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Seared Shrimp and Zucchini Noodles with Tomato-Artichoke Sauce

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on December 16, 2021

Time

40 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Seared Shrimp and Zucchini Noodles with Tomato-Artichoke Sauce

Ingredients

1 pound extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided2 shallots, minced2 garlic cloves, minced12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved2 cups jarred whole artichoke hearts packed in water, rinsed, patted dry, and halved1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus lemon wedges for serving½ teaspoon table salt, divided¼ teaspoon pepper, divided2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill 1½ pounds zucchini noodles, cut into 6-inch lengths, divided2 ounces feta cheese (½ cup)2 tablespoons pitted kalamata olives, chopped

Before You Begin

You will need 1 pound of zucchini to get 12 ounces of noodles; we prefer to make our own using a spiralizer, but in a pinch you can use store-bought. Cook the zucchini to your desired level of doneness but be careful not to overcook. This recipe is from More Mediterranean, the highly-anticipated followup to our best-seller, The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook.

Instructions

  1. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12‑inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add shrimp in single layer and cook, without stirring, until spotty brown and edges turn pink on bottom side, about 1 minute. Flip shrimp and continue to cook until all but very center is opaque, about 30 seconds; transfer shrimp to plate.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallot and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, artichoke hearts, lemon zest, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until tomatoes have softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl and stir in dill and 1 tablespoon oil. Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm and set aside until ready to serve.
  3. Wipe out skillet with paper towels. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of zucchini noodles, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and pinch pepper and cook, tossing frequently, until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Transfer to individual serving bowl and repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, remaining zucchini noodles, remaining 1/8 salt, and remaining pinch pepper. Top zucchini noodles with tomato-artichoke mixture, shrimp, feta, and olives. Serve with lemon wedges.
Seared Shrimp and Zucchini Noodles with Tomato-Artichoke Sauce
Photography by Daniel J. van Ackere. Styling by Chantal Lambeth.

Seared Shrimp and Zucchini Noodles with Tomato-Artichoke Sauce

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

40 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups jarred whole artichoke hearts packed in water, rinsed, patted dry, and halved
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus lemon wedges for serving
½ teaspoon table salt, divided
¼ teaspoon pepper, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1½ pounds zucchini noodles, cut into 6-inch lengths, divided
2 ounces feta cheese (½ cup)
2 tablespoons pitted kalamata olives, chopped

Ingredients

1 pound extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups jarred whole artichoke hearts packed in water, rinsed, patted dry, and halved
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus lemon wedges for serving
½ teaspoon table salt, divided
¼ teaspoon pepper, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1½ pounds zucchini noodles, cut into 6-inch lengths, divided
2 ounces feta cheese (½ cup)
2 tablespoons pitted kalamata olives, chopped

Ingredients

1 pound extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups jarred whole artichoke hearts packed in water, rinsed, patted dry, and halved
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus lemon wedges for serving
½ teaspoon table salt, divided
¼ teaspoon pepper, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1½ pounds zucchini noodles, cut into 6-inch lengths, divided
2 ounces feta cheese (½ cup)
2 tablespoons pitted kalamata olives, chopped

Why This Recipe Works

If you need any proof that seafood and cheese work together, turn your attention to saganaki. The word is Greek for a frying pan with two handles in which any of a category of appetizers of the same name is cooked. Fried cheese is most common but a shrimp variety, in which shrimp is cooked in a spicy tomato sauce and baked with feta cheese, is also beloved: The ocean essence of the shrimp echoes the brininess of the feta, the sweet-tart tomato sauce complements the sweetness of the shrimp, and the feta gives the sauce a rich creaminess. In this perfectly constructed (compositionally and nutritionally) dish, we combine that concept with a bed of satisfying strands of zucchini noodles to create a full meal.

Before You Begin

You will need 1 pound of zucchini to get 12 ounces of noodles; we prefer to make our own using a spiralizer, but in a pinch you can use store-bought. Cook the zucchini to your desired level of doneness but be careful not to overcook. This recipe is from More Mediterranean, the highly-anticipated followup to our best-seller, The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook.

Instructions

  1. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12‑inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add shrimp in single layer and cook, without stirring, until spotty brown and edges turn pink on bottom side, about 1 minute. Flip shrimp and continue to cook until all but very center is opaque, about 30 seconds; transfer shrimp to plate.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallot and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, artichoke hearts, lemon zest, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until tomatoes have softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl and stir in dill and 1 tablespoon oil. Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm and set aside until ready to serve.
  3. Wipe out skillet with paper towels. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of zucchini noodles, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and pinch pepper and cook, tossing frequently, until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Transfer to individual serving bowl and repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, remaining zucchini noodles, remaining 1/8 salt, and remaining pinch pepper. Top zucchini noodles with tomato-artichoke mixture, shrimp, feta, and olives. Serve with lemon wedges.

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