Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp Scampi is one of my sister’s all-time favorite dinners, so it is always on the menu when she visits. The lemon garlic butter sauce is simple but tastes restaurant-quality, and the entire dish comes together in under 10 minutes. After 14 years of developing recipes, I know some of the best seafood dinners are also the simplest, and this Shrimp Scampi proves it every time.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe!

• Budget Friendly — $14.55 total for a restaurant-quality seafood dinner
• Ready in under 10 minutes
• The white wine and lemon butter sauce is the secret to restaurant-quality scampi at home
• Only 8 simple ingredients

Your family will love the lemon and garlic combined with the butter and fresh parsley. Try my Lemon Spaghetti too. 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, baja shrimp tacos, shrimp yakisoba, grilled shrimp skewers, hibachi shrimp, fried shrimp, lemon garlic shrimp pasta, and air fryer fried shrimp.

Ingredients

• Jumbo shrimp, deveined and shells removed — always use large or jumbo shrimp for scampi — small shrimp overcook before the sauce has time to develop. Fresh or thawed frozen both work beautifully. Pat completely dry before cooking so they sear rather than steam. Tails on or off based on your preference — tails on gives a more impressive presentation but tails off makes eating easier
• Olive oil — combined with the butter for cooking. The olive oil raises the smoke point so the butter does not burn during the initial sauté
• Butter, divided — used in two stages. Two tablespoons go in at the beginning for cooking and two tablespoons are stirred in at the very end to create the rich silky scampi sauce. Always use unsalted so you control the seasoning
• Garlic, minced — the backbone of the entire scampi sauce. Five cloves gives you a bold garlicky result — reduce to 3 cloves for a milder version. Always cook for exactly 1 minute before adding the shrimp — raw garlic is harsh but garlic cooked beyond 1 minute can turn bitter
• Salt and black pepper — season the shrimp directly in the pan for the most evenly seasoned result
• Dry white wine — the ingredient that transforms a basic garlic butter shrimp into a genuine scampi. The wine reduces down and concentrates into a rich savory sauce base. Pinot Grigio Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay all work beautifully. Substitute with equal amount of chicken broth for an alcohol-free version
• Red pepper flakes — adds a subtle background heat that balances the richness of the butter and brightness of the lemon. Adjust up for more heat or omit entirely for a mild version
• Lemon, juiced — adds the bright citrus acidity that makes shrimp scampi taste genuinely fresh and vibrant. Always use fresh squeezed — bottled lemon juice gives a flat less vibrant result
• Fresh parsley, chopped — scattered over the finished scampi for a bright herby color and fresh flavor. Always add after cooking — never during

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 cooked pasta in a large bowl to toss together. Serve topped with the fresh parsley, chives and lemon zest and enjoy!

Tips for Success

• Have everything prepped before you start. This recipe moves so fast that there is no time to chop garlic or measure wine mid-cook — have every ingredient measured and ready before the pan goes on the heat
• Never overcook the shrimp. Pull them off the heat the moment they are pink — rubbery overcooked shrimp cannot be fixed once the damage is done
• Let the wine reduce properly. The 3–4 minute simmer is what concentrates the wine into a rich flavorful sauce — rushing this step gives you a watery thin scampi
• Add the final butter off the heat. Butter stirred into a hot bubbling sauce can break and separate — always remove from heat first then stir in the final butter for a silky smooth result
• Salt the pasta water generously. Well-seasoned pasta water is the only chance to season the pasta itself — the scampi sauce is bold but properly salted pasta makes every bite significantly better

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 – Add some biscuits — if you want something indulgent alongside this scampi it is also amazing with Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits!  
• French Bread – We also love making some crusty bread. Spread the bread with some garlic butter 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

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Refrigerator

• Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days — shrimp scampi is best served fresh and the shrimp texture changes significantly after refrigeration

Reheating

• Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat stirring frequently — add a splash of chicken broth or white wine to loosen the sauce. Microwave in 30-second intervals on 50% power — never full power which makes the shrimp rubbery

Frequently Asked Questions