Name: Low Calorie Shrimp Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined; 8 ounces whole wheat spaghetti; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth; 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved; 2 cups fresh spinach; 1 lemon, juiced and zested; 1/4 cup grated parmesan; 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped; Salt and pepper to taste

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
Tips for the Best Results
Storage and Reheating
Frequently Asked Questions

Low Calorie Shrimp Pasta

🍴 Jump to Recipe ↓

Some nights you want pasta but you don’t want to feel weighed down after eating it. That’s exactly the gap this dish fills. It’s light, it’s fast, and it still tastes like something you’d order at a cozy little Italian spot, minus the heavy cream sauce and the food coma that follows.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This pasta comes together in about 20 minutes, which makes it perfect for those nights when you’re hungry now and not later. Shrimp cooks so fast that there’s barely any waiting around, so dinner is basically done before you’ve finished setting the table.

It’s also genuinely satisfying without being heavy. You get that garlicky, lemony, slightly spicy flavor punch, but the calorie count stays low because the sauce leans on broth and a little olive oil instead of butter and cream. Honestly, you won’t even miss the richness.

And it’s flexible. Swap the pasta, swap the veggies, adjust the spice, and it still works every time. That kind of forgiving recipe is exactly what you want on a Tuesday.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Shrimp is the star here, and I like using medium or large shrimp, peeled and deveined, with the tails off so every bite is easy to eat. Fresh is great if you can get it, but frozen shrimp (thawed) works just as well and is honestly what I use most weeks.

For the pasta, I go with a lighter option like whole wheat spaghetti or a chickpea-based pasta to keep things a bit more filling and nutrient-dense, but regular spaghetti or linguine will do the job too if that’s what’s in your pantry.

Garlic and red pepper flakes build the flavor base, and a splash of low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth keeps the sauce light instead of oily. A little lemon juice and zest brightens everything up at the end, which honestly makes the whole dish feel fresher and more vibrant.

Cherry tomatoes add little bursts of sweetness, and fresh spinach wilts right into the pan in the last minute or two, sneaking in some greens without any extra effort on your part. A small amount of parmesan and fresh parsley finish things off, giving it that “I actually made an effort” look with barely any work.

If you want to swap things around, zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash make a great low-carb base instead of pasta. Asparagus or broccoli can sub in for the spinach if that’s what you have on hand.

Tips for the Best Results

💡 Tip: Don’t overcook the shrimp. They only need two to three minutes per side, and they go from juicy to rubbery fast if you walk away from the stove. Pull them off the heat as soon as they turn pink and curl slightly.

Cook your pasta just shy of al dente, since it’ll finish softening a bit when you toss it with the warm sauce. This little trick keeps the texture from going mushy.

Save a splash of the pasta water before you drain it. It’s starchy and helps the sauce cling to the noodles instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.

Taste as you go, especially with the lemon and red pepper flakes. A little extra lemon juice at the end can really wake up the whole dish if it’s tasting flat.

Storage and Reheating

Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. The shrimp stay decent texturally for that long, though they’re always best within the first day or two.

📌 Note: Shrimp can get a little tough if you reheat it in the microwave on full blast, so go gentler than you think you need to. A quick reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water or broth brings the pasta back to life without drying out the shrimp.

If you’re meal prepping this, I’d actually recommend storing the sauce and pasta separately from the shrimp when possible, then reheating the shrimp just until warmed through right before serving. It keeps everything tasting freshly made instead of reheated.

This dish doesn’t freeze amazingly well because of the shrimp’s texture, so I’d stick to fridge storage and eat it within a few days for the best results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is shrimp pasta actually low calorie?
Yes, especially when the sauce is broth and olive oil based instead of cream or butter. Shrimp itself is naturally low in calories and high in protein, which makes this dish more filling without piling on extra calories.

Can I use frozen shrimp for this recipe?
Absolutely, just thaw it fully and pat it dry before cooking. Wet shrimp won’t sear properly and can make your sauce watery.

What pasta has the fewest calories?
Chickpea or lentil-based pastas tend to have fewer net carbs and more protein per serving than regular pasta, while whole wheat pasta offers more fiber than white pasta. Any of these work well in this recipe if you’re watching calories closely.

Can I make this dish ahead of time?
You can prep the ingredients ahead, like chopping garlic and tomatoes, but it’s best cooked fresh since shrimp doesn’t reheat as well as other proteins. The whole thing comes together so quickly that cooking it fresh isn’t much extra effort anyway.

Recipe