Keto Shrimp Broil - Patrick Maese (2024)

This keto shrimp broil is a one pan seafood feast made ketogenic with the use of chayote and summer squash in place of corn and potatoes.

A traditional seafood boil usually incorporates ingredients that don’t fit within a ketogenic diet, namely corn and potatoes. However most other items you’d find in a seafood boil are very low carb. Shrimp, crab, lobster, crawfish and various sausage options are totally within your options to incorporate. I’ve kept it simple with this one pan meal and only used shrimp, but it’s just as easy to throw in any additional seafood to expand your options. I recommend grabbing your seafood at Spouts Farmers Market. They offer 100% sustainably sourced seafood from fisheries that are committed to preserving and protecting the health of our marine and freshwater ecosystems and the wellbeing of fishery-dependent communities.

The first and most common question is options for swapping out the potato. Within the ketogenic world, potatoes are a tricky ingredient. The starchy mouthfeel and distinctive texture are hard to replicate. However, the chayote squash comes pretty darn close. It’s not as flavor neutral as the potato, but for texture and bite, it very similar. Chayote may not be widely available at your local supermarket but I’ve found they’re reliably available at my local Sprouts Farmers Market. Here is a link of what they look like and can be found in the fresh produce section. A big reason as to why Sprouts is my favorite place to shop… always lots of great fresh produce options! They also

To prepare the chayote, you’ll first need to peel the outer skin before dicing it into bite size chunks. There is an inner core that is too tough to eat so that should be cut away and discarded. The chayote squash is also a little more dense than a potato so when cooking it you’ll need to add additional time (4-5 minutes more) to cook through. I boiled them prior to adding to the pan, but you could certainly bake them on the same pan before adding any additional ingredients.

Corn on the other hand is not so easy to substitute. While a bite or two of some corn isn’t the worst thing on a ketogenic diet, it can add up if you’re watching your carb intake. So for that reason I simply swapped it out with some summer squash, mostly for the color. I do love the bright pops of yellow on the pan for presentation but if you’re not a fan, simply leave them out (or double up on the shrimp!). You can also use your favorite seafood seasoning for flavor. The classics, like Old Bay work great here, but just about any should work.

A single pan meal is not only wonderful for ease and cleanup, but the presentation is perfect as well. Pair it with the seasoned dipping sauce I’ve provided below and you’ve got a great dinner or entertainment option. I hope you enjoy!