The Easiest Low Calorie Shrimp Recipe You Have To Try
Air Fryer Shrimp
When looking for a low calorie shrimp recipe, the main factor you want to look at is the added ingredients.
The reason being, shrimp itself is an amazing high protein, low calorie option. I always ask if my clients like shrimp because I know it will help them hit their protein goal.
But when you start deep frying it, add tons of bad oils, and/or marinades loaded with calories, that low calorie shrimp becomes high calorie shrimp. And that ain’t what we are looking for, is it?!
I’m all about keeping it simple so today I will show you the easiest low calorie shrimp recipe that can be made in minutes and tastes delicious. To make things as simple as possible, I’ll be using an air fryer, but feel free to sauté the shrimp on a pan.
Like I mentioned above, I love simple. Just like I’m busy training my clients, I’m sure you’re busy with your life and don’t have a lot of time to prepare meals.
With that being said, you only need 6 ingredients for this shrimp.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Large bag of frozen shrimp (I use the 41-50 count that is tail-off, peeled, and deveined). Feel free to use fresh shrimp if you want
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tsp parsley
- Few pinches of salt. I use the salt grinder and probably rotate the shaker 5 - 6 times.
That’s all you need!
Preheat your air fryer to 400 for 4 minutes.
While the air fryer is preheating, put your full bag of shrimp in a bowl and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Next, add 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tsp parsley, and salt to the shrimp.
Mix everything together so all the shrimp is coated in oil and the seasoning.
Add your shrimp to the air fryer and cook for 5 minutes at 400 degrees.
After 5 minutes, take the shrimp out and toss them around in the air fryer. The internal temperature of the shrimp should be 165 degrees. If you are using fresh shrimp they may be done after 5 minutes. For frozen shrimp, put back into the air fryer and cook for an additional 4 minutes after tossing them.
When done cooking, check internal temperature of shrimp and ensure it’s at least 165 degrees.
Serve with rice and a vegetable of your choice for a balanced, healthy, high protein meal!
For the entire bag of shrimp:
- Calories: 519
- Protein: 60
- Fat: 29
- Cholesterol: 480
If you split it up into 4 servings you are looking at:
- Calories: 130
- Protein: 15
- Fat: 7.25
- Cholesterol: 120
15 grams of protein for 130 calories is a pretty solid protein to calorie ratio so feel free to eat 1 or 2 servings.
If you are looking into this recipe because you are counting your calories or are wanting to learn how to, check out my article The Definite Guide For Counting Macros. It will get you set up with everything you need to know about counting your calories for weight loss.
Low Calorie Shrimp Recipe Alternatives
If you want to lower the calories, you can add 1 tablespoon of oil instead of 2.
When pan frying the shrimp, a similar cook time should be sufficient but always keep a meat thermometer on hand to test out the shrimp.
Is Shrimp Good For Dieting?
Shrimp is an amazing choice for a protein when you are dieting. Because it is high protein and low calorie, you can have a lot of it without breaking the bank on calories. Also, protein is more satiating than carbs or fats so it will keep you full longer than other foods.
Can Shrimp Make You Fat?
Although it’s very unlikely that shrimp will make you fat because of it’s high protein, low calorie makeup, you can still gain fat by eating too much of anything. It always comes down to calories in versus calories out. If you have a balanced diet and include shrimp into your meals, you most likely will not gain fat.
Does Shrimp Reduce Belly Fat?
Eating shrimp as part of a healthy diet can help you lose weight, but there is no way to make it specifically reduce your belly fat. There is no such thing as spot reduction, meaning you can’t pick and choose where you lose weight. As long as you are consistently in a calorie deficit, you will lose weight and at some point it will reduce from your belly.
Hope you enjoy the recipe. Let me know how you like it!
