Spicy Tomato Garlic Shrimp with Spaghetti Squash

I don’t post nearly enough recipes using seafood, which is weird because I love the stuff! If I had my way I’d be eating fish and shrimp at least three nights a week. If my husband had his way we’d be eating steak and macaroni and cheese every night. Well neither of us is getting our way and usually we end up eating chicken. On special occasions or when I just can’t resist any longer, I break out the shrimp and make something special, like this Spicy Tomato Garlic Shrimp with Spaghetti Squash.

Usually when I cook shrimp I grill it and stick to simple flavors like lemon or lime juice with some salt and pepper. Nothing fancy like this spicy tomato garlic shrimp! I say fancy, but the dish is actually super easy to make and it can be done using only one pan. Any meal that uses minimal dishes is a win in my book!

Aside from the fanciness, great flavor, and use of only one pan, this spicy tomato garlic shrimp is a super fast meal to make too. It is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or great if you want to impress some seafood loving guests. The obvious way to serve the shrimp is over pasta, but if you are looking for something lighter I suggest going the spaghetti squash route. Spaghetti squash is a great substitute for pasta and tastes terrific with the shrimp. I also love that you can serve the whole meal in the spaghetti squash shell, it makes for a fun presentation!

Let’s get back to the shrimp and the uber flavorful sauce that it’s served in. The sauce is essentially a marinara sauce with red pepper flakes added for heat and Greek yogurt added for creaminess. Normally this recipe calls for cream or half and half, but I wanted to keep the meal light and healthy, Greek yogurt was the perfect solution.

The yogurt gave the sauce a silky richness and also helped mellow out some of the spice from the red pepper flakes. One tip I will mention is that when you are adding Greek yogurt to something hot, add it off the heat and make sure it is room temperature and not cold to prevent it from curdling in the sauce. Both non fat or 2% Greek yogurt work in this sauce so it’s up to you to decide how rich you want it to be. If your family loves shrimp then this Spicy Tomato Garlic Shrimp with Spaghetti Squash is sure to become a favorite!

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Yield: 4-6 servings

Spicy Tomato Garlic Shrimp with Spaghetti Squash

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Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 medium sized spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound large defrosted frozen or fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more depending on how spicy you want it.
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt at room temperature, non-fat or whole Greek yogurt may also be used.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray it with cooking spray.
2. Sprinkle the flesh of the spaghetti squash halves with salt and pepper and place them cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes or until the squash is tender. Let the squash cool slightly before scraping out the flesh with a fork.
3. While the squash is cooling heat a 9-10 inch skillet over medium-high heat and spray it with cooking spray. When the skillet is hot add in the shrimp and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Cook the shrimp for about 1-2 minutes per side then remove them from the skillet onto a plate. Place the skillet back on the burner and add in the olive oil.
5. When the oil is hot add in the diced onion and cook for about 3 minutes or until it is translucent. Add in the garlic and cook for another minute.
6. Add in the crushed tomatoes, red pepper flakes, salt, basil, oregano, and parsley and stir everything together. Simmer the tomato mixture over medium low heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth then remove the skillet from the heat.
7. Add in the Greek yogurt and stir the sauce until it is incorporated and smooth. Add the shrimp back into the sauce and stir to coat them.
8. Serve the shrimp and tomato sauce on top of the prepared spaghetti squash.

Notes

It is important to add the Greek yogurt off the heat to ensure that it doesn't curdle in the sauce.

UPDATE To prevent the dish from becoming too soupy I have found that when you scrape out the strands of cooled spaghetti squash squeeze the excess liquid out with your hands or wring out using a clean tea towel or cheesecloth, just as you would squeeze excess liquid out of defrosted frozen spinach.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 303Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 242mgSodium: 1158mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 7gSugar: 13gProtein: 33g

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