Shrimp Scampi

I’ve decided to attempt to bring you more easy seafood recipes for healthier food.  Remember, it doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive to be healthy and delicious. This Scampi Recipe proves that. In less time than you can get take out, this recipe can be cooked and on the table in just minutes.

Your family will love the lemon and garlic combined with the Parmesan. It makes this the perfect combination for an easy yet delicious Garlic Shrimp Scampi recipe. Try these other shrimp recipes for another easy meal idea, Shrimp Yakisoba, Grilled Shrimp Skewers, Hibachi Shrimp and Air Fryer Fried Shrimp.

Why We Love Shrimp Scampi

With just a few ingredients and about 10 minutes you can have an enjoyable and healthy dinner ready to eat. 

Cooking with Shrimp doesn’t have to be complicated. Take a few minutes and try this Lemony Shrimp Scampi today and see how much your family falls in love too.

We also make Cilantro Lime Shrimp Scampi and it’s out of this world! Shrimp is so tasty and cooks quickly. It’s the perfect meal to throw together when you don’t have a lot of time.

Ingredients for Shrimp Scampi Recipe

• Shrimp – Jumbo Shrimp, deveined and shells removed, tails off or on based on your preference
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – Use oil of your choice
• Butter – We used unsalted butter
• Minced Garlic – Learn How to Mince Garlic Cloves
• Dry White Wine – Substitute with Chicken Broth
• Red Pepper Flakes – Add a teaspoon for a hint of spice to the shrimp scampi sauce
• Lemon – We recommend using fresh lemon juice
• Fresh Chopped Parsley – Optional Fresh Herbs Topping

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe in the recipe card.

Variations Ideas

• Add in Vegetables – Sauté in some vegetables, such as cherry tomatoes, broccoli or mushrooms.
• Change the Protein – If you don’t have shrimp or just don’t like it, you can easily use chicken. You will need to cook the chicken a little longer. But the other ingredients will still remain the same.
• Butter and Olive Oil – Butter and Olive oil is a great combination if you don’t want to add the garlic.
• White Wine – Use any type of white wine that you prefer. We used a Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay but any kind gives delicious flavor.

How to Make Shrimp Scampi

Step 1 – Heat the extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute until aromatic.  

Step 2 – Stir in the shrimp, season it with kosher salt and black pepper and cook it for 1-2 minutes on each side until the shrimp begins to turn pink.

Step 3 – Pour in the wine and red pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a low simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes until the wine reduces to about half of the amount and the shrimp is cooked through (all pink). 

Step 4 – Stir in the remaining butter and lemon juice and heat until the butter is fully melted. Place the pasta and cooked pasta in a large bowl to toss together. Serve topped with the fresh parsley, chives and lemon zest and enjoy!

Expert Tips

• Squeeze the Lemon – Save time and purchase a lemon squeezers. It makes it really simple to get all the juice out of the lemon and works so well. You certainly don’t need one but it saves time.
• Gather Ingredients – Make sure you have all your ingredients ready to go. This recipe doesn’t take long to make so it is very helpful when all items are set out ready to cook.

What Kind of Pasta Can I Use?

This Shrimp Scampi is delicious served over pasta. Prepare the pasta according to the package and cook in a large pot of salted water. When we serve this pasta dish, we like to focus on the shrimp and sauce therefore we use less pasta on the plate.

• Angel Hair – We used angel hair as we like the thin noodle for this pasta dish. We think it holds all the lemon flavor and easy to eat with a fork.
• Linguine Pasta – Another favorite pasta is Linguini Pasta. We love that these noodles are not to thick but are great to hold the garlic butter flavor.
• Vermicelli Pasta – This is a lighter pasta. It is lighter than angel hair. But still a great option with this shrimp scampi.
• Zucchini Noodles – Serve the shrimp with zucchini noodles for a low carb option. You can even serve the shrimp with Cauliflower Rice.

What to Serve with Garlic Shrimp Scampi

This Shrimp Scampi is good by itself but I always try and make sure we have a side. My family is large, so I have to make sure we have enough for everyone. Here are some of our favorite sides.

• Side a Vegetables – Serve it with grilled broccoli, Best Grilled Asparagus or grilled green beans for extra veggies.  I have found that if I eat extra veggies it really can bulk up a meal and make me feel more full. This has really helped me eat healthier and the veggies just taste better when they are grilled.
• Add some biscuits – Now, if you aren’t trying to be healthy….it’s also amazing with Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits!  
• French Bread – We also love making some crusty bread. Spread the bread with some garlic bread and your meal is complete.
• Garlic Bread – Try our Air Fryer Garlic Bread or our Homemade Garlic Bread
• For even more ideas, see Side Dishes for Shrimp

Frequently Asked Questions