What Is Shrimp Scampi?
Shrimp scampi is an Italian-American dish cooked in a garlic, butter, lemon, and white wine sauce. With some of my favorite flavors all combined and ultra quick prep, it’s no wonder I’m obsessed with it. You’ll love it too if you like these!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best shrimp scampi ingredients, what each one does in my recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
Shrimp – I used extra-large shrimp (26-30 count per pound), mostly because that’s what I could find. I don’t know why, but in my area looking for specific sizes is always such a challenge and it’s always changing! It’s totally fine to use whatever size you’ve got, the cook time might just vary very slightly. I buy my shrimp peeled and deveined for convenience, but you can also do it yourself. Leave the tails on, as this will give your shrimp scampi more flavor! Garlic – Mince up fresh garlic cloves for the most intensity, or use 2 teaspoons of jarred minced garlic for convenience. Shallot – Adds a mild, sweet flavor, similar to an onion but more subtle. Mince it finely. Dry White Wine – It adds depth and acidity to the garlic butter sauce, but the best part is that it helps make the shrimp more juicy. You can substitute chicken broth, though it doesn’t quite have the same effect. Butter – For that buttery richness. Since I like to add my own salt to taste, I used unsalted butter. Lemon Juice – Gives the shrimp scampi that classic flavor. I used fresh lemon juice, but bottled can work. If you’re squeezing it fresh (highly recommend), you can even throw in the lemon zest. Oil – For sauteing. I prefer the flavor of olive oil for this dish, but avocado oil is a great alternative. Seasonings – Crushed red pepper flakes, sea salt, and black pepper. Fresh Herbs – I stir in fresh parsley for added color and freshness, though this is optional. You can consider other herbs, like chives or thyme, or add a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese.
How To Make Shrimp Scampi
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
Storage Instructions
This dish doesn’t store well for very long, but you can keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a day or two. Just dump it back into a skillet (along with any sauce) and warm over medium heat for a couple of minutes.
Be careful not to burn the garlic and shallots. This is particularly if you use a cast iron skillet like I do (which I still recommend because it cooks the shrimp scampi so evenly). Your sauce will be bitter if the aromatics burn. Just keep the heat on medium for this step, or even turn it down to low if they brown too much. I do recommend a little browning for flavor, though. If you want the dish milder, add the crushed red pepper at the end instead. I saute it with the garlic and shallot to infuse the oil with its flavor, which then transfers to the shrimp. If you add it later, it’s more subtle. You want to slightly undercook the shrimp when sauteing. It cooks a little more when you add it back to the pan after reducing the sauce, so if you fully cook it before then, it will be overcooked by the end. I remove it when it’s mostly opaque but has a few spots that aren’t. If you reduce the wine or broth too much, you can just add more. Yep, been there. You want it to reduce by half. If there’s too little left, you won’t have much sauce. It tastes just fine if you add another splash and simmer a little again. Don’t forget to scrape the bottom of the pan. Doing this after adding the wine releases all the delicious browned bits stuck to the bottom, giving your shrimp scampi sauce so much flavor. I use a wooden spoon to avoid scratching my pan.
Serving Suggestions
Shrimp scampi recipes are typically served with pasta, but that’s not the only way to do it! Here are some of my suggestions:
Noodles – Had to start with this one, as it’s the most traditional! Most people serve shrimp scampi over linguine or angel hair pasta. Just cook it separately and then toss it with your shrimp. I usually use either this high-protein fusili (not gluten-free, but less processed and higher in protein than regular pasta) or make my baked spaghetti squash (lighter option). Zoodles – When I first made my easy shrimp scampi recipe, this is how I served it (pictured above). The bonus is you can cook your zucchini noodles in the same pan. If you’re looking for that older version of my recipe, it’s simple: Just salt the zoodles in a colander for 20 minutes, squeeze out extra moisture, and throw them in the pan to cook before the last step. Salad – Since this dish has Italian vibes, I love serving it with an Italian-inspired salad on the side. Try my equally elegant burrata salad, quick artichoke salad, or hearty antipasto salad.
More Easy Shrimp Recipes
This simple shrimp scampi is perfect when I’m craving a bit of elegance, but there are so many ways to prepare this protein! Try one of my other easy shrimp recipes next:
My Favorite Skillet For This Recipe
This cast iron skillet is my beautiful, durable go-to that you can spot all over my site. And my recipe for shrimp scampi cooks so fast in it! Please enter your first name for your account. Your saved recipe will also be sent to your email.
