There is no actual barbecue involved in this dish, despite the name, and no grill required either. Keto New Orleans BBQ shrimp is a Southern classic built around a rich, garlicky, buttery sauce instead.
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This comes together with just a handful of ingredients and very little effort. Remove the shrimp tails before cooking, tail-on shrimp look nice, but they are genuinely messy to eat.
Double check your Cajun seasoning blend before you buy it. Some brands sneak in sugar or fillers you do not need here.
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Chef Jenn’s Take on New Orleans BBQ Shrimp
Keeping the heat on while building the sauce is the main thing to avoid here. Sautee the shrimp in garlic, butter, and Cajun seasoning first, 3 to 4 minutes depending on size, then turn the heat off completely before adding the Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and water. That off-heat step keeps the sauce from breaking or the shrimp from overcooking while it comes together.
Use unsalted butter, since this dish is naturally salty already between the Cajun seasoning and the Worcestershire sauce. Fresh lemon juice makes a real difference over bottled, and fresh garlic, finely chopped, has more flavor than the jarred kind. Good quality shrimp matters more than size, though it’s worth avoiding anything too small.
One reader cooked asparagus right in the same pan alongside the shrimp, which is a good way to build out a full dinner without dirtying a second pan.
Double check your Cajun seasoning before buying it too. Some blends sneak in sugar or fillers that don’t belong in a keto dish, even though the seasoning itself seems like an obvious keto-friendly choice.
What You’ll Love About New Orleans BBQ Shrimp
- Naturally salty and rich, so it doesn’t need much of a side to shine.
- A handful of ingredients and about 20 minutes, for real Southern flavor.
- No grill or actual barbecuing required, despite the name.
Ingredients
- Shrimp – Peeled and deveined, tails removed for easier eating.
- Cajun seasoning – Double check the label for added sugar or fillers.
- Garlic – Fresh, finely chopped. Skip the jarred kind for this one.
- Unsalted butter – This dish is naturally salty already, so unsalted keeps you in control of the sodium.
- Lemon juice – Fresh squeezed, not bottled.
- Worcestershire sauce – Regular, in a small amount.
- Green onions – For garnish.
How to Make New Orleans BBQ Shrimp
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Peel and devein the shrimp, removing the tails, and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and Cajun seasoning, and cook for about 1 minute.
Add the shrimp and toss until cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes depending on size.
Turn off the heat. Add the Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and water to build the sauce. Check the seasoning, adding more salt if needed.
Garnish with chopped green onions and serve.
Make It A Meal
For more shrimp in a similar buttery sauce, try Shrimp Scampi or Cajun Salmon with Shrimp & Cream Sauce on a different night.
On the side, Southern Style Green Beans keeps the meal in the same Southern spirit.
Storage
Fully cook and chill this for a few hours before freezing. Package it in freezer bags or containers, keeping the shrimp covered in sauce to protect against freezer burn, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently, the sauce may separate slightly but will still taste great.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe runs about 2 net carbs per serving. The number in the recipe card below will recalculate once this post is republished, so use it as an estimate until then.
That’s simply the traditional name for this New Orleans dish. It refers to the bold, saucy style rather than any actual grilling or barbecuing.
Yes, one reader cooked asparagus right alongside the shrimp in the same skillet, which is an easy way to build a full dinner with just one pan to clean.
Yes, fully cook and chill it first, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months, keeping the shrimp covered in sauce. The sauce may separate slightly upon reheating, but it will still taste good.
Add Preferred SourceNew Orleans BBQ Shrimp (Keto, Low-Carb)
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon worchestershire sauce
- 3 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic minced finely
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons green onions chopped
Instructions
- Peel and devein the shrimp, clean them and set them aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the garlic and Cajun seasoning and cook for 1 minute. Add the shrimp, and toss until cooked. About 3-4 minutes depending on the size of your shrimp.
- Turn off the heat. Add the Worchestershire sauce to the pan, the lemon juice, and the water to make a bit of a sauce. Check for seasoning, adding more salt if necessary.
- Garnish with chopped green onions and serve!
Video
Notes
Recipe Card Tips
- Turn the heat off completely before adding the Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and water. This keeps the sauce from breaking.
- Use unsalted butter. Between the Cajun seasoning and Worcestershire sauce, this dish is naturally salty already.
- Use fresh lemon juice and fresh garlic rather than bottled or jarred. Both make a noticeable difference in a recipe this simple.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
LIke This? Also Try:
- Shrimp Scampi
- Salmon with Shrimp & Creamy Cajun Sauce
- Southern Green Beans
- and be sure to check out my cookbook page!
This is such a wonderful shrimp dish! We try to have seafood at least twice per week and this shrimp dish has become one of our favorite go-to recipes.
It was very good! Cooked the asparagus in the same pan. They were yummy together
This looks wonderful! I particularly like the combination of Cajun seasoning and lemon.
Such an easy, quick, and elegant dinner. This is definitely one of my favorite shrimp dish. 🙂
Delicious! I loved this shrimp recipe. Just enough heat for me to enjoy but not so much that the kids didn’t like it.
This is a great recipe, I love how simple the sauce is and the combo of cajun & lemon!
Yummy recipe ! I loved this BBQ shrimp recipe. Yesterday, I was in great hurry and wondering what to prepare for lunch which could be easy and quick to make. So,I ended up preparing this shrimp. Everyone liked the dish too. Thanks for sharing.
I’m so glad you all enjoyed it! It’s remarkable how so much flavor can come together in a dish so quickly!