Goatland Eatery
Garlic-Lemon Shrimp & Zucchini Protein Pasta
Air-fried garlic-lemon shrimp tossed with protein spaghetti and sautéed zucchini in a light lemon-garlic sauce. A simple, high-protein dinner that's ready in about 25 minutes.
- Prep
- Approximately 10 min
- Cook
- Approximately 15 min
- Total
- Approximately 25 min
- Servings
- 3
- Calories
- 440 per serving
- Pan
- Air fryer, pasta pot, and large skillet
- Oven
- Air fryer: 400°F
Ingredients
- 1 lb raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- 8 oz dry protein spaghetti
- 1 medium zucchini cut into half-moons
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lemon use juice of ½ lemon, with more to taste
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt divided
- ¼ tsp black pepper divided
- ½ cup reserved pasta water added as needed
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Start the pasta Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook 8 oz dry protein spaghetti according to the package directions. Before draining, reserve approximately ½ cup pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Season the shrimp Pat 1 lb raw shrimp dry. Toss with ½ tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp salt, and a little of the ¼ tsp black pepper.
- Air fry the shrimp Air fry at 400°F for approximately 6–8 minutes, shaking halfway through, until cooked through. Avoid overcooking. The shrimp should be opaque and juicy, not rubbery.
- Cook the zucchini While the shrimp cooks, heat ½ tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons. Season with ½ tsp Italian seasoning, the remaining ¼ tsp salt, and the remaining black pepper. Cook approximately 4–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and tender but not mushy.
- Add garlic and lemon Reduce heat to medium-low. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for approximately 30 seconds until fragrant. Add juice from ½ lemon and stir gently.
- Combine the pasta Add the drained protein spaghetti to the skillet with the zucchini and toss together. Add reserved pasta water 1–2 tablespoons at a time until the lemon-garlic mixture lightly coats the pasta. Do not create a watery sauce.
- Add the shrimp Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the cooked shrimp and toss gently with the pasta and zucchini. Taste and add additional lemon juice or a pinch of red pepper flakes if desired.
- Serve Divide the finished pasta evenly among three bowls. Make sure each serving contains shrimp, spaghetti, and zucchini. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: one-third of the complete recipe. Values vary by shrimp treatment, protein pasta brand, zucchini size, and seasoning.
- Calories
- 440
- Total Fat
- 7 g
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 245 mg
- Sodium
- 580 mg
- Total Carbohydrates
- 55 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 8 g
- Total Sugars
- 5 g
- Added Sugars
- 0 g
- Protein
- 45 g
Nutrition Assumptions
- The complete recipe is divided into 3 equal servings. Finished volume has not been measured and varies with pasta shape, cooking, and packing; use one-third of the recipe rather than a fixed cup measure.
- Representative pasta: Barilla Protein+ Spaghetti, using four 2 oz dry servings for 8 oz total. Each label serving provides 190 calories, 10 g protein, 38 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 2 g sugars, 1 g fat, and 0 mg sodium. Check your package because formulations and brands vary.
- Shrimp: 1 lb (about 454 g) raw, peeled and deveined, without added brine. Generic raw shrimp values are used; sodium can be considerably higher in treated or brined shrimp.
- Zucchini: one medium squash (about 196 g). Includes 1 tbsp olive oil, 3 garlic cloves (about 9 g), juice of ½ lemon (about 24 g), Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and black pepper.
- Includes the full ½ tsp salt (about 1,180 mg sodium for the recipe). Assumes unsalted pasta cooking water. Reserved water is used only as needed; the estimate does not separately count small amounts of starch transferred into it.
- Optional red pepper flakes and extra lemon at serving are excluded. No cream, butter, cheese, pesto, tomatoes, or additional vegetables are included. Added sugar is estimated at 0 g from the listed ingredients; trans fat is rounded to 0 g.
A Note From the Kitchen
I like having meals that don't require a lot of work, especially when I'm trying to get dinner ready while juggling everything else. The shrimp cooks quickly in the air fryer, and the zucchini only needs a few minutes in a skillet.
The key is saving a little pasta water. It helps the lemon, garlic, and olive oil coat the protein spaghetti without needing butter or a heavy sauce.