrimp scampi?
• Are There Carbs in Shrimp?
• Are Shrimp Keto Friendly?
• 🍤 More Keto Shrimp Recipes

❤️ Why You'll Love This Shrimp Scampi Recipe

• Tender jumbo shrimp
• Sautéed in a lemony, garlic, butter and white wine sauce
• Healthy cauliflower rice cooked in the sauce for maximum flavor
• Easy Keto dinner made in under 20 minutes
• Perfect for busy weeknights

This healthy shrimp scampi recipe is loaded with flavor and is so easy, it's certain to be a weeknight favorite! It starts with tender jumbo shrimp sautéed in a sauce made with butter, garlic, lemon and white wine for depth of flavor.

Cauliflower rice is then plunged into the sauce, where it soaks it up as it's cooking, giving it incredible flavor. If you're not a fan of cauliflower, I PROMISE you won't even taste it. The sauce is so incredibly flavorful, you will forget that you are eating cauliflower.

This is one quick and easy Keto dinner that comes together so quickly, but tastes like it took hours to make, like something you'd order in a nice restaurant. Yes, it's really just that good!

If you love the combination of butter, garlic and lemon, be sure to also try this Sheet Pan Garlic Butter Shrimp, Chicken Piccata, Red Snapper with Lemon Caper Butter Sauce or my Lemon Chicken, they will not dissapoint!

🛒 Ingredients in Shrimp Scampi

• Shrimp
• Cauliflower rice
• Garlic
• Lemon
• Parsley
• White wine
• Butter
• Olive oil

*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

🥣 Recommended Tools

• Large skillet

🔪 How to Make Keto Shrimp Scampi

Heat a large skillet to medium and add in the olive oil. Add in the shrimp, half the salt and pepper.

Sauté for 2 minutes on each side, then remove and set aside.  They should be just about cooked through, but not fully.

Add in the garlic and sauté for about 15 seconds, then add in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits of flavor.

Add in the butter, and once melted, the lemon juice and zest. 

Stir to combine, then remove about 3 tablespoons of the sauce and set it aside.

Pour the cauliflower rice into the skillet and toss in the sauce.  Add in the remaining salt and pepper, then allow to cook for 2 minutes.

Then add the shrimp back in, along with the reserved sauce and continue cooking until they are cooked through.

Garnish with the fresh chopped parsley and some lemon slices, then serve. 

☑️ Storage Instructions

Store leftover shrimp scampi in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days or freeze.

💡 Tips for Buying Shrimp

• Look for fresh, domestic, wild-caught shrimp when available.
• If you have to buy frozen, look at the ingredients. It should just say, "shrimp and water."
• For this low carb shrimp recipe, jumbo shrimp are my personal favorite. But, you can use large. Just make sure you use at least a 16-20 count shrimp. This means there're 16-20 shrimp per pound.
• Make sure to buy shrimp with the tails on for this recipe.
• To make Keto Shrimp Scampi in a snap, select shrimp that have shells that are already split. This makes peeling so much easier.
• Don't be afraid to ask to touch and smell the shrimp at your grocery store or fish market. You want to avoid shrimp with a strong "shrimpy," or ammonia-like smell or those with a slimy or soft texture.

🍴 What to Serve with Shrimp Scampi

Since this shrimp scampi is made with cauliflower rice, it is technically a one-pan Keto meal that really doesn't need anything else served with it. However, here are a few ideas if you'd like to explore some additions:

• Classic Wedge Salad
• Keto Garlic Rolls
• Caprese Salad
• Easy Sautéed Mushrooms
• Burrata Caprese

🔄 Substitutions and Additions

• The white wine really helps to give this dish great depth of flavor, but if you prefer not to use it, you can substitute with chicken broth.
• For added flavor, you can add in some minced shallots, about 2-3 tablespoons should be plenty.
• If you're not a fan of cauliflower rice, you honestly will not taste it because the sauce is very flavorful. However, if you would rather not use it, you can certainly add in your favorite low carb pasta, zucchini noodles, palmini or spaghetti squash instead.
• For a slight kick of heat, add in a pinch of red pepper flakes.
• You can also make this dish with chicken or fish, like a red snapper, cod or even salmon if you'd like. Just be sure to extend cooking times, depending on the thickness of your fish.

Is shrimp scampi healthy to eat?

Absolutely! Not only is shrimp so low in carbs, but so are all the ingredients in this recipe. Cauliflower rice, which helps make the shrimp scampi a complete meal, is a quintessential healthy Keto friendly vegetable.

What is the sauce of shrimp scampi made of?

Traditionally, shrimp scampi is made with a sauce consisting of butter, garlic, lemon and white wine. This Keto friendly shrimp recipe is the classic version, with the addition of cauliflower rice, in place of the usual pasta that is typically served.

What white wine is good for shrimp scampi?

I prefer to use a Pinot Grigio, as I do in most every recipe that uses white wine. If you don't have Pinot Grigio, any good quality Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay will work perfectly as well. My rule of thumb is, don't cook with any wine that isn't good enough to drink.

Are There Carbs in Shrimp?

Shrimp are very low in carbs. In fact, there's approximately 1 gram of carbohydrates in 6 ounces of cooked shrimp!

Are Shrimp Keto Friendly?

Absolutely! Not only are shrimp very low carb and low calorie, they're packed with nutrition. The amount of protein in shrimp is very impressive, making up over 70% of their calories. They're a good source of selenium, B12 and iron. If you'd like to read more about the nutrition in shrimp, check out this article.

🍤 More Keto Shrimp Recipes

• Coconut Shrimp with Dipping Sauce
• Creamy Cajun Shrimp
• Fried Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce
• Grilled Lime Cilantro Shrimp Skewers
• Spicy Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
• Shrimp Alla Vodka
• Bang Bang Shrimp

*Originally published on November 18, 2018, updated on January 9, 2024 with improvements to the recipe, new photos and helpful tips.