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Creamy Garlic Paprika Shrimp

Annie Lampella, Pharm.D. Recipe developer and pharmacist

Published Updated

24 ratings

One skillet gets you plump paprika shrimp in a velvety, garlicky cream sauce with red bell pepper and spinach, 3.6g net carbs, 38.9g protein. It's my go-to low carb dinner in late summer when the garden overflows.
  • 3.6gnet carbs
  • 38.9gprotein
  • 35minutes
  • 6servings
A plate of shrimp and spinach in a creamy red sauce.
A dinner bowl with a helping of paprika shrimp next to cauliflower rice and salt and pepper mills.
A wooden spoon holding a serving of creamy shrimp
1 of 3
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Five cloves of garlic. I know that sounds like a lot, but do not scale it back. I’ve made this dozens of times and the sauce needs every one of them. One reader told me she second-guessed the garlic for two batches before finally going all in, and now she won’t make it any other way.

The dish comes together fast. Sear the shrimp, set them aside, then build the sauce in the same skillet: onion, red bell pepper, garlic, tomato paste, and paprika. Deglaze with chicken broth and lemon juice, stir in heavy cream, and let it reduce until it coats a spoon. The shrimp goes back in at the end so it stays tender, not rubbery. I toss in a couple handfuls of baby spinach once the broth reduces, right before the cream goes in, because it wilts into the sauce and soaks up all that paprika and garlic.

A bowl of paprika shrimp served over cauliflower rice.

I serve this over cauliflower rice most nights, but my husband thinks the sauce is too good for that. He tears off pieces of bread and drags them through whatever pools at the bottom of the skillet. If you want more keto shrimp ideas, my garlic butter shrimp is even faster, or try creamy pesto chicken if you want the same creamy-sauce-in-a-skillet concept with chicken instead.

What makes this a true one-pot dinner is the flexibility. I throw in whatever vegetables I have, and it works every time. Late summer is peak season for this recipe because my neighbors start leaving bags of peppers and zucchini on my porch. But even in January with frozen bell peppers and a bag of spinach, the low carb version is just as good. If you like weeknight skillets, sheet pan chicken and veggies and chicken stir fry are two more I rotate through.

Cook shrimp in a creamy sauce with spinach and red pepper.

Vegetables that work here

I make this keto shrimp recipe constantly in late summer when my neighbors are dropping off excess peppers, zucchini, and tomatoes. The base uses red bell pepper, but I’ve tested all of these and they work:

  • zucchini (slice it thin and add a couple minutes before the shrimp goes back in)
  • yellow squash
  • fresh tomatoes
  • mushrooms
  • broccoli
  • cauliflower
  • green bell peppers

One thing I learned with zucchini: it releases more water than spinach, so the sauce needs about a minute longer to tighten back up. Not a dealbreaker, just give it that extra time. If you like vegetables in a bold sauce, my keto beef and broccoli and sheet pan fajitas use the same kind of approach.

A plate of paprika shrimp served over rice and topped with parlsey.

Storage and freezing

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To reheat from the fridge, I prefer a skillet over low to medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes. The microwave works too (50-60% power, 2-3 minutes), but I find the shrimp stays more tender on the stovetop.

To freeze, cool the dish completely, transfer to a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. I thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in a skillet. The cream sauce may separate slightly after freezing, but a minute of stirring over low heat brings it back together. If you batch cook low carb dinners like I do, this one and my keto chicken casserole are two I always have stacked in the freezer.

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The recipe

Creamy Garlic Paprika Shrimp

Print Pin
Prep 15 min Cook 20 min Total 35 min Serves 6

Ingredients

Servings 6

Paprika Shrimp Ingredients

Step by Step Instructions

  1. Prep shrimp

    Prepare the shrimp by peeling, deveining and removing the tails if necessary. Rinse shrimp, pat dry and season with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

    For this step

    • 1 pound 21/25 ct raw shrimp
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
    Raw shrimp on a tray seasoned with salt and pepper.

  2. Cook the shrimp

    Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for about 1 minute. Add the seasoned shrimp and cook for 2 minutes on each side until firm and cooked. Remove the shrimp and set aside in a bowl. Cover to keep warm.

    For this step

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    Cooked shrimp in a skillet.

  3. Sauté vegetables

    In the same skillet, add the remaining olive oil, chopped onions, and red pepper. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes until the onions and peppers are just starting to soften.

    For this step

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
    • 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
    Bell pepper and onion cooking in a skillet.

  4. Season the base

    Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste, red pepper flakes, and paprika, and cook for another minute.

    For this step

    • 5 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 2 teaspoon paprika
    • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
    Spices in a skillet with cooked bell pepper and onion.

  5. Deglaze and brighten

    Add the chicken broth and lemon juice to the pan to deglaze and reduce the heat to simmer for 4 minutes until slightly reduced. Once reduced, add in the spinach and cook for 1 minute until wilted.

    For this step

    • 1 cup chicken broth
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 2 cups baby spinach
    A hand pouring chicken broth into a skillet with cooked bell pepper.

  6. Make it creamy

    Stir in the heavy cream and season with the remaining salt and pepper. Simmer on medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes to thicken. Add the shrimp to the skillet and top with the fresh chopped parsley.

    For this step

    • 1/2 cup heavy cream
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
    • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
    Cooked shrimp sitting in a creamy broth in a skillet.

Nutrition

Per serving: 1/6 of recipe

Calories
364
Fat
20.3g
Protein
38.9g
Total carbs
4.8g
Net carbs
3.6g

Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I prevent the shrimp from becoming rubbery?

I cook my shrimp about 2 minutes per side over medium-high heat. The second they turn pink and curl into a loose C shape, they're done. I pull them out of the skillet immediately and add them back at the very end so they stay tender while the sauce builds.

Can I use frozen or pre-cooked shrimp?

Frozen works, I use it all the time in winter. Thaw in a colander under cold running water for about 5 minutes, then pat completely dry before seasoning. Wet shrimp steam instead of sear, and that is how you get rubbery shrimp. I always go with raw over pre-cooked because the sear gives better flavor and texture. If pre-cooked is all you have, skip the initial cook entirely and toss them into the finished sauce for about 30 seconds to warm through. Any longer and they turn to rubber.

What's the difference between sweet and smoked paprika here?

I developed this recipe with sweet paprika, which gives the sauce a warm, earthy flavor without competing with the garlic. I've also made it with smoked paprika and it's a completely different dish. Smokier, deeper, almost campfire-ish. Both are good. I'd say try sweet first (that's the default at most grocery stores), then swap to smoked once you know the base recipe.

Can I make this dairy-free?

I've tested this with full-fat coconut cream in place of the heavy cream and it works well. The sauce is a little thinner and picks up a slight coconut sweetness, which I actually like with the paprika. Use the thick cream from the top of the can, not coconut milk from a carton. This keeps the dish keto and dairy-free.

How do I adjust the heat level?

My default is 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, which gives a gentle warmth. When I want more kick, I go up to 3/4 teaspoon, and occasionally a full teaspoon if I'm in the mood. I'd start at the recipe amount your first time, then dial up from there. You can always add more flakes to your bowl, but you can't take them out of the sauce.

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Reviews

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4.6 from 24 ratings, 16 written

Made this recipe?

Replying to Sam

Your rating

Sam

I’d halve the tomato paste, two tablespoons is too much for a cream sauce.

Reply

Stephanie

Turned out perfectly the first time, which never happens with shrimp for me.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Shrimp is the easiest thing in the world to overcook, so that was your timing more than the recipe. Nice work!

Reply

Laura

Making this for a family dinner next weekend, need to feed 10 instead of 6. If I double the recipe, can I still use one large skillet or do the shrimp need to go in batches? Don’t want to crowd the pan and break the cream sauce.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Batch the shrimp, not the sauce. Cook them in two rounds and pull them out, then build the full double sauce in one pan and fold everything back in at the end. That keeps the sear without steaming them and the cream sauce stays smooth.

Reply

Laura

Good to know, I would’ve just dumped everything in at once and had no idea why it turned out wrong. Doing batches Saturday!

Reply

Quinn

Been staring at this recipe all week. My only skillet is 10-inch, will the cream sauce still work?

Reply

Annie Lampella

Quinn, 10 inches. The sauce is only about 1.5 cups of liquid total so it doesn’t need much surface area. The thing to watch is the shrimp — 21/25 count in a 10-inch means two batches. Overcrowding drops the pan temp and they steam instead of sear. That’s your rubbery shrimp right there. Pull the first batch out, do the second, then build the sauce in the same pan with all that leftover fond.

Reply

Morgan

5 cloves and it wasn’t too much? Worked perfectly.

Reply

Annie Lampella

The paprika keeps it from going sharp. Five landed right after I tested with three and then six. Six was close to too much.

Reply

Steve

My son picked out every piece of spinach the first time I made this, then last week ate it without comment. That never happens with anything green in this house.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Silent eating is the highest review from that age group. And two cups of spinach wilts down to almost nothing in that cream sauce, which helps.

Reply

Taylor

Used smoked paprika instead of regular and it added this warm, almost campfire depth to the cream sauce that I wasn’t expecting. Worth the swap if you have it.

Reply

Annie Lampella

That campfire thing is real. I’ve made it both ways and smoked paprika is basically a different sauce. Both work, just different moods.

Reply

Maria

My grandma made a shrimp dish every Christmas Eve that I thought was just gone once I went keto. Something about the way the paprika and cream come together, it was like sitting at her table again. Wasn’t ready for that.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Some dishes just carry a whole room with them. Glad the paprika and cream did what they were supposed to.

Reply

Brooke

My seafood-hating daughter cleared her plate before I sat down. Only complaint: the spice snuck up on me.

Reply

Annie Lampella

That daughter story is the best. For the heat, drop the red pepper flakes to 1/4 teaspoon next time. Still get all the paprika and garlic, just without the sneak attack.

Reply

Mei

The paprika and garlic smell exactly like my mom’s Friday shrimp. I cried a little.

Reply

Annie Lampella

That paprika and garlic hitting a hot skillet is one of those smells. Glad this one brought her back a little.

Reply

Paige B.

I’m doing Sunday meal prep and want to include this for lunches, but I’m a little nervous about the cream sauce. I’ve heard cream-based ones can separate or get grainy after a few days. Does it reheat okay as-is, or is it better to cook the shrimp ahead and make the sauce fresh?

Reply

Annie Lampella

Sauce holds up fine for a few days in the fridge. Low heat in the skillet, stir as it warms, it’ll look split at first but comes right back. I wouldn’t bother separating the shrimp, they stay more tender sitting in it.

Reply

Sarah Smith

My mom had this creamy shrimp dish she made on birthdays and I stopped hoping I’d find something like it after going keto, but the paprika and garlic in this sauce came close enough to make me a little emotional (even if I added extra red pepper flakes to match hers).

Reply

Annie Lampella

Extra flakes was the right call. I go up to a full teaspoon when I want real heat. Glad the sauce felt familiar.

Reply

Tamika

Fourth batch in six weeks. Something about how that paprika cream sauce comes together still gets me. Barely knew how to cook shrimp before this.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Four batches in six weeks, you know shrimp now. The paprika blooming in the oil before the cream goes in – that’s where it gets you.

Reply

Renee

Gave up on creamy shrimp when I went keto, figured that whole category was just off the table. Made this last week and sat there after dinner kind of floored. The garlic actually sticks to the shrimp instead of sliding off. Paprika warmth I genuinely wasn’t expecting. Four stars because the red pepper flakes were more than I bargained for, but already planning round two with less heat.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Yeah the flakes sneak up on you. Try 1/4 tsp next time, the paprika has plenty of heat on its own.

Reply

Rachel

Wasn’t sure about tomato paste in a cream sauce, but it rounds out the paprika in a way none of the other shrimp recipes I’ve tried managed to do.

Reply

Annie Lampella

That combo was the thing I kept tweaking the most. Most cream sauces skip the paste and the paprika just floats. Needs something to anchor to.

Reply

Danielle

My husband scraped the skillet clean of cream sauce with a piece of bread (HIS bread, not mine) and I’ve never felt more vindicated about a weeknight dinner.

Reply

Annie Lampella

The keto/non-keto household is real and the bread thing made me laugh. My husband does the same with his dinner roll while I’m over here proud of my macros.

Reply

Beth

Added a handful of baby spinach right before the shrimp went back in and it just wilted straight down into that cream sauce. Didn’t think it would work but it soaked up the paprika and garlic and now I can’t make this without it. Trying zucchini next.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Zucchini should work, just slice it thin and give it a couple minutes before the shrimp goes back in. It releases more water than spinach so the sauce might need a minute to tighten back up.

Reply

Chris

Husband said the garlic cream sauce was too good for a weeknight. Asked if I made enough for leftovers

Reply

Annie Lampella

Ha! That’s the best kind of weeknight problem. I always make extra sauce now because my husband does the same thing.

Reply

Alice

This is an amazing dish. I have made it 3 times in the past couple of weeks. So flavorful. Thank you for all the effort you put into developing all your recipes.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Three times already! The garlic cream sauce gets me every time too. Hope you’re saving some for the sauce pooling at the bottom.

Reply

Tam

I made this last night for dinner. It was delicious! I didn’t add lemon, because I forgot to purchase one at the store and I used very little salt in the recipe. It was so good! Thanks for this recipe.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Lemon is barely a tablespoon in there, so not much lost. Salt to taste always.

Reply

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