After the holiday table - after the puerco asado and the moro and the pasteles and everything that came after the pasteles - there is always a moment in early December when your body asks for something that is not that.

Not diet food. Not punishment. Just something clean, cold, bright, and fast.

This bowl answers that question. One pound of shrimp, shirataki noodles that absorb every bit of the fish sauce and lime dressing, soybean sprouts, fresh cilantro, red chili, and roasted peanuts on top. The dressing is four ingredients and takes three minutes to make. The whole bowl comes together in 30 minutes including noodle prep time.

Shirataki noodles are made from konjac root. They have almost no calories, almost no carbs, and a neutral flavor that takes on whatever you dress them with completely. In this dressing - fish sauce, lime, zero sugar honey, avocado oil - they become the noodle this salad was always supposed to be. The glass noodles in the original were good. These are better, and they let the shrimp be the actual centerpiece instead of competing with a heavy carb base.

25g protein. 15g net carbs. 30 minutes. This is the bowl for December when you want to feel good going into the next celebration, not recovering from the last one.

PROTEIN SCORE

Base protein: 25g per serving | Tier: Powerhouse

Shrimp is one of the most efficient protein sources available - approximately 23g of protein per 4oz serving at under 120 calories, with almost no fat and zero carbohydrates. Combined with the protein from soybean sprouts and peanuts, this bowl delivers 25g per serving without any additions. The shirataki noodles contribute zero protein and zero net carbs - their entire job is texture and dressing absorption, and they do both exceptionally well. This is a high-protein, low-carb bowl in the truest sense of both terms, not a rebranded grain bowl with a protein claim attached.

PROTEIN BOOST OPTIONS

• The bowl holds additions easily without the recipe changing:
• 4oz cooked chicken breast, shredded and mixed in - adds 25g protein and brings the total to 53g. Use leftover pollo asado if you have it - the garlic and lime marinade works beautifully with this dressing.
  
• Add 4oz extra shrimp per serving, arranged on top - brings the total to approximately 52g protein. The simplest upgrade with no additional prep.
• One soft-boiled egg halved and placed on top - adds 6g protein and brings the total to 34g. The yolk mixes into the dressing pooled at the bottom of the bowl and makes every bite richer.
• ½ cup shelled edamame per serving tossed in with the noodles - adds 8g plant protein and brings the total to 36g. Also adds a satisfying chew the shirataki does not provide on its own.

WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• Shirataki noodles absorb the fish sauce and lime dressing during the 10-minute rest time - by the time you serve the bowl the noodles taste like the dressing, which is the entire point of a noodle salad
• 5g net carbs per serving makes this one of the most genuinely low-carb bowls in the Strength & Sazon collection - this is the recipe for the weeks between holiday tables when you want to feel good going into the next one
• Fish sauce is the flavor anchor that most home cooks have not used enough - it sounds like a lot, it smells like a lot when you open the bottle, and in the finished dressing it becomes a deep, savory, slightly briny backdrop that lime and honey balance perfectly
• The whole bowl is done in 30 minutes with no cooking beyond the shrimp prep if you buy pre-cooked - this is the fast weeknight bowl that also works as meal prep
• Zero sugar honey adds the sweet balance that keeps the fish sauce and lime from reading as sour or sharp - 2 tablespoons across the full batch is enough to taste, not enough to register as sweet
• Cold, bright, and crunchy - the soybean sprouts, red chili, and toasted peanuts give this bowl three different textures that make every bite different from the last

High-Protein Thai Shrimp and Shirataki Noodle Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Author: Gaila - Strength & Sazón

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Shrimp tossed with shirataki noodles, soybean sprouts, fresh cilantro, and red chili in a fish sauce, lime, zero sugar honey, and avocado oil dressing. 28g protein, 5g net carbs, 30 minutes. The clean bowl for December when you want to feel good between celebrations.

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Ingredients

INGREDIENTS - SALAD:

• 1 lb cooked shrimp peeled and deveined (buy pre-cooked to save time or cook fresh)
• 2 packages 14oz each shirataki noodles, drained and rinsed well
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 cup soybean sprouts rinsed
• ½ red chili finely sliced (remove seeds for less heat)
• ⅓ cup roasted salted peanuts roughly chopped
• 1 lime cut into 4 wedges for serving

INGREDIENTS - FISH SAUCE LIME DRESSING:

• ⅓ cup fresh lime juice approximately 3 limes
• ⅓ cup fish sauce nam pla or nuoc nam
• 2 tablespoon zero sugar honey https://amzn.to/3OXKsiD
• 2 tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon grated garlic
• Cilantro leaves and lime wedges For garnish

Instructions

• Prep the shirataki noodles: drain both packages into a colander and rinse very well under cold running water for at least 60 seconds. Shirataki noodles have a natural odor from the konjac root packaging liquid - thorough rinsing removes it completely. Pat dry with paper towels. Using kitchen scissors, cut the noodles several times directly in the colander to shorten them to manageable lengths.
• Dry-toast the noodles (optional but recommended): place rinsed, drained shirataki noodles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until any remaining moisture evaporates. This step improves the texture significantly and helps the noodles absorb the dressing better. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Make the dressing: whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, zero sugar honey, and avocado oil in a bowl until the honey is fully dissolved. Taste - it should be savory, bright, and slightly sweet with the fish sauce as the backbone. It will smell strong. In the finished salad it will be perfectly balanced.
• Dress the noodles: place cooled noodles in a large bowl. Pour dressing over and toss well. Let sit 10 minutes - this rest time is what allows shirataki to absorb the flavor of the dressing.
• Add shrimp and vegetables: add shrimp, cilantro, soybean sprouts, and red chili to the dressed noodles. Toss gently to combine.
• Serve: divide into 4 bowls. Top each with chopped roasted peanuts and a lime wedge. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 2217mg | Potassium: 389mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 511IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?I'd love to see it! Follow @Strengthandsazon snap a photo and tag #Strengthandsazon!

TEXTURE TIPS

• Rinsing the shirataki is not optional and 60 seconds is the minimum. The liquid they are packed in has a strong smell that does not belong in this bowl. Run cold water through them in a colander, toss them around, keep rinsing until the water runs clear and the smell is gone. It takes a full minute of active rinsing.
• The dry-toast step is the difference between rubbery noodles and noodles that actually have a pleasant chew. Two to three minutes in a dry skillet over medium heat evaporates residual moisture and changes the texture noticeably. Do not skip it.
• Let the dressed noodles rest 10 minutes before adding everything else. Shirataki is porous - it absorbs the dressing during this rest and goes from bland to genuinely flavored. If you add the shrimp immediately, the noodles will still taste like noodles.
• Buy the best shrimp you can for a salad like this. Because the bowl is cold and simple, the quality of the shrimp is immediately obvious. Wild-caught if available. If cooking fresh rather than using pre-cooked, cook just until pink and curl - 2 minutes per side maximum - and cool completely before adding to the bowl.
• Toast the peanuts if the bag is not already roasted. Two minutes in a dry pan over low heat, watching constantly. They go from raw to perfect to burnt in a very short window. Cool completely before chopping.

MEAL PREP HOW-TO

• This is one of the best meal prep bowls in the collection because the flavor genuinely improves after a few hours in the refrigerator. Make the full batch, portion into 4 containers, and refrigerate. The noodles continue absorbing the dressing overnight.
• Store peanuts separately and add at serving time. Peanuts stored in the dressed salad soften and lose their crunch within a few hours - keep them in a small separate container and scatter on top when you pull a portion from the refrigerator.
• The dressing keeps separately in a sealed jar for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Shake before using. Make a double batch and use the extra on cucumber salads, grilled shrimp, or any bowl that needs a bright, savory dressing through the week.
• Bariatric portioning: ½ cup is a manageable starting portion. The noodles are soft, the shrimp is tender, and there is nothing in this bowl that is difficult to eat in small quantities. The 28g protein per full serving scales proportionally - a ½ cup portion delivers approximately 14g protein, which is meaningful for a small volume plate.
• Sodium management: if you are in an early bariatric phase or managing blood pressure, use the reduced fish sauce option (¼ cup) noted in the recipe card. The dressing still works - the lime becomes more prominent and the savory depth is slightly lighter, which some people prefer anyway.

STORAGE TIPS

• Refrigerator: an airtight container up to 3 days. The flavor deepens each day as the noodles absorb more dressing. Stir before serving. Peanuts: store separately and add fresh at serving. In the dressed salad, they soften within hours.
• Do not freeze: Shirataki noodles change texture dramatically when frozen. The shrimp also suffers. This bowl is for refrigerator meal prep only. Dressing stored separately: up to 5 days in a sealed jar. Shake or whisk before using.

TRY THESE NEXT

• High-Protein Colorful Quinoa Salad with Lime-Avocado Oil Dressing - the other meal prep salad in this collection. When you want something heartier and plant-based to rotate alongside this bowl. 10g protein, holds all week.
• Fresh Tuna Ceviche Verde with Air Fryer Mariquitas - the other cold seafood bowl. Dominican citrus cure, no cooking required for the tuna, air-fried mariquitas for crunch. 30g protein.
• High-Protein Air Fryer Bacalaitos - when you want warm seafood instead of cold. Air fryer cod with a chicharron crust. 28g protein, done in 25 minutes.
• Batida de Guineo Protein Smoothie - the bowl for when you want no prep at all. 28g protein, 5 minutes, Dominican banana smoothie rebuilt for real protein.

Rinse the shirataki thoroughly. Toast them dry. Let the dressed noodles sit 10 minutes before you add anything else. Those three steps are the difference between a good bowl and the bowl you make every week in December.

Tag @strengthandsazon and use #StrengthAndSazon - I want to see your bowls.