You won’t miss the pasta in this spicy zoodle dish! The creamy avocado sauce goes perfectly with spicy grilled shrimp and sweet corn salsa. With the weather warming up, this is exactly the type of meal I have been craving.
I don’t know about you but I go by the philosophy that an avocado a day keeps the doctor away. This creamy little fruit beats an apple any day of the week. This recipe for Spicy Avocado Zucchini Noodles with Shrimp and Corn is a stellar representation of how versatile avocados can be aside from an endless bowl of guacamole or daily servings of avocado toast.
This recipe uses avocado as a pasta sauce on a bed of zucchini zoodles. It creates a cream-like sauce that’s to die for and soaks up all the flavor of the lime, green chilies, and cilantro. Add in some shrimp for protein and charred corn for a little crunch and you’re ready for an amazing dinner.
Another thing I love about this recipe is that it is a nice break from the heavier, comfort food style meals I have been preparing. After all the soup and pasta, we are ready for something fresh and light. And like all the recipes I have been sharing lately, there are lots of ways to adjust this recipe to fit what you have on hand.
All in all this recipe takes less than 20 minutes to whip up. If you take a few shortcuts like buying already peeled and deveined shrimp and pre-spiralized zucchini you’ll be looking at closer to 15 minutes. How’s that for a healthy meal?
Recipe Tips and Ideas for Spicy Zucchini Noodles with Shrimp
- For a heartier meal, serve this with regular or whole wheat pasta. It would also work with rice, quinoa, or even a bean salad.
- Toss in a can of black beans to add fiber to this dish and make it more filling.
- Top this dish with some crumbled queso fresco or shredded Mexican cheese.
- If you aren't a fan of shrimp, you could make this with salmon, white fish, canned tuna, chicken, pork, steak, or tofu.
- Make this with another type of vegetable noodle like spaghetti squash, carrot noodles (I love the ones from Trader Joe's), butternut squash noodles, or a low carb noodle like palmini.
- If you don't have canned diced green chilies, you could use a fresh jalapeno or poblano pepper instead. If you don't have that, just add some red pepper flakes or chili powder to add some spice to the sauce.
- For those who don't like cilantro, just swap in basil. It adds such a delicious flavor that combines really well with the sweet corn and shrimp. You could also use a combination of basil and cilantro.
- Lemon or lime juice will work for this recipe. If you don't have either, you could add a touch of apple cider vinegar to add some tang to the sauce.
How to make avocado pasta sauce?
If you have never made a creamy pasta sauce with avocados, it may seem like a weird idea but it is absolutely delicious. Here is a basic recipe to make a delicious avocado sauce using your favorite herbs and citrus.
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1/4 cup fresh herbs
- 1-2 tbsp citrus juice
- 1-2 tbsp oil
- 1-2 tbsp water (as needed to smooth sauce)
- Salt and pepper
- Optional additions: Garlic, jalapeno, chipotle pepper in adobo, roasted red pepper, Parmesan cheese, nutritional yeast, spices and seasonings, yogurt, sour cream, or hummus.
- Add to a food processor and blend until well combined, scraping the sides down as needed.
It is best to eat avocado pasta sauce immediately since it can brown and oxidize when stored for longer. This can also be eaten warm or cold, in case you were wondering.
How to make zucchini noodles?
There are a few different ways to make zucchini noodles. My go-to option is this vegetable spiralizer that attaches to my mixer. Many people also really like this spiralizer. Another option is to purchase a pre-made option in the fresh produce or freezer section.
How to keep avocados fresh longer?
Many people don't know that you can place avocados in the fridge once they are ripe and they will keep for about 1.5-2 weeks. Just make sure they are ripe before refrigerating them since they will not continue to ripen in the fridge.
More zucchini noodle recipes?
- Pesto Shrimp with Zucchini Noodles
- Asian Zucchini Noodles
- Balsamic Chicken with Garlic Zucchini Noodles
- Garlic Zucchini Noodles with Sausage