Elegant, quick and full of flavor, this classic Shrimp Scampi recipe features tender sautéed shrimp in a simple lemon garlic butter sauce. Serve with pasta for a quick weeknight meal or enjoy as an appetizer.
You will love this Recipe for Shrimp Scampi
Give me a bowl of shrimp scampi and fresh focaccia bread and I’m happy! After years spent perfecting recipes in a bustling restaurant, I’ve come to appreciate the beauty of simplicity—especially when it comes to meals that can be on the table in just 20 minutes.
Whether it’s a weeknight dinner or an impromptu gathering with friends, Shrimp Scampi never fails to impress. With a few fresh ingredients, you can create a dish that feels luxurious without being overly complicated. We add lemon zest and up the herbs just a bit, trust me, once you try this recipe, it’s bound to become a favorite in your dinner rotation!
What is Shrimp Scampi?
Shrimp Scampi is a classic Italian-American dish. Scampi, an Italian word usually refers to langoustine, or small, lobster-like crustaceans with orange shells. Italian cooks who immigrated to the U.S. replaced hard-to-find scampi with local shrimp in their dishes but kept both names, creating the name shrimp scampi and its many variations.
Traditionally, shrimp is sautéed in a garlic butter sauce, with white wine and a hint of lemon for acidity. It is delicious served over pasta, allowing the flavorful sauce to coat each strand. Zucchini noodles and focaccia bread work great too.
Shrimp Scampi Recipe Ingredients
- Shrimp: Use large (21-26 per lb) peeled and deveined shrimp. If you use jumbo shrimp or smaller shrimp, cooking times will vary. We always seek out wild shrimp rather than farmed shrimp.
- Garlic cloves: Adds savory, aromatic flavor to the sauce.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter so you can add your own salt to taste.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Balances the flavors, adding an earthy component.
- Red pepper flakes: Adds subtle heat.
- White wine: Use a dry white wine like sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, or an un-oaked chardonnay. Alternatively, you can use broth with a couple of teaspoons of white wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar.
- Lemon zest and juice: For a touch of bright acidity.
- Fresh parsley: For a fresh, herby finish.
Best Pasta for Shrimp Scampi
When it comes to pairing pasta with Shrimp Scampi, the ideal choice is one that can hold the flavorful sauce well.
Use angel hair pasta (cappellini), linguine, fettuccine, or spaghetti. You can also serve it over zucchini noodles! For a non-traditional twist, penne can also be used. Of course you can sub gluten-free pasta as well.
Whichever pasta you choose, make sure to cook it just until al dente, as it will continue to cook slightly when combined with the hot sauce.
Best Wine for Shrimp Scampi
Dry white wine works best for shrimp scampi. I typically use Sauvignon blanc, but other dry wines like pinot grigio or unoaked chardonnay also work.
How to make Shrimp Scampi
1. Prep the sauce. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Stir until fragrant, or one minute.
2. Add wine or broth. And add kosher salt and black pepper. Simmer for 2 minutes.
3. Add shrimp and lemon zest. Sauté until the shrimp is opaque but still al dente, about 2-4 minutes. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of shrimp you bought. They will continue to cook once removed from the heat.
4. Finish. Turn off the heat and toss the shrimp scampi with fresh herbs and fresh lemon juice. Transfer to a bowl and serve as an appetizer with Focaccia Bread to soak up the luscious sauce, or serve over pasta for a meal
Best Shrimp Scampi Recipe Tips
- If serving over pasta: Double the butter and increase the wine to 3/4 cup. Add 1/3 cup salted pasta water to the shrimp to create a more succulent sauce that will adhere to the pasta.
- To use chicken broth instead of wine: Add a couple of teaspoons of white wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar with the broth.
- If using frozen shrimp: Thaw in the fridge overnight. For a quick thaw, place it in a colander and run under cool water until the shrimp is bendable.
- Buy shrimp that’s already been peeled and deveined: It makes putting dinner on the table so much faster if you don’t have to peel or devein!
- Leave the tails on: It makes a nice presentation!
What to Serve with Classic Shrimp Scampi
Serve with warm, crusty bread like focaccia or sourdough. Serve over pasta like angel hair (cappellini), linguine, or zucchini noodles. Serve with a fresh and colorful salad like chickpea salad or panzanella.
How to store leftover Scampi Shrimp
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To reheat, warm a couple of tablespoons of broth in a sauté pan. Add the leftover scampi, stir, and turn off the heat. Cover with a lid for 2-3 minutes. This helps the juicy shrimp maintain its texture!
FAQs
Shrimp is sautéed with butter, oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. It is made with wine, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
Shrimp scampi is inspired by an Italian dish called “scampi.” Scampi is a type of shellfish that is much bigger than shrimp and is found in Italy.
Crusty bread or garlic bread is great for scooping up the delicious sauce. Serve as an appetizer or serve over pasta to make it a meal!
Hope you enjoy this easy Shrimp Scampi recipe! Let us know what you think in the comments!
More Shrimp Recipes To Try!
Scampi Shrimp
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: dinner idea, seafood, fish recipe, weeknight dinner
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
Elegant, quick and full of flavor, this classic Shrimp Scampi recipe features tender sautéed shrimp in a simple lemon garlic butter sauce. Serve with pasta for a quick weeknight meal or enjoy as an appetizer.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4–6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup dry white wine, like sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio or an un-oaked chardonnay or use broth *see notes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and de-vained (21/25 per pound- if you go larger or smaller adjust cooking time)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
- fresh lemon juice to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet, add butter and melt over medium heat. Add olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes and stir for 1 minute.
- Add wine or broth, salt, black pepper and bring to a simmer for 2 minutes.
- Add shrimp and lemon zest, saute until they are opaque but still al dente- about 2-4 minutes (adjust according to the size of shrimp you use). They will continue to cook as you take them off the heat.
- Turn off heat. Toss in parsley and fresh lemon juice to taste.
- Serve with crusty bread, over angel hair pasta(cappellini) or linguine or zucchini noodles.
Notes
Store leftovers in the fridge in a sealed airtight container for 3 days.
To reheat- heat 2 tablespoons of broth in a saute pan. Add the leftover scampi, stir around, turn heat off and cover with a lid for just 2-3 minutes.
If serving over pasta, double the butter, increase wine to 3/4 cup, add 1/3 cup salted pasta water to the shrimp to create more succulence to the sauce and it will adhere to the pasta.
Use chicken broth instead of wine and add a couple teaspoons of white wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar.
If using frozen shrimp, thaw in the refrigerator overnight or for quick thaw- place in a colander and run under cool water until shrimp are bendable.
Buying shrimp that’s already been peeled and deveined makes putting dinner on the table so much faster. Leave the tails for a nice presentation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5-6 shrimp
- Calories: 337
- Sugar: 0.4 g
- Sodium: 428.3 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 2.9 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 46 g
- Cholesterol: 380.2 mg
Hi Tonia,
I made this last night just as is written in the recipe, used the entire lemon (juiced) had it over fettuccini – (xtra liquids – perfect) saved half of the shrimp and sauce for tonight – the plate never made it to the table, I couldn’t wait to try it and realized I need seconds before I sit down! Then I couldn’t help but circle back around for the “I’ll just pick a few more fork fulls” – lastly I was standing at the stove and still eating it when it was cold! I think that sums it all up! Awesome!
So happy you enjoyed this Richard! Thanks so much for taking the time to review. 🙂
Yummy! Served over pasta with the extra sauce ingredients in the notes. Thank you!
Perfect! Appreciate the review Debra. 🙂
I’ve never made Shrimp Scampi before. I loved this! So bright, flavorful and easy. Thanks for all the inspiration.
Great to hear Chip! Appreciate your review.
I did not like this. We ate it, as I was not going to waste a pound of shrimp, but this is not what I remember Shrimp Scampi tasting like. Way too lemony and not buttery enough.
Sorry you didn’t like this Vicki. You can definitely add more butter to taste.
Could I use vegan butter in this recipe?
If you enjoy the flavor I think you could give it a try.
Ended up making the recipe as is, with regular butter. So yummy. This was even a hit with my friend who doesn’t usually like shrimp!
Good to hear Liz! Thanks for circling back around to let us know.
I love all of the parsley on the shrimp! I might also add cilantro!
That would be yummy! The more herbs the better:)