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This is the only surf & turf or steak & shrimp recipe that you need. It includes a rosemary flavored filet mignon and keto shrimp scampi. I kept this dish low carb, but still extra decadent, by placing the steak and shrimp on a bed of Parmesan Cauliflower Rice Risotto. I love having this on a special occasion or date night. You could also use each part of the dish to make several different keto-friendly dinner meals.
As I mentioned in my Seared Scallops & Cauliflower Risotto recipe, my ideas for low carb holiday and keto date night dishes come from my experiences at restaurants. My husband and I went to Ocean Prime and got a steak with shrimp scampi. After tasting it, I knew that I could recreate this at home as The Ultimate Keto Surf and Turf Recipe.
What makes this The Ultimate Keto Surf and Turf recipe?
This Surf and Turf recipe is high on my list of indulgences. It includes a juicy, rosemary flavored seared filet mignon steak that is topped with Keto Shrimp Scampi. The steak and shrimp are sitting on Parmesan Cauliflower Risotto.
The taste of the buttery, garlicky sauce from the Shrimp Scampi replaces the compound butter that people usually put on their steaks. As you cut through the shrimp, steak, and then the risotto, each bite is layered with flavors that work together for something magical.
If you’re looking for a keto and low carb steak and shrimp recipe for a date night or special occasion, then this is the only recipe you need.
How do you prepare the steak in The Ultimate Keto Surf and Turf?
In this recipe, I’m using two, 6-oz filet mignon steaks. This is an expensive cut of meat, but it was a special occasion for us so it was totally worth the splurge. To prepare this steak, I used many helpful tips from Delish. Yes, I did research! Who has time to mess up $30 worth of steak?
I added a bit more detail in this recipe though so that it’s easy for anyone to make. Four of their most useful tips that I used in this surf and turf recipe are below:
Set a Timer
The sear on each steak takes 2 minutes per side. You can feel comfortable setting a timer and not touching the steak for 2 minutes. Just like I said in these Quick Seared Scallops, it’s important to only flip the protein once.
Use a cast iron pan
Cast Iron pans hold a lot of heat and distribute it evenly. So, they are the perfect tool for getting a crispy sear across the entire steak. They also go from the stove to the oven, which is important for getting juicy meat. I use this cast iron pot with silicone holder. This pot is super sturdy, comes pre-seasoned, and is much less expensive than some cast iron pans I’ve seen.
Use a meat thermometer
As you notice from the steak above picture, no two steaks are exactly the same. So, in order to get your desired level of doneness, you should use a digital meat thermometer and follow the steak temperature guide that I adapted from Certified Angus Beef.
Steak Temperature Guide
- Rare: 125 degrees
- Medium-Rare: 135 degrees
- Medium: 140 degrees
- Medium-Well: 145 degrees
- Well Done: 150 degrees
I prefer to eat my steaks Medium Well. The center turns out slightly pink, but the edges of the meat are browned. To ensure that your steak turns out juicy, I’d encourage you to not cook it beyond Medium Well.
Bonus Tip: Steaks continue to cook while resting so use the temperature guide
Another tip, that I’m adding is to remember that while the steak rests, it will continue to cook so taking it out using the guidelines above is the best way to not overdo it!
Can I use another steak in this surf & turf?
Absolutely! One of the great thing about this (and any) surf & turf recipe is being able to use any steak that you prefer. I’d recommend using top sirloin steaks, which is the meat that I used in Ranch Spiced Steaks. Regardless of the steaks that you use, you can use the guide with the cook times that appears above.
What about seafood? Does it have to be steak & shrimp?
No. You can swap shrimp scampi with any other seafood that you wish. One recipe that’s super simple is Quick Seared Scallops.
What are good side dishes for this?
This recipe is wonderful alone. However, there are some side dishes that would be great additions.
You might also be interested in these other Cast Iron Skillet Recipes:
Easy Cast Iron Whole30 Shrimp
Keto Cast Iron Skillet Pork Chops w/ Creamy Pan Sauce
Quick Seared Scallops
Seared Scallops & Cauliflower Risotto
Would you care for dessert?
The Ultimate Keto Surf & Turf doesn’t require a dessert, but if you want ideas, then you can check out some of these make-ahead keto dessert recipes:
Keto Snickers Cheesecake Bars
Keto Orange Muffins with Chocolate Orange Glaze
Keto Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bites
The Best Low Carb Carrot Cake
Any of these 15+ Keto Cake Recipes
Ingredients
Keto Shrimp Scampi
- 1/2 lb shrimp I used 16/20
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 large shallot sliced thinly
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup Pinot Grigio or No Sugar Added Chicken Broth
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes or more to taste
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
Rosemary Seared Filet Mignon
- 12 oz Filet Mignon Steaks I had 2 steaks that were 6 oz each
- 2 tbsp Salted Butter
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Rosemary Sprigs
- 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/8 tsp Black Pepper
Key Tool
Instructions
Keto Shrimp Scampi (Surf)
- Heat a medium skillet to medium heat
- Add olive oil, shallots and garlic to a pan and cook until translucent (~3 minutes)
- Add Pinot Grigio, salted butter, and lemon juice to the pan and allow to reduce by half (~5)
- Add parsley, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and black pepper and stir.
- Add in the shrimp and cook until pink (~3 minutes). Remove the pan from the heat.
Rosemary Filet Mignon (Turf)
- Remove your steaks from the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to cooking. This will allow them to cook evenly.
- Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees
- Pre-heat a cast iron skillet for 5-10 minutes on medium-high heat. You'll know that the pan is ready when you place a droplet of water into it and it quickly "dances" around the pan
- Season both sides of the steaks with the salt and pepper
- Add the olive oil to the cast iron pan. It should heat in less than a minute. You can tell that the oil is heated by stepping back away from the stove and looking for a light rising smoke above the pan.
- Add the steaks & rosemary sprigs to the center of the cast iron pan. I placed my steaks next to each other and simply laid the rosemary in the small space in the middle.
- Set a timer & sear the steaks for 2 minutes per side
- Add a tbsp of butter to the top of each steak. Place the cast iron pan with the steaks, rosemary, and butter into the oven
- Cook the steaks until it reaches your desired level of doneness (see the post notes). Mine took 5 minutes.
- Remove the cast iron pan from the oven and place the steaks on a plate. Lightly cover the plate with the steaks with foil and allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes
- Plate the steaks when you are ready to eat and top them with the shrimp scampi.
Recipe Nutrition Facts
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Dana harris says
February 20, 2019 at 12:02 amThe seared scallops and risotto were seriously the best thing I ever made so delicious and thank you for sharing!!
Davinah says
February 20, 2019 at 12:54 amThanks so much for taking the time to share this! I’m so happy that you loved them as much as we did! 🙂