When it comes to quick, easy and extremely tasty dinners, Shrimp Scampi is at the top of our list! Our classic dish features tender shrimp tossed in a butter, lemon and white wine sauce with fresh parsley scattered over and throughout this easy dinner!
Quick and easy, the best shrimp scampi recipe!
While there are regional variations on the classic shrimp scampi preparation, the basics of making a great shrimp scampi are butter, lemon juice, a great white wine and parsley.
On a hectic night around here, this is an amazingly quick dinner to get on the table...literally no more than 15 minutes, start to finish! Plus, whenever I am recommending meals for those that are relatively new to cooking, this is a recipe that I send them home with.
Jump to:
🥘 Ingredients
Other commonly used ingredients that we like to include in our favorite recipe for shrimp scampi are garlic, olive oil, and crushed red pepper flakes. And, we always like to top it off with a bit of freshly grated Parmesan over our shrimp scampi when served. Yum!
- Large Shrimp - (see the tips and notes section)
- Pasta - Almost any long thin pasta will work, classically linguine or angel hair is used.
- Olive Oil - EVOO extra virgin olive oil.
- Butter
- Garlic
- Dry White Wine - Go with a nice Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.
- Seasoning - crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper
- Lemon - You will need the juice and the zest.
- Flat Leaf Italian Parsley - You can sub for regular parsley.
- Parmesan Cheese - Optional garnish plus a little on top.
🔪 Instructions
I've already pointed out that this is an extremely quick meal to make, and that is an easy dish to cook up as well. Both are so true that I have to point them out again!
Cook The Pasta
- Start by, cooking the pasta per the manufactures directions, drain, rinse with cool water, and set aside.
Cook The Shrimp
- Heat a large skillet or frying pan with the vegetable oil to medium heat, add shrimp and cook for about 1 minute before then add the minced garlic. Keep the shrimp and garlic moving (to cook evenly and prevent the garlic from burning).
- Add 2 tablespoon of butter when the shrimp are starting to turn pink, about 2-3 minutes of cooking time. Cook the shrimp 3-4 minutes or until pink and cooked through.
- Remove the cooked shrimp to a plate, set aside.
Make The Scampi Sauce
- Add the white wine to the pan, the additional 2 tablespoon of butter, crushed red bell pepper flakes, salt & pepper and lemon zest.
- Stir the sauce and bring it to a boil.
Bring It Together
- Return the shrimp to the pan once the white wine and butter sauce is boiling. Add chopped parsley and lemon juice, stir.
- Turn off the heat.
- Make a well in the center of the frying pan or skillet, then place the cooked pasta in the center of the pan.
- Stir to combine all of the sauce, shrimp, and pasta.
- Serve immediately.
- Garnish with more chopped parsley, lemon zest, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired (optional)
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
Do not overcook the shrimp.
- Follow my directions above and remove the shrimp before making the scampi sauce. This will prevent the shrimp from overcooking and turning hard.
Use fresh shrimp.
- A personal note on preferences, when I purchase frozen shrimp I always buy the raw shrimp (not already cooked). It just tastes a million times better, in our opinion. If you can't get your hands on some fresh shrimp, the frozen raw shrimp is the next best thing.
Substitute out the white wine.
- If desired you can substitute the white wine in shrimp scampi. Simply swap for chicken broth. The flavor will not be as traditional, but still tastes great!
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Shrimp scampi will last in a airtight container in the refrigerator 3 to 5 days.
I wouldn't recommend freezing more that 1 month.
To reheat, just microwave in 1 minute intervals until you reach the desired temperature. I suggest placing a good sized knob of butter on top when reheating.
🦐 More Shrimp Recipes
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
Stay in touch with me through social media @ Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Subscribe to the newsletter today (no spam, I promise)! Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!
📖 Recipe Card
Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients
- 8 oz cooked pasta (we used linguine)
- 12 oz large shrimp (peeled & deveined)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
- 2 tablespoon garlic (minced)
- 4 tablespoon butter (divided - 2, 2 tablespoon portions)
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ large lemon (juice & zest)
- ½ cup flat leaf Italian parsley
- each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- 2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese (optional, grated)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Cook pasta, drain, and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet or frying pan with the vegetable oil to medium heat, add shrimp and cook for about 1 minute before then add the minced garlic. Keep the shrimp and garlic moving (to cook evenly and prevent the garlic from burning).
- Add 2 tablespoon of butter when the shrimp are starting to turn pink, about 2-3 minutes of cooking time. Cook the shrimp 3-4 minutes or until pink and cooked through. Remove the cooked shrimp to a plate, set aside.
- Add the white wine to the pan, the additional 2 tablespoon of butter, crushed red pepper flakes, salt & pepper and lemon zest. Stir the sauce and bring it to a boil.
- Return the shrimp to the pan once the white wine and butter sauce is boiling. Add chopped parsley and lemon juice, stir and turn off the heat. Make a well in the center of the frying pan or skillet, then place the cooked pasta in the center of the pan.
- Stir to combine all of the sauce, shrimp, and pasta. Serve immediately. Garnish with more chopped parsley, lemon zest, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired (optional).
Yolanda says
Sounds wonderful. I'm going to give it a try!!!