Raise your hand if a super easy and delicious keto dinner is something you’re in need of this week – or let’s be honest, EVERY week. ? These tasty Keto Shrimp & Chorizo Spaghetti Squash bowls (or skillet if you don’t want to serve them in the squash) are loaded with flavor and will be a guaranteed crowd pleaser!
Sweet, succulent shrimp tossed with spicy chorizo, and nestled in ribbons of tasty spaghetti squash – what’s not to love about this easy keto dinner that you can have on the table in 30 minutes??? It will take a little longer if you’re starting with raw spaghetti squash – so see below for some tips for meal prepping your spaghetti squash in advance!
Cajun seasoning is one of my favorites to pair with shrimp (or chicken, or pork….OK pretty much everything), so I used it liberally in this low carb spaghetti squash recipe. You’ll also find the usual suspects of garlic and onion, along with a generous amount of cilantro. Or parsley. Le sigh…
I am team cilantro all the way (Yes? No?) but if you’re a cilantro hater then parsley will also work well in this Keto Shrimp & Chorizo Spaghetti Squash recipe. But I’ll be a little sad for you, I’m not going to lie… ?
If you don’t like or can’t get spaghetti squash for this Keto Shrimp & Chorizo Spaghetti Squash recipe, it will work just as well with zucchini noodles, so feel free to make that substitute if you prefer! If you are using spaghetti squash and want to serve this in the halves as bowls, then use small spaghetti squash to get your 4 cups of cooked spaghetti squash that are called for.
If you can’t get small squash, cook the large ones and then freeze any leftover cooked squash (beyond the four cups required for this recipe) to have on hand for future keto spaghetti squash recipes. In fact, if you’re into keto meal prep ideas, I recommend cooking spaghetti squash in large batches and then freezing it in 2 cup servings so you always have some when you need it for a low carb pasta substitute.
My preferred way to cook spaghetti squash is to stab it (deeply) all over and microwave it for 12 minutes (small), 15 minutes (medium) or 20 minutes (large) and then cut it in half and scrape out the strands of cooked spaghetti squash. It’s pretty foolproof, and the fastest method I know of to cook spaghetti squash easily.
Another keto meal prep time saver is to purchase your shrimp already peeled and deveined – that eliminates the tedious and potentially time consuming task of doing it yourself. My very first job as a teenager was working in a French Bistro as a dishwasher and prep cook – I must have peeled thousands and thousands of jumbo shrimp in those years! If I never have to peel another shrimp in my life, I will be very happy ha ha – so it’s worth it for me to pay a few cents more per pound to have someone else do it for me!
Even if you do peel your own shrimp, I know you’ll think it was worth it once you try this Keto Shrimp & Chorizo Spaghetti Squash recipe, and so will the rest of your family! It’s a meal the entire family will enjoy eating – and only you’ll know how healthy it is!
In fact this Cajun inspired spaghetti squash recipe isn’t just keto and low carb, it’s also grain free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, Paleo and even Whole 30 compliant! I mean seriously, this recipe is a winner on all counts – I just high-fived myself. ?
Keto Shrimp & Chorizo Spaghetti Squash Bowls
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Easy, delicious, family friendly – what’s not to love about these Cajun-inspired low carb spaghetti squash bowls?! Grain free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, Paleo, and Whole 30 compliant! Did I mention easy?
Ingredients
- 8 ounces raw chorizo, casings removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cajun seasoning
- 1 pound raw shrimp (extra large), peeled and deveined
- 4 cups cooked spaghetti squash (about 1 medium)
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (or parsley)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Place the chorizo in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat for about 6 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- Add the olive oil, onions and garlic to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, or until fragrant and turning translucent.
- Add the water and simmer for one minute.
- Add the cajun seasoning, cooked chorizo, and shrimp to the pan and cook for three minutes or until the shrimp are turning pink and opaque.
- Stir in the cooked spaghetti squash, cilantro and lime juice until well combined.
- Remove from heat and serve, garnished with more cilantro or parsley if desired.
Notes
I don’t call for salt or pepper in this recipe because the cajun seasoning is more than enough for most palates – taste it first, but of course if you find it lacking feel free to season further as desired.
Net Carbs per serving = 7g.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Keto Main Dish Recipes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 252
- Fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 22g
New to Keto and need help getting started?? Try following my 12 weeks of free keto menu plans, starting with the 3 Day Keto Kickstart and Keto FAQs!
Or if you’re already on keto but want to boost your results, try the wildly popular and effective IBIH 5 Day Keto Soup Diet and drop as much as 10 pounds!
Cia626 says
Made this as written, and wow, it was good, going into the regular rotation. My husband was surprised he didn’t have to add anything. No salt, hot sauce, it was perfect as written. Satisfying too. Fun to have another keto recipe with no cauliflower or heavy cream.
Selena says
Ok, full disclosure, we have 10 POUNDS of venison chorizo in our freezer! I was looking for recipes that didn’t have eggs! Giiirrrllll! Combining chorizo with SHRIMP…SHEER GENIUS!! This is an absolutely fabulous recipe! We dialed back the cajun seasoning to 1 Tbs and we added a dusting of grated parmesan and romano! Outstanding! Thank you!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Venison chorizo sounds amazing!!!
Courtney Southwell says
This was delicious! I had never cooked chorizo before, so I was surprised of how much juice was embedded with the meat. I’m a sissy when it comes to items too hot so I will add less creole/Cajun seasoning next time to tone down the spice. All of your recipes are so good!!! You make keto fun and doable!!
Tina says
This was so good but pretty spicy so will have to change it up a bit for boyfriend and son.
Emma says
This was super yummy!! But any reccs. On how to make the spaghetti squash less mushy and wet?
CJ Cowie says
I use my air fryer
Sean says
Line the baking pan with parchment paper and bake the squash upside down and the paper will absorb the moisture. Works like a charm!
Cameron Poe says
The chorizo and the prawns really work well together! So delicious!
JoKing says
WOW some of my favourite foods combined! Why have I never thought of this.
Amanda says
Major yum! Thanks for the recipe!
Pat says
LOVE this recipe and it will be on my rotation as a regular. I often buy / cook a spaghetti squash and have it “ready” in the fridge for something I plan to make within a couple of days. Slight modification: I used HOT and MILD Italian sausage, grilled from frozen on my countertop “George” then whirled in my midsize food processor until nicely ground. I also used frozen, pre-cooked, deveined shrimp that I defrosted in minutes and removed the tails. Everything else, included fresh cilantro is a staple in my fridge or outside herb pots. With the main ingredients pre-cooked, this came together so quickly and the flavors were awesome. Won’t change a thing and plan to freeze the leftovers in portions and hope it reheats well in the microwave. If you LOVE spicy, make this dish – a WINNER! The fresh Cilanto and Lime brighten and liven this dish – don’t omit.
Kayla Welsh says
I don’t love spaghetti squash (a texture issue for me). But used zucchini noodles and it was awesome!