Creamy Alfredo sauce, plump shrimp and tender-crisp asparagus put this Keto Shrimp Alfredo with Asparagus recipe over the top! It’s easy to make, and with so much crazy flavor, you’ll go back for seconds! Hungry? Read on and I, Chef Jenn, will show you all my tips and tricks to make this amazing dish!
You don’t have to be a chef to pull off a dish like this keto Shrimp Alfredo with Asparagus, and it doesn’t require any special ingredients or cooking tools. This is a hearty and meaty dish, loaded with shrimp, and the lovely flavor of the asparagus lends a delicate touch to the dish.
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What You Need to Make Keto Shrimp Alfredo with Asparagus
- A large skillet
- Shrimp – see note below about the shrimp
- Asparagus – see notes below about asparagus
- Butter – I use salted butter
- Heavy whipping cream
- Parmesan cheese
- Lemon zest – for garnish
- Fresh parsley – for garnish
What Kind of Shrimp Do You Use in Shrimp Alfredo?
Shrimp are the star of the dish so make sure you get big, fabulous shrimp. When I lived in Texas, I’d get the most lovely fresh Gulf brown shrimp. They were so amazing! Now I’m landlocked and my shrimp options are more limited. But, here are some tips to help you get the best shrimp for this dish.
- Bigger is better. Look for large shrimp, somewhere around 16-25. The number range signifies the number of shrimp per pound. Don’t look at the labels that say “colossal”, or “large”, or “extra large”. There’s no label regulation for the name of the size of the shrimp. Look for the number range. The fewer shrimp per pound, the bigger they’ll be.
- Fresh or frozen – the quality of frozen shrimp these days is amazing, and there’s nothing wrong with buying frozen shrimp. In fact, much of the shrimp at your store’s seafood counter will probably have been previously frozen.
- Deveining is a pain! Fortunately, there’s help. These days, you can get EZ-Peel shrimp. These are shrimp that have been slit down the back and have had the vein removed. All you need to do is slip off the shell. Or, purchase fully peeled and deveined shrimp.
- Cooked or uncooked shrimp? I almost always buy uncooked (raw) shrimp. They’re so easy to overcook and if you heat previously cooked shrimp, you’ll probably end up overcooking them.
A Word On Asparagus
Asparagus is a lovely vegetable, and it’s a great pick for ketoers. It is loaded with fiber, and is naturally low in carbs. Is asparagus keto? Heck yes! But, asparagus grows up from under the ground so it must be properly cleaned to remove any grit.
Snap the root ends of the asparagus and run the brushy tips under fast-running tap water to dislodge any grit. You don’t want to bite into gritty asparagus – trust me. Nothing will ruin your meal faster than gritty asparagus!
How Do you Make Shrimp Alfredo with Asparagus?
- Chop the asparagus into 1-inch pieces and sauté it in butter in a large skillet. Remove it from the pan when it is tender-crisp. This will only take a couple of minutes.
- Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and sauté them until they’re pink and curled. Remove them from the skillet.
- Add the cream to the skillet and bring it to a simmer. Simmer for a few minutes to thicken the cream up slightly. Add the Parmesan cheese to the cream and turn off the heat. This should thicken the sauce.
- Add the shrimp and asparagus back to the pan and toss to combine. Serve and enjoy!
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Don’t overcook the shrimp! Shrimp only take a minute or two per side. You know they’re cooked when they are pink and opaque, and have curled in somewhat. A tightly curled shrimp is overcooked.
- This is the time to use good quality Parmesan cheese. The green canned stuff is meh, but a freshly grated Parmesan cheese will turn this dish into a serious WOW dish.
- Use fresh asparagus. Frozen and thawed asparagus is far too mushy and wet for this recipe.
What To Serve With This Keto Alfredo Recipe
I love something simple with this dish, to make sure it really shines as the star of the show. Zoodles, Cauliflower Rice or Spaghetti Squash in your air fryer are all tasty picks.
Can You Freeze Shrimp Alfredo with Asparagus?
This is a dish I recommend you eat fresh. You can freeze and thaw the keto Alfredo sauce, but in the process of reheating, you’re likely to overcook the shrimp. Plus, the asparagus will give off water when thawed, and your sauce will become runnier. Stuck with leftovers that you can’t eat in time? Then freeze it – but be aware it won’t be quite as good as the original.
How To Store This Easy Keto Alfredo Sauce with Shrimp & Asparagus
Keep this dish tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Heck yes! Traditional Alfredo sauce is made without cream but the common American version, made with Parmesan cheese and heavy cream, is totally keto.
Parmesan cheese is an essential part of the Alfredo sauce. You can skip the cheese, and it’d be a lovely dish with a terrific cream sauce. Add some salt or pepper to the sauce if you skip the cheese.
Try this dish with zucchini, broccoli, or even bell peppers instead of the asparagus.
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Step By Step PRocess
Ingredients to make keto Shrimp Alfredo with Asparagus Prepped ingredients. Sauté the chopped asparagus in butter. Sauté the shrimp. Thicken the cream, then add the cheese.
Keto Shrimp Alfredo with Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp large
- 1 pound asparagus trimmed and washed
- 2 tbsp butter divided
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut the washed and trimmed asparagus into 1-inch pieces. Heat 1 tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add hte asparagus and saute for 2-3 minutes or utnil tender-crisp. Remove the asparagus from the skillet.
- Heat the remaining 1 tbsp of butter in the skillet over medium heat. Season the shrimp with a touch of salt and pepper and saute them until no longer pink. Flip them once about halfway through. Remove the shrimp and set them aside.
- Add the cream to the skillet and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 3-4 minutes to reduce the cream and to slightly thicken it. Turn off the heat and add the Parmesan cheese, stirring well to incorporate it all.
- Return the shrimp and the asparagus to the skillet and heat through. Serve and enjoy!
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.
Want even more Easy Keto Recipes?
Check out some of my favorite picks:
- Keto Salmon Chowder
- Raspberry slushie cocktail
- Keto grill recipes
- and if you need help counting carbs, this Net Carb Calculator can help!
A total winner for my family! I can’t wait to make this.
Your shrimp alfredo is absolutely amazing! I just love the result and can imagine how delicious it is!
Loved this keto version of shrimp alfredo! So easy and delicious.
I love this version. So simple and the time is perfect for an easy weeknight meal after work.
This was everything a gourmet meal should be, and then some! Easily, a new favorite dish; my whole family loved it!