This easy Shrimp Scampi Recipe features tender shrimp in a buttery garlic and white wine sauce with extra herbs and a hint of lemon. Ready in just 25 minutes for a quick weeknight dinner.
This easy Shrimp Scampi Recipe features tender, juicy shrimp bathed in a luscious garlic butter sauce with white wine, fresh lemon, and parsley. Bright, buttery, and full of flavor, it comes together in just 25 minutes-perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or an elegant appetizer.
Give me a bowl of shrimp scampi and warm, crusty focaccia to soak up that lemony garlic butter sauce, and I’m happy! After years of cooking in restaurants, I’ve come to appreciate dishes like this-simple ingredients, a few good techniques, and incredible flavor.
My little twist? I add plenty of fresh herbs and lemon zest to brighten the rich, buttery sauce. It’s a small touch that makes this classic even more delicious!
I've never made Shrimp Scampi before. I loved this! So bright, flavorful, and easy. Thanks for all the inspiration.
This Shrimp Scampi Recipe is on repeat at our house!
Ready in about 20-30 minutes - A quick, restaurant-quality dinner that’s easy enough for busy weeknights.
Classic buttery garlic sauce - Rich butter, olive oil, garlic, white wine, and fresh lemon create the iconic shrimp scampi flavor.
Light yet satisfying - Bright citrus keeps the sauce fresh and balanced while the shrimp stay tender and juicy.
Versatile - Serve it over pasta, zucchini noodles, creamy polenta, rice, or simply with crusty bread to soak up every last drop of sauce.
Elegant enough for entertaining - Simple ingredients come together to create an impressive meal that’s always a crowd-pleaser.
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.
Shrimp Scampi Recipe Ingredients
- Shrimp: Use large (21-26 per lb) peeled and deveined shrimp. We always choose wild shrimp over farmed shrimp. Trader Joe’s carries peeled, deveined wild Argentinian shrimp- our favorie!
- Garlic cloves: Add 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 bright acidity.
- Fresh parsley: For a fresh, herby finish.
Ingredient Notes
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.
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. Add kosher salt and black pepper. Simmer for a few minutes and reduce, cooking off the alcohol.
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. Season to taste. Turn off the heat and toss the shrimp scampi with fresh herbs and fresh lemon juice, and serve as an appetizer with Focaccia Bread to soak up the luscious sauce, or add the pasta to the skillet for a meal.
Chef Tips
- Serving with pasta? Double the butter and increase the wine to ¾ cup for extra sauce. Add about ⅓ cup reserved pasta water, or more as needed, to help the sauce cling to the noodles.
- No wine? Substitute chicken or vegetable broth with 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar or white balsamic.
- Using frozen shrimp? Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, or place in a sealed bag submerged in cold water until thawed. Pat dry before cooking.
- Save time. Buy peeled and deveined shrimp. We love Trader Joe’s wild Argentine red shrimp!
- Tails on or off? Leave them on for presentation, or remove them for easier eating with pasta.
- Prep everything first. Shrimp scampi cooks quickly! Have your garlic, lemon, herbs, and wine ready before heating the skillet.
- Avoid rubbery shrimp. Cook just until opaque and tender, then remove from the heat. Overcooking is the most common mistake.
- Make the sauce silky. Swirl in a tablespoon of cold butter off the heat. When serving with pasta, toss with starchy pasta water until glossy.
- Finish with fresh lemon. Add lemon juice, zest, and parsley at the end to preserve their bright flavors.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with warm, crusty bread like focaccia or sourdough. Serve over pasta like angel hair (capellini), linguine, or zucchini noodles. Serve with a fresh and colorful salad like chickpea salad or Caesar Salad.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator 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!
Hope you enjoy this easy Shrimp Scampi recipe! Let us know what you think in the comments!
More Shrimp Recipes To Try!
Classic Shrimp Scampi Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: 30 minute Dinner, Appetizer, dinner idea, fish recipe, Pasta, seafood, shrimp recipes, starter, weeknight dinner
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: low carb, Mediterranean, Pescatarian
Description
This easy Shrimp Scampi recipe features tender shrimp in a buttery garlic, white wine, and lemon sauce. Ready in 25 minutes! Serve with pasta or crusty bread.
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta ( if using) linguini, angel hair, spaghetti, etc.
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter ( see note)
- 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 deveined (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
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta (if using). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until just shy of al dente, reserving 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Sauté the aromatics. Melt most of the butter with the olive oil in an extra-large skillet over medium heat, reserving 1 tablespoon of butter for finishing. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for 30-60 seconds, until fragrant but not browned.
- Reduce the wine. Add the white wine (or broth), salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes to concentrate the flavors and cook off the wine.
- Cook the shrimp. Pat shrimp dry and add to the simmering sauce in a single layer. Cook for 1-2 minutes per side, depending on size, until just opaque and cooked through. Avoid overcooking.
- Combine. If serving with pasta, add the drained pasta and a splash of reserved pasta water. Toss gently until the pasta is coated in the sauce, adding more pasta water as needed.
- Finish. Turn off the heat and swirl in the reserved tablespoon of cold butter. Add fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and parsley. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Serve. Enjoy immediately with crusty bread, over angel hair pasta (capellini), linguine, or zucchini noodles.
Notes
If serving over pasta: Double the butter and increase the wine to 3/4 cup. Add 1/3 cup of salted pasta water to the shrimp to create a more succulent sauce that adheres to the pasta.
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.
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
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!
This was delicious and easy! We opted for using stock (instead of wine) and forgot to add the balsamic and it still worked nicely. We did add freshly grated Parmesan at the end. Yum. Love your recipes! Thank you – it’s another keeper! 🙂
Glad it worked out Stephanie! Thanks for the helpful review.
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.
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:)