With an abundance of flavor, this weeknight wonder is an excellent choice for switching up your typical pasta night.

Published on January 1, 2026

Credit:

Carson Downing

We put spaghetti squash to use in this low carb, fresh take on shrimp scampi. It has bounds of warmth with the base veggie adding a unique springy texture, perfectly complimenting the tender bite of the seafood. For an easy stove top option, heat a lightly greased skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat then cook the shrimp for 6 to 10 minutes, turning them once or until they are opaque. Once assembled, top with fresh herbs, olive oil, and lemon for added zest.

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Ingredients

  • 1 (3-to 3¼-lb.) spaghetti squash 

  • 1/2 tsp. salt, divided

  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper

  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided

  • Nonstick cooking spray

  • 1 lb. frozen large shrimp, thawed, peeled, and deveined

  • 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes

  • 1 Tbsp. minced garlic (6 cloves)

  • 1-2 tsp. Aleppo pepper or ½ tsp. crushed red pepper

  • 1/2 of a lemon

  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

  • 3 Tbsp. salted butter, melted

  • 2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 15x10-inch baking pan with foil. Cut squash in half lengthwise; scoop out seeds. Season cut sides with ¼ tsp. of the salt and the black pepper, and drizzle with 1 Tbsp. of the oil. Place squash, cut sides down, in prepared baking pan. Roast until squash is tender, 50 minutes. Remove squash from pan; set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove foil from pan; discard. Coat pan with cooking spray.

  2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine shrimp, tomatoes, garlic, remaining 2 Tbsp. oil, Aleppo pepper, and remaining ¼ tsp. salt; toss to combine. Place shrimp mixture in prepared pan with lemon half, cut side up.

  3. Roast until shrimp turn opaque and tomatoes are shriveled, about 10 minutes. Squeeze lemon half over shrimp mixture.

  4. To serve, use a fork to scrape squash strands from rinds. Toss with cheese and butter. Top with shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with basil and, if you like, additional cheese.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

485 Calories
25g Fat
42g Carbs
33g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 484.8
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 24.6g 32%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Cholesterol 269.3mg 90%
Sodium 1631.9mg 71%
Total Carbohydrate 41.6g 15%
Dietary Fiber 9.8g 35%
Total Sugars 14.5g
Protein 33g 66%
Vitamin D 0.2mcg 1%
Vitamin C 118.3mg 131%
Calcium 295.5mg 23%
Iron 2.8mg 15%
Potassium 968.2mg 21%
Fatty acids, total trans 0.5g
Vitamin D 6.3IU
Alanine 1.8g
Arginine 2.8g
Ash 7g
Aspartic acid 3.3g
Caffeine 0mg
Carotene, alpha 76.2mcg
Choline, total 191.8mg
Copper, Cu 0.5mg
Cystine 0.3g
Energy 2026.4kJ
Fluoride, F 1.8mcg
Folate, total 87.2mcg
Glutamic acid 5.6g
Glycine 1.7g
Histidine 0.7g
Isoleucine 1.4g
Leucine 2.6g
Lysine 2.8g
Methionine 0.8g
Magnesium, Mg 102.1mg
Manganese, Mn 0.6mg
Niacin 5.8mg
Phosphorus, P 494.9mg
Pantothenic acid 2mg
Phenylalanine 1.4g
Phytosterols 27.4mg
Proline 1.6g
Retinol 194.6mcg
Selenium, Se 61mcg
Serine 1.3g
Starch 0.2g
Theobromine 0mg
Threonine 1.2g
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 5.4mg
Tryptophan 0.4g
Tyrosine 1.2g
Valine 1.5g
Vitamin A, IU 2251.4IU
Vitamin A, RAE 275.9mcg
Vitamin B-12 2mcg
Vitamin B-6 0.8mg
Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 23.3mcg
Water 552.3g
Zinc, Zn 3mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.