Shrimp scampi is a simple, fresh, and flavorful shrimp dish. It's ready in 20 minutes and can be served as is or with spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles.
This recipe is ready fast, and its flavor combination is magnificent. Butter, garlic, white wine, and lemon juice combine into a delicate sauce that perfectly complements the shrimp. This is one of my most requested weeknight dinners and one of my favorite ways to prepare shrimp. Other shrimp recipes I like include baked shrimp, sautéed shrimp, grilled shrimp, and boiled shrimp.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Butter: Sometimes, I use extra-virgin olive oil instead of butter.
- Red pepper flakes: They don't make the dish spicy - they merely add a layer of flavor.
- Extra-large shrimp: Peeled and deveined.
- White wine: White wine enhances the flavor of the sauce.
- Chopped parsley: Adds a splash of color and another layer of fresh flavor.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Cook the garlic and red pepper flakes in butter. Add the shrimp, wine, and salt. Cook until the shrimp are fully cooked, for about 5 minutes.
Off heat, stir in the lemon juice and black pepper.
Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
Recipe Tips
Don't Overcook the Shrimp
As with most shrimp recipes, the most important thing is to avoid overcooking the shrimp. Once you add them to the saucepan, cook them just until they turn pink and opaque, then remove them immediately from the heat and serve. When overcooked, they become dry and rubbery. See the close-up photo below - you can tell how juicy those shrimp are!
What Shrimp to Use
The best shrimp size for this recipe is extra-large (21-25 pieces per pound). They are plump and juicy. However, if all you have is large shrimp (31-40 pieces per pound), that works too.
Whether the shrimp should be tail-on or off is up to you. I usually use tail-on shrimp because they are prettier, but on occasion, as shown in the photo below, I use tail-off shrimp.
The shrimp photographed below are also smaller, so I only cooked them for about four minutes. The dish turned out fabulous, so you do have some flexibility here.
Recipe FAQs
Scampi are langoustines, a small relative of lobsters. In Italy, they are traditionally prepared by sautéing them with olive oil, garlic, onion, and white wine. Italian immigrants in the U.S. used what was available, which was shrimp, and that's how shrimp scampi was born.
Yes. Simply substitute extra-virgin olive oil for the butter.
Yes. The small amount of wine I use adds a nice flavor, and my husband and I enjoy drinking it with the meal. But if you're not a fan of wine, you can simply omit the wine and leave the rest of the recipe as is.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave, covered, at 50% power.
Serving Suggestions
This saucy dish is often served on top of pasta or with crusty bread. I like to serve it on any of the following:
- Cauliflower rice
- Microwave spaghetti squash
- Shirataki noodles
- Zucchini noodles
- Mashed butternut squash
- Mashed cauliflower
- Sauteed spinach
- Hearts of Palm pasta
- Roasted green beans
Sometimes, I serve shrimp scampi with its marvelous sauce on a bed of raw baby spinach leaves. The warm sauce wilts the spinach leaves just enough to cook them perfectly. The whole dish is sublime.
Recipe Card
Easy Shrimp Scampi
Video
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic - minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 pounds extra-large shrimp - peeled and deveined (21-25 pieces per pound)
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice - freshly squeezed
- 2 tablespoons parsley - finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon black pepper - freshly ground
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, for one minute, until they are fragrant.
- Add the shrimp, wine, and kosher salt. Cook, stirring, over medium-high heat, until the shrimp are pink and opaque, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the shrimp from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and black pepper.
- Transfer the shrimp to a serving platter. Pour the pan juices on top. Sprinkle the dish with chopped parsley and serve.
Notes
- As with most shrimp recipes, the most important thing is to avoid overcooking the shrimp. Once you add them to the saucepan, cook them just until they turn pink and opaque, then remove them immediately from the heat and serve. When overcooked, shrimp become dry and rubbery.
- The best shrimp size for this recipe is extra-large (21-25 pieces per pound). They are plump and juicy. However, if all you have is large shrimp (31-40 pieces per pound), that works too.
- Whether the shrimp should be tail-on or off is up to you. I usually use tail-on shrimp because they are prettier.
- The small amount of wine I use adds a nice flavor, and my husband and I enjoy drinking it with the meal. But if you're not a fan of wine, you can omit the wine and leave the rest of the recipe as is.
- You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them very gently to avoid drying them out. If you use the microwave, reheat them covered and use the microwave at 50% power.
Nutrition per Serving
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Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
