This spicy buffalo shrimp recipe is healthy and low carb but also full of spicy flavor. It works great for appetizer for parties or a main dish for weeknight dinners.
I eat a lot of seafood, at least three times a week. It's got a tremendous amount of protein for not too many calories, and I just like it. This is not to say that I've always liked it. There was a period of about twenty years when I wouldn't touch seafood with a ten foot pole, but fortunately, that is OVER!
I started eating seafood after my bariatric surgery, and I found a new love for it.
I also love spicy foods. When I was young, I thought the spicier, the better, but in my old age {cough} I prefer things a little more on the milder side. Still, I like big, bold flavors, and this garlic buffalo shrimp has just that.
Even with the spicy hot sauce in the recipe, I like to sprinkle extra over my shrimp and serve them with a puddle of blue cheese dressing for that authentic buffalo wings flavor. The salad dressing brings a layer of creaminess to the shrimp that I really like. I use Bolthouse Farms because it has only 35 calories per tablespoon, compared to well over 100 for traditional blue cheese. It's not as thick or as rich, but it has a good flavor.
Because I am calorie-conscious, these shrimp are neither breaded nor deep-fried. While those would probably taste better, frying adds a tremendous amount of fat and breading adds a lot of carbs. I don't miss them in this dish. It's spicy and rich and good just the way it is, without the extra carbs and calories.
What you'll need to make this garlic buffalo shrimp recipe
EQUIPMENT
- 10-inch stainless steel skillet - Any large skillet would be fine.
- Garlic press - If you don't have a garlic press, you will need to mince the garlic as fine as possible using a very sharp knife. Try to make the pieces uniform. No one wants a big chunk of garlic in their shrimp.
INGREDIENTS
See printable recipe card below for measurements.
- Olive oil - You will use the olive oil and butter together to give the shrimp a very rich, robust flavor. If you prefer, you can use all of one or the other, but I really like how they work together in this recipe.
- Butter
- Fresh garlic - You will want to press the garlic with a garlic press, and I recommend always using fresh garlic. It is very inexpensive, and fresh tastes so much better than the preserved stuff you can buy in a jar or garlic powder. There is no substitute for fresh garlic.
- Salt & black pepper - You'll just use a tiny bit of these to season the shrimp.
- Hot sauce - I like Frank's RedHot, but you can use whatever buffalo sauce you prefer.
- BBQ sauce - You'll just use a tiny bit of this to give the sauce a richer flavor. But if you're sugar conscious, you might want to leave it out as BBQ sauce has a tremendous amount of sugar.
- Large or jumbo shrimp - I guess the size is a matter of personal preference, but I like my shrimp on the larger side. Use whatever you have. You'll want raw, deveined, peeled shrimp, unless you feel like doing a lot of extra work to clean them.
- Blue cheese or ranch salad dressing - I recommend this for dipping at the end, but it is not included in the nutritional information below.
- Celery sticks & carrot sticks - These are also optional, but you may enjoy serving them with the shrimp, similar to the way they are served with buffalo chicken wings.
How to make garlic buffalo shrimp
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, garlic, and butter and sauté until fragrant, but being careful not to allow it to brown. About 2 minutes.
- Add a dash of salt and pepper, then the hot sauce. Cook until garlic is softened, another minute or two.
- Taste and adjust seasonings. Add BBQ sauce if desired for a sweeter finished flavor or more hot sauce if you want the sauce spicier.
- Place shrimp in the pan in a single layer and sauté until opaque, about 3 minutes for fresh or 4 minutes for frozen. Be careful not to overcook or the shrimp will get rubbery.
- To serve, sprinkle with additional hot sauce and blue cheese.
Chef's tips for the best buffalo shrimp
Pat the shrimp dry before adding it to the sauce. This helps them to get a little crispy in the pan.
If you prefer, you can grill these shrimp. Place the raw shrimp on the grill and cook for 2-3 minutes or until opaque. Cook the garlic in the skillet, add the sauces, and then toss the cooked shrimp in the sauce.
You can also broil the shrimp. Place the raw shrimp on a broil plan and cook for 2-3 minutes or until opaque. Cook the garlic in the skillet, add the sauces, and then toss the cooked shrimp in the sauce.
Buffalo shrimp serving suggestions
You can eat these buffalo shrimp just as they are, as an appetizer or as a main dish. They're amazing. Serve with fresh veggies like raw or roasted carrots and dips like blue cheese or ranch salad dressing.
But another really delicious way to enjoy buffalo shrimp is in street tacos. Remove the tails and place a few shrimp with a few slices of avocado and some snipped fresh cilantro in a soft taco shell. Drizzle with blue cheese dressing and enjoy.
Is buffalo shrimp healthy?
If you breaded and fried the shrimp, it would not be healthy, but prepared in the way I recommend above, it has 47 grams of protein and less than 400 calories per serving. That's very healthy in my diet.
Seafood is a powerhouse on the menu because it has a lot of protein for very few calories. If you are conscious of how you prepare it, shrimp can be the perfect protein for low carb and calorie conscious palates. You don't have to sacrifice flavor either, as this garlic buffalo shrimp recipe will show you!
Storing leftovers
If you have leftover buffalo shrimp, you can store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing these shrimp.
If you like shrimp, you should check out these other seafood recipes:
- Rich Buttered Shrimp
- Traditional Old Bay Steamed Shrimp
- Spicy Cajun Shrimp Over Pasta or Rice
- Cold Shrimp Avocado Cucumber Appetizer
- Cilantro Lime Shrimp Burrito Bowls
- 15 Minute Cajun Shrimp Scampi With Cauliflower Rice
- Cheesy Shrimp Pasta
- Low Carb Crab Cakes
Recipe
Garlic Buffalo Shrimp - Healthy, Low Carb Seafood Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, garlic, and butter and sauté until fragrant, but being careful not to allow it to brown. About 2 minutes.
- Add a dash of salt and pepper, then hot sauce. Cook until garlic is softened, another minute or two.
- Taste and adjust seasonings. Add BBQ sauce if desired or more hot sauce if you want the sauce spicier.
- Add shrimp to the pan and sauté until opaque.
- To serve, sprinkle with additional hot sauce as desired and blue cheese dressing.
Sue says
Easy to prepare and cook. I cooked two batches. First batch I only used one tablespoon of hot sauce and. two tablespoons of barbecue sauce. Second batch was the opposite 2 tablespoons of hot sauce and one tbsp of bbq sauce. Second batch was better. I just added more hot sauce to first batch. It was so delicious. I will lighten the olive oil next time. On our new menu list for sure. Would be great on a tortilla with a crunchy slaw. Keeper!