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Keto seafood alfredo with palmini is a garlic Parmesan cream sauce spooned over hearts of palm noodles and topped with seared shrimp and scallops. One serving has about 9 g of carbs, and the whole thing takes 35 minutes.
I’ll be honest. My first package of palmini smelled like pickle brine, and my first batch of sauce tasted a little sour. A good rinse and a 5-minute simmer fixed it. Skip that step and the noodles will thin out your sauce.
The sauce is short on ingredients. Butter. Garlic. Cream. A spoonful of cream cheese. Real Parmesan. No flour, no cornstarch.
Everything finishes in one skillet, so the browned bits from the seafood end up in the sauce. It sits right in your weeknight rotation, and leftovers reheat fine for 2 to 3 days.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- About 9 g carbs per serving, no flour or thickener
- The sauce is built in the same pan as the seafood
- Ready in 35 minutes on a regular weeknight
- Leftovers reheat gently and hold for 2 to 3 days
Ingredient Notes
- Palmini linguine: It’s hearts of palm packed in brine, so rinse it well and simmer it for 5 minutes. Look for the refrigerated or shelf-stable pouches, and use hearts of palm cut into ribbons if you can’t find it.
- Sea scallops: Buy dry-packed scallops if you can. Wet-packed ones release water and won’t brown. Pull off the small tough side muscle before cooking.
- Parmesan: Grate it from a wedge. Pre-grated Parmesan has anti-caking starch that can make the sauce grainy. Pecorino Romano works but is saltier.
- Heavy cream: Stick with heavy cream. Half-and-half is too thin and can split when the cheese goes in.
- Cream cheese: Two tablespoons add body and keep the sauce stable as it sits. Leave it out and simmer the cream 1 to 2 minutes longer.
Keto Seafood Alfredo with Seared Shrimp and Palmini
Ingredients
Method
- Drain the palmini and rinse it under cold running water for a full minute. Simmer it in a 3-quart / 2.8 L saucepan of water for 5 minutes.
- While the palmini simmers, pat the shrimp and scallops dry with paper towels and season with the salt and pepper. Drain the palmini, then spread it on a clean kitchen towel and pat dry.
- Heat the oil in a 30 cm / 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sear the scallops in a single layer for 1.5 to 2 minutes per side until deep golden, then move them to a plate.
- Add the shrimp to the same skillet in a single layer and cook 1.5 to 2 minutes per side until pink, opaque, and loosely curled into a C. Both shrimp and scallops are done at 145 F / 63 C. Move the shrimp to the plate with the scallops.
- Drop the heat to medium-low and melt the butter in the skillet, scraping up the browned bits. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the cream, whisk in the cream cheese, and simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
- Take the skillet off the heat. Whisk in the Parmesan a handful at a time until smooth, then add the lemon juice and nutmeg. Taste before adding any salt.
- Add the palmini and toss over low heat for 2 minutes to warm it through. Return the shrimp and scallops with any juices from the plate, toss for 1 minute, and top with parsley. Serve right away.
Notes
- Cook the shrimp and scallops just until opaque, 145 F / 63 C, then pull them out of the pan.
- Rinse and simmer the palmini before it goes anywhere near the cream.
- Add the Parmesan off the heat, a handful at a time.
- Taste before salting. The Parmesan and seafood both bring plenty.
Tips for Success
- Rinse the palmini under cold water for a full minute, then simmer 5 minutes and pat dry so brine never reaches the sauce.
- Pat the scallops and shrimp bone dry with paper towels before seasoning, because surface moisture makes them steam instead of forming a golden crust.
- Sear the scallops and shrimp in two batches in the 30 cm / 12-inch skillet so the pan stays hot and nothing crowds.
- Grate the Parmesan yourself and whisk it in off the heat, a handful at a time, to keep the sauce smooth.
- Serve within 10 minutes of tossing, and loosen a tightened sauce with 1 tablespoon of warm water or cream.
Variations
- Swap the scallops for 170 g of cooked lump crab meat, folded in at the very end so it only warms through.
- Stir 60 g of baby spinach into the finished sauce and let it wilt for 1 minute before adding the palmini.
- Use Pecorino Romano instead of Parmesan for a sharper sauce, and skip adding extra salt since it runs saltier.
Storage and Reheating
Keto seafood alfredo with palmini keeps in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Store it in a shallow airtight container so it cools quickly.
Reheat it in a 30 cm / 12-inch skillet over low heat with 2 tablespoons of cream or water. Stir gently for 3 to 4 minutes until steaming hot. Low heat keeps the shrimp and scallops from turning rubbery and stops the sauce from splitting. The microwave works too at 50% power, in 30-second bursts.
Don’t freeze it. The cream sauce separates when thawed, and palmini turns soft and watery.
Serving Suggestions
Serve keto seafood alfredo with palmini straight from the skillet, within 10 minutes of tossing, because the sauce tightens as it cools. Spoon it into warm shallow bowls and finish with parsley, cracked pepper, and a squeeze of lemon.
Green sides keep the carbs low. Try garlicky green beans, roasted broccoli, duck fat roasted radishes, or arugula tossed with lemon and olive oil. A dry white like Pinot Grigio works well for the adults.
For kids, leave out the red pepper flakes and cut the scallops into small pieces. The sauce is mild and they usually eat the shrimp first.
FAQ
Why does my palmini alfredo taste sour or watery?
Palmini is packed in brine, so any left on the noodles makes the sauce tangy and thin. Rinse it under cold water for a full minute, simmer it for 5 minutes, then pat it dry before it touches the cream. That removes most of the sour edge and keeps the sauce thick enough to coat a spoon.
Can I use zucchini noodles instead of palmini in keto seafood alfredo?
Yes, with one change. Zucchini noodles shed more water than palmini, so blot them dry and toss them in the sauce for just 30 to 60 seconds at the end. Shirataki noodles also work, though they have a rubbery bite and need a thorough rinse.
Can I make the alfredo sauce ahead and add the shrimp and scallops later?
Yes. Make the sauce up to 2 to 3 days ahead, keep it in the fridge, and warm it over low heat with a splash of cream, stirring until smooth. Sear the shrimp and scallops fresh right before serving, since reheated seafood gets tough fast.
What goes well with keto seafood alfredo with palmini?
Something green with a little bite. Garlicky green beans, roasted broccoli, or an arugula salad with lemon and olive oil cut through the cream and add only a few grams of carbs. Skip regular garlic bread unless you have a keto loaf or some baked Parmesan cheese crisps on hand.
How many carbs are in keto seafood alfredo with palmini?
One serving has about 9 g of total carbs and 2 g of fiber, so roughly 7 g net. Most of that comes from the cream, Parmesan, and palmini. These are estimates, and they shift a little by brand, especially for palmini and heavy cream.
What is the difference between palmini alfredo and regular fettuccine alfredo?
The sauce is the same idea: butter, cream, garlic, and Parmesan. The noodle is what changes. Palmini is made from hearts of palm, so it has far fewer carbs than wheat pasta, a firmer bite, and a mild tang that needs rinsing out before cooking.
