This Shrimp Scampi Recipe is a classic shrimp dish with a lemon garlic wine butter sauce prepared in about 15 minutes. Serve over angel hair pasta or with zucchini noodles. It is elegant enough for company yet easy enough for one on a weeknight. Serve with a simple garden salad and crusty bread.
If you have 15 minutes and love shrimp like I do, this wonderful burst of flavor is perfect for you! Be careful not to overcook your shrimp. Those little guys cook up really fast! Spend a little extra change and get the large-count wild-caught shrimp. The wild-caught taste better than the farm-raised shrimp, and they are a little better for you. Who knows what they are feeding that farm-raised seafood?
The word scampi is the plural for scampo, which is a tiny lobster-like crustacean from Scotland (also known as langoustines). When adapting this recipe to American cooking, Italian cooks replaced the scampi with shrimp.
How do you make Shrimp Scampi?
Start by peeling and deveining the shrimp. Next, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Now melt a little butter and heat a little olive oil over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook for about 1 1/2-2 minutes per side. Then, remove the cooked shrimp to a plate and cover to keep warm.
Now melt butter and olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus and cook for about 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Next, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute and stir constantly to make sure it does not burn. Now add the tomatoes and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Next, add a little bit of wine to the skillet and cook for about 1-2 minutes, letting it reduce and simmer. Then, add the shrimp back to the skillet, along with the lemon juice, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Toss and warm for a little less than 1 minute while you season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Finally, serve over angel hair pasta with fresh grated Parmesan Cheese and a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley or lemon zest.
How do you peel and devein shrimp?
To peel the shrimp, simply pull on the legs, and the shell will begin to peel away. You can keep or remove the tails depending on how you intend to serve this recipe. Now to devein the crustaceans take a small pairing knife and make a shallow cut down the center of the back to the top edge of where the tail is or was. To remove the black intestine, run the cold water over the back of the shrimp and rub it with your fingers so the vein will rinse out easily.
Recipe notes and helpful tips
- This recipe moves quite quickly, so have everything right at your disposal.
- If available, use wild-caught shrimp, as they taste better and are healthier for you. I like using the 21-25 count.
- You can substitute fettuccine or linguine pasta. For a low-carb meal, serve with zoodles or spaghetti squash.
- Use fresh grated Parmesan cheese as it is so flavorful and really does make a difference.
- Shrimp cook very quickly. They are done when they are pink and opaque and have curled into a “C” shape. Do not overcook them, as they will get tough and rubbery.
- Garlic cooks very quickly and can become bitter if cooked too long, which is why it is added towards the end of the recipe.
- Use a dry white wine like Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, or Sauvignon Blanc. If you don’t like to use wine in your cooking, you can substitute chicken broth.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Other shrimp recipes to try!
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Shrimp Scampi
A simple, elegant, and easy shrimp scampi recipe with a lemon garlic butter sauce. It is traditionally served over angel hair pasta or thin spaghetti drizzled with scampi sauce.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: main meal shrimp
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 8 ounces thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta
- 1 lb. large shrimp shelled and deveined
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 pound asparagus trimmed and cut in 1/2 inch segments
- 4 large cloves garlic minced
- 2/3 cup sliced grape tomatoes
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons fesh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to box instructions and drain well.
- Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp in a single layer. Cook 1 1/2-2 minutes per side or until cooked through. Remove shrimp to plate cover and keep warm.
- Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan over medium heat. Add asparagus and cook until crisp-tender, stirring frequently; approximately 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add grape tomatoes cooking for 30 seconds, stirring several times. Add the wine and cook for 1 minute, letting it reduce some.
- Add the shrimp back to the skillet, along with the lemon juice, parsley, and crushed red pepper. Warm for a little less than 1 minute while you salt and pepper to taste. Serve over cooked angel hair pasta with fresh grated Parmesan Cheese.
Notes
- This recipe moves quite quickly, so have everything right at your disposal.
- If available, use wild-caught shrimp, as they taste better and are healthier for you. I like using the 21-25 count.
- You can substitute fettuccine or linguine pasta. For a low-carb meal, serve with zoodles or spaghetti squash.
- Use fresh grated Parmesan cheese as it is so flavorful and really does make a difference.
- Shrimp cook very quickly. They are done when they are pink and opaque and have curled into a “C” shape. Do not overcook them, as they will get tough and rubbery.
- Garlic cooks very quickly and can become bitter if cooked too long, which is why it is added towards the end of the recipe.
- Use a dry white wine like Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, or Sauvignon Blanc. If you don’t like to use wine in your cooking, you can substitute chicken broth.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Keywords: shrimp scampi pasta, how to make shrimp scampi, easy shrimp scampi, garlic shrimp scampi, best shrimp scampi
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Kerri
I love this shrimp scampi recipe! This one is definitely going in my recipe book!!
★★★★★
Kenny
Great shrimp scampi recipe. In fact it is my new favorite. I love the addition of tomatoes and asparagus! So delicious and refreshing.
★★★★★
Kechi
Made this for dinner last Sunday and everyone loved it especially the kids! I hope to make it again! Thanks for sharing!!!
★★★★★
Carrie Robinson
This is such a classic pasta dish- and one of my favorites too. 🙂 I love the addition of the asparagus.
★★★★★
Justine
This shrimp scampi was so delicious and so incredibly quick and easy to make!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Justine! So glad that you liked the shrimp scampi.
Andrea
Shrimp scampi is one of my favorite dishes and your recipe didn’t disappoint. It was delicious and easy to make!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Andrea! So glad that you liked the scampi!
Pamela Crist
I will definitely be making this delicious recipe!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Pamela! Enjoy!!
Lisalia
So delicious – just as I have come to expect from all your recipes! This was quick and easy to make and tasted fantastic. Just like we order at the restaurant. In the convenience of our home! Thanks Beth!
★★★★★
barbara Cokes
My favorite dish, you make it so easy! Love this recipe!
★★★★★
Ginny
What a keeper. I have always loved shrimp scampi in the restaurants but now I can make it at home. The ingredients are perfect and delicious.
★★★★★
Heather Rose
I make this all the time. The best part is that it looks fancy but its so easy to make!
★★★★★
Betsy
So delicious! And fancy! I feel like I’m at some fancy restaurant with this dish! The asparagus truly brings it to the next level!
★★★★★
Kellie
So easy and a hit with the entire family! Will be making again!
★★★★★
Eden
Made this for dinner and it was such a hit. My husband loves shrimp so he was so happy with this dish. It was easier than I thought too!
★★★★★
Lisalia
I live on the coast and fresh shrimp is a way of life! This recipe was delicious and I will definitley make it again. I used chicken broth instad of white wine and it turned out perfect (just because I don’t cook with alcohol).
★★★★★
Diane Benson
Such a delicious meal! The whole family loved it!
★★★★★
Andrea
Wow, this looks incredible. I love the addition of asparagus and grape tomatoes. Definitely makes this Shrimp scampi a stand out recipe.
★★★★★
Irina
It was YUMMY AND DELICIOUS! I made this shrimp meal today, and it turned out perfect. Thanks a lot for the recipe.
Dannii
I am always looking for new ways to cook with shrimp and this looks delicious. Veggie packed too!
★★★★★
Priya Srinivasan
Shrimp scampi looks very pretty, bursting with flavors and look at those gorgeous colors, totally tempting!!
★★★★★
Cathleen
I am obsessed with all things shrimp, so this is right up my alley! definitely giving this a go this weekend, thanks so much for the recipe 🙂
★★★★★
Shalini
Love this quick and easy recipe! Perfect for summers and a weeknight dinner!
★★★★★
Kara
Yum. So quick and easy and I love how colorful and fresh-tasting this scampi is.
★★★★★
Dannii
What a light and fresh pasta dish. I can’t wait to try it.
★★★★★
Biana
Yum! Shrimp scampi looks so healthy and delicious, perfect for spring! Will be making it soon.
★★★★★
Jeanne
Oh wow – this looks so colourful and fresh! I love the addition of asparagus – always such a good match with shrimp. Definitely bookmarking this!
★★★★★
Kim Guzman
I love shrimp scampi of all kinds but this one is so colorful and appetizing. The colors make it difficult to resist. I’m going to put some more shrimp in the refrigerator to thaw so I can make this again tomorrow. So good!
★★★★★
Neli Howard
This looks so scrumptious and easy. I need more easy meals in my life right now. This is going on the menu!
★★★★★
Tania
I love the combination of fresh vibrant flavours here! This is such a great salad for the summer BBQs too!
★★★★★
Toni
I love how flavorful this is!! So yummy and always a hit at my house!
★★★★★
Matt Taylor
Shrimp scampi is one of my favorite pasta dishes of all time, I can’t wait to give this one a try.
★★★★★
Genevieve
This shrimp scampi looks like it’s bursting with flavor and look at those gorgeous colors!
★★★★★
Denay
This shrimp scampi recipe is so delicious! This recipe’s a keeper!
★★★★★
Srikanth
So easy to make and packed with flavor
★★★★★
Tara
I love that the shrimp comes together in less than 30 minutes! Such incredible flavors and so perfect for a date night at home.
★★★★★
Courtney
One of my favourite pastas! Such a great recipe for an easy restaurant quality meal.
★★★★★
Ana F
My husband and I are HUGE seafood lovers and this recipe was a hit! It’s going to be on rotation for sure. Thank you!
★★★★★
Tara
Everyone at my house loved this! Such a delicious meal!
★★★★★
Sonal
Haven’t seen such a pretty looking Shrimp Scampi. This looks so amazing and delicious. I am Going to try it soon.
★★★★★
Jessica Formicola
Oh I love that lemon and white wine flavor! Definitely making this for dinner sometime this week!
★★★★★
Dannii
This is my kind of pasta dish. So much flavour, and easy too.
★★★★★
Natasha
It was delicious! Cook times and instructions were spot on! I need to double the recipe next time as my kids and husband loved it and wanted some more.
★★★★★
katerina
My family would LOVE this!! I can’t wait to try it!
★★★★★
wilhelmina
Shrimp Scampi is one of my husbands favorites. This is my new favorite version! I love the addition of veggies for flavor and crunch, delicious!
★★★★★
Erin
This is one of our family favorite recipes. So easy to make but so delicious!
★★★★★
Trang
I love how this really showcases the shrimp. I’ve actually never had shrimp scampi with other add-ons so I like the idea of asparagus and tomatoes to give it some color and veggies (without overpowering the shrimp). Love!
★★★★★
Krissy Allori
Wow! Such a great recipe. Love the added asparagus.
★★★★★
Chastity
Gonna make this for dinner tonight, super excited! Anything I could substitute for asparagus?
Beth Pierce
Sorry I missed this! Busy days! Did you substitute something?
Natasha
This was very good and so easy to make. We added the pasta and it was so delicious, the family loved it!
★★★★★
Natalie
This looks absolutely delicious!! Great for a date night in! Love all the flavors!
★★★★★
Alina
This is one of the best dinner ideas to have! I love how colorful it is.
★★★★★
Katie
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it.
★★★★★
Cate
I’ve never tried making my own shrimp scampi, but I love ordering it at restaurants! Definitely going to give this a try, thanks for the recipe!
Noelle Simpson
This was my first time making this at home and it turned out great! Thanks for the great recipe 🙂
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome Noelle! So glad that you liked it!
Rebecca
I don’t think I’ve ever made shrimp scampi, but that needs to change right now, this looks delicious
★★★★★
Jess
One of my favorite recipes! Love Shrimp Scampi, the flavors, the colors, the ease of making it. Love it all!
★★★★★
Michelle
This is just the best date night dinner! And that sauce is amazing, totally yummy!
★★★★★
Dannii
Oh wow, this looks incredible. So light and fresh – I can’t wait to try it.
★★★★★
Jessie
I have never really cooked much seafood but this makes it look so simple and tasty.
★★★★★
veena
Love such amazing dishes for my family. They relish every bit of it. This dish is bursting with flavors and I love the pasta option too.
★★★★★
Renee Goerger
I always have 15 minutes to make this shrimp scampi! It’s outstanding!!
★★★★★
Lauren Kleiman
Shrimp and pasta is my all time favorite combination. I’m loving how bright and fresh this Shrimp Scampi recipe is!
★★★★★
Haley Williams
One of my favorite dishes! This recipe has just the right amount of spices. Delicious!
★★★★★
Julia
Such a tasty recipe 🙂 Love the sauce and the addition of asparagus!
★★★★★
Sammy
Gave this a try for dinner tonight and it didn’t disappoint! Quite possibly my new favorite way to enjoy shrimp; the whole family loved it!
★★★★★
Natasha
Delicious and Easy! I put it over pasta with broccoli. Family loved it. My husband and I can’t wait to make this again!
★★★★★
Kara
My shrimp loving daughter said this was “the best!” I used chicken broth in place of the wine- still tasty!
★★★★★
Erika
What an inviting plate of food! Loving how delicious the shrimp look and love angel hair pasta too!
★★★★★
Pam Greer
This is the perfect recipe! I love how easy it is and yet it’s fancy enough fro company! Not that we’re having company right now, but when we do, this is going to be my go to recipe!
★★★★★
Winnie
Shrimp Sampi is one of our all-time favorites! This is a fabulous recipe!
★★★★★
Sue
This quickly became a favorite meal at my house! It was so good!
★★★★★
Lindsay Cotter
This was perfect for our date night in dinner! So easy to make too!
★★★★★
Lauren k
This is one of my absolute favorites. And it’s so easy to make!
★★★★★
Gina
Mu husband couldn’t get enough of this! Definitely making again!
★★★★★
Ashley F
This is so good! Love how tasty the sauce turned out!
★★★★★
Anjali
This classic recipe was so easy to make and turned out to be super flavorful!! Everyone at my dinner table loved it!
★★★★★
Dannii
Oh this look amazing. So much flavour in one dish.
★★★★★
Emmeline
YUMMY! This looks so good – I’m making it for a friend tonight, I know she will love it! And with a nice crisp glass of Sancerre… mm!
★★★★★
Zainab
This is my family’s favorite dinner! We make it all the time and it always comes out perfectly!
Pavani
What a colorful and flavorful dish that is. Looks so inviting and delicious. Thanks for the detailed instructions on how to make this amazing dish.
★★★★★
Jamie
Wow the sauce was amazing! It added so much flavor to this dish and the shrimp ended up so delicious!
★★★★★
Tawnie
Made this for dinner last night and it was a hit. SO easy and so flavorful. Thank you!
Diana
This recipe is for sure one I’m going to try. I have been needing a great scampi recipe. Thanks for sharing this recipe. 🙂
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Diana! Enjoy!!
Christie Gagnon
Such a delicious recipe!
★★★★★
Nart
I’m a big fan of scampi and this recipe is really good. Definitely a keeper!
★★★★★
Jennifer
This is one of my husband’s favorite dishes. We really enjoyed it! Thank you.
★★★★★
Irina
I have never heard about Shrimp Scampi, but the dish sounds so tempting and inviting that I cannot wait to give it a try!
★★★★★
rika
I am a big fan of shrimp scampi. The perfect comfort food for any weeknight dinner!
★★★★★
Haley D Williams
Oh my! This looks like a great dinner option! Love a good shrimp dish!
★★★★★
Catalina
These are the best shrimp scampi ever! I will try them for sure!
★★★★★
Jacque Hastert
This shrimp scampi is perfect for date nights at home! A simple yet elegant meal.
★★★★★
Erin
This Shrimp Scampi is seriously making me hungry!
★★★★★
Dorothy Reinhold
We were just talking about shrimp. This scampi is going on the menu. I really like the addition of the asparagus.
Jocelyn
This shrimp was so easy to prepare and tasted amazing! Definitely making it again for dinner!!!
★★★★★
Taylor
This is the perfect date night recipe! Easy, flavorful and delicious!
★★★★★
Steph
My husband LOVES shrimp scampi but I’ve never made it at home. Definitely going to give this recipe a try!
★★★★★
Ashley F
I love how easy this is to make!
★★★★★
Kellie
My absolute favorite dinner….so easy to make!
★★★★★
gail lawyer parrish
Is the wine optional Beth
bpierce
Yes you can. It will still be scrumptious! 🙂