Easy Shrimp Scampi Recipe
Buttery, garlicky, and ready to be devoured in under 20 minutes, shrimp scampi may very well be your go-to dinner during busy days. While some meals involve slow stewing, lengthy preparations, and long hours in the kitchen, there are others that simply can be whipped up in mere minutes. If you’re looking for a quick and fancy dinner idea, then this shrimp dish is a perfect choice.
Why I Love Making This Dish
Back when I first moved to New York, I used to come across this recipe everywhere I looked – magazines, food blogs, menus. And although I’d seen the dish many times before, I never gave shrimp scampi a go because, well, I didn’t want to take the risk of messing it up. Then, one evening, craving something fancy without spending hours in the kitchen, I finally decided to give it a try.
This recipe did wonders for me – it was easy enough, the dish looked impressive, and I couldn’t stop raving about how tasty the results were. Since then, I’ve been making shrimp scampi on repeat.
Ingredients List
For the Shrimp Scampi
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (450g)
I usually choose to leave tails intact as they look beautiful served, but you could also go for tail-off shrimp. They are easier to chew, but they tend to fall apart.
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided (56g)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (30ml)
- 5 cloves garlic, minced (about 25g)
I typically go beyond the 5-cloves recommendation as I absolutely adore garlic!
- 1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken stock (60ml)
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (30ml)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (1g)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (1.5g)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (1g)
- 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (15g)
Flat-leaf parsley will provide a nicer fragrance than curly parsley.
For Serving (Optional)
- 8 ounces spaghetti or linguine (225g)
- Crusty bread for dipping into the sauce
- Extra lemon wedges
Preparation
As you probably already guessed, shrimp scampi cooks rather quickly, which means that all prep work should be done ahead of time. From chopping the herbs to juicing the lemons, it only takes a few moments to get ready to cook.
Chop parsley finely,y as it will provide a nice fragrance to the dish and improve its taste significantly. I used to ignore this ingredient as I thought it was only decorative, but after I discovered shrimp scampi, I realized that it adds a ton of flavor.
Now it’s time to squeeze your lemons! Roll them on the countertop before cutting to release as much juice as possible. Remember that using freshly-squeezed lemon juice is crucial here – bottled juice doesn’t taste quite the same.
Now mince the garlic. You’ll need lots of it – 5 cloves will suffice if it’s for you alone. Otherwise, increase the amount – I do this all the time. Use a garlic press for best results.
Pro Tip: Never use store-bought minced garlic for shrimp scampi! It tastes bitter and somewhat stale once cooked. Instead, use fresh garlic, which provides sweetness and sharpness to the dish.
If you plan to serve the shrimp with pasta, boil a big pot of heavily salted water in advance.
Cook the Shrimp
Take a large skillet and put it on medium-high heat. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter with olive oil.
This is where I usually mess up when preparing shrimp scampi. Thinking that it’s okay to cook it over high heat to save some time, I usually end up with burned garlic, and the dish tastes bitter. Now I always make sure that the heat isn’t too high when the garlic is added.
Add minced garlic and stir constantly for about 30 seconds. Garlic should be nicely fragrant. By now, you must be enjoying the smell of sizzling butter and garlic – trust me, it will make everyone around you wander into the kitchen and ask about your dinner plans.
Add the shrimp to the pan along with salt and black pepper.
While cooking, shrimp will gradually turn pink. Once pink and opaque, flip them over to continue cooking. The sizzling sound will become louder as the shrimp give off their juice and start creating sauce.
Pro Tip: Pat the shrimp with paper towels before cooking. If you’re cooking wet shrimp, they will steam instead of searing, and you’ll lose all the flavors.
Make the Sauce
When the shrimp have been flipped over, pour in the white wine and red pepper flakes.
Just as the wine or stock reaches the skillet, you’ll notice a burst of fragrances. At this point, you must already have realized that this sauce smells divine!
I always use dry white wine as it adds acidity to the sauce and creates an interesting contrast. However, chicken stock also makes an excellent choice as it makes the sauce thicker and richer.
Bring the contents of the pan to a simmer and cook for another 3 minutes.
You’ll know that the shrimp are cooked when they curl up and change their shape. If shrimp start to curl in too small circles, they’re overcooked.
When I first tried to reheat leftover shrimp scampi in a microwave, I ended up with rubbery shrimp. From now on, I’ll be reheating them gently in a skillet with a tiny bit of water or stock added.
Pro Tip: Shrimp cook quickly, which means that you should start thinking about removing them from the pan once they turn opaque.
Final Touches: Add Lemon and Parsley
Remove the skillet from the stove.
It’s important to avoid keeping the skillet on heat as the shrimp might become overcooked.
Pour in the rest of the butter, lemon juice, and parsley, and stir gently to combine everything.
The sauce will turn smooth and glossy. Aromas will be intensified, making you enjoy this process even more!
By now, you should test-taste the sauce to make sure it needs no further tweaking. Some people prefer adding another squeeze of lemon juice to the sauce to make it taste more acidic.
Serve
I’m a huge fan of serving shrimp scampi immediately!
I love topping linguine with shrimp scampi as pasta perfectly combines with the creamy sauce and provides more opportunities to enjoy its flavor. The fragrances emitted by the warm mixture of lemon, pasta, and parsley are irresistible!
However, I often omit pasta and serve the shrimp with crusty bread. To dip into every bit of sauce, there’s nothing better!
A little garnish with parsley and lemon juice will make the dish look fancy and impressive.
Mistakes to Avoid When Cooking
Overcooking the Shrimp
It happens rather quickly because shrimp take no more than a couple of minutes to cook. Overcooked shrimp will become tough.
Burning Garlic
Don’t allow the garlic to burn when cooking, as it will ruin the entire dish. Always keep it moving while frying in hot butter.
Using Watery Shrimp
Always make sure that shrimp are dry enough before cooking, as they tend to steam instead of sear when cooked.
Using Bottled Lemon Juice
If you want your sauce to be fresh and light, use fresh lemons for this purpose.
Not Preparing in Advance
This recipe requires quite an effort to be done within a couple of minutes. Make sure that all the herbs are prepped.
Ideas to Mix Things Up
Add Pastatoo to the Sauce
One of the ways of making shrimp scampi is by putting cooked linguine right into the skillet with a splash of pasta water.
Make It Spicier
If you are one of those who like a little spice, try doubling the red pepper flakes in the recipe.
Use Scallops Instead
I tried to replace shrimp with scallops in this dish, and it turned out fantastic! Of course, scallops require shorter cooking time.
Storage Tips
Unlike most seafood-based dishes, shrimp scampi tastes best when consumed fresh, but can be kept in a fridge for 3 days after being cooked.
Refrigerator: In an airtight container.
Freezer: Technically, you can also freeze this dish for up to 1 month,h but I wouldn’t recommend it as shrimp becomes tough after defrosting.
For reheating, I always warm this dish in a skillet gently with a splash of water or stock. This way, the sauce will turn creamy again.
For serving, use linguine, angel hair pasta, or serve with toasted bread on the side. All you need is to add some salad and a glass of wine to make your dinner party perfect!
In a nutshell, shrimp scampi is definitely one of my go-to dinner options as it is fast, fancy, and utterly delicious!
