Lemon Garlic Shrimp Scampi
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Dinner just doesn’t get any faster, simpler or tastier than this Lemon Garlic Shrimp Scampi recipe! Super quick, super tasty, and your dinner guests will think you’re a gourmet rockstar! It’s quick enough for a casual weeknight family dinner and elegant enough to serve at a dinner party.
For more quick and easy shrimp pasta deliciousness be sure to check out my Shrimp Pesto Pasta!
Scandalously delicious and deceptively simple. That’s Shrimp Scampi! A long-time favorite of my husband’s, when we were dating I whipped this up for him and he said it was better than his favorite restaurant version. He’s since taken over making it most of the time and our kids love it. It’s equally perfect as a quick casual family dinner and for entertaining. It’s super quick, the flavor is phenomenal and the presentation is elegant, and your guests will think you’re a total gourmet!
How to Make Shrimp Scampi
The ingredients are simple and for that reason it’s important to use quality ingredients. Use good shrimp, good wine (not “cooking wine”), good butter and freshly squeezed lemon juice (avoid the bottled stuff). And for that sprinkling of Parmesan to go on top, get a small chunk of the really good stuff from the speciality cheese section. You only need a tiny chunk so it will be inexpensive, but the quality of the freshly grated Parmesan will make a big difference in the outcome of the dish.
What to Serve with Shrimp Scampi
The shrimp scampi is the showstopper so avoid competition by keeping the sides simple, both in flavor and appearance. Shrimp scampi with pasta has both your protein and your carbs so there is no need for any additional high-carb sides unless you’d like to include some bread. Here are just a few ideas for sides:
- Crusty bread
- Garlic bread
- Leafy green salad
- Caprese salad
- Roasted or steamed veggies
This shrimp scampi recipe is so quick to make, it’s perfect for a busy weeknight meal. At the same time, it’s elegant and classy in its simplicity and presentation and is equally fit for a fancy dinner party with guests.
Enjoy this simple and simply delicious classic dish!
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Lemon Garlic Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients
- 16 ounces linguine , cooked al dente in lightly salted water
- 1 1/2 pounds large 16-20 count shrimp , shelled and deveined (optional: leave the tail on for a fancier look))
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes , add more if you like it hot!
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste
- 1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
- Parmesan cheese for sprinkling
- extra chopped parsley for garnishing
Instructions
- Heat a medium-sized pan on medium-high heat. Once heated, add the butter and olive oil. Once the butter is melted and is no longer foamy, increase the heat to high and add the shrimp. Cook for one minute then turn shrimp over, add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook for another minute. Be careful not to overcook or the shrimp will be tough. Set shrimp aside on a warm plate.Next add the white wine, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Add black pepper and salt to taste. Leave the heat on high and let the wine sauce boil for 2-3 minutes.Reduce heat to medium. Add the shrimp and parsley and stir to coat with the sauce.Serve immediately over pasta sprinkled with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a little extra chopped parsley. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet January 20, 2013
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
Hello. Is there a specific white wine you’d recommend? I’ve never used it before and I don’t drink so I’m completely clueless when it comes to cooking with wine.
Hi Alexis! I don’t drink either, I only cook with it so I’m no wine expert either. But generally the top recommended “go-to” dry white wines for cooking include Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis and Chardonnay. Any of these will go great with this scampi. Happy cooking!
HI Kimberly! Tasty and simple, I’ll do this recipe again but mine came out a little dry. Maybe I used too much noodles? Can I make it a little ‘saucier’?
Hi Jennifer, it definitely shouldn’t have been dry – likely either too many noodles or overcooked noodles. That’s a simple fix though, simply add a little extra butter, wine and lemon to the sauce.
I am out of parmesan cheese…is there a substitute?
Hi Judy, you could substitute another hard, aged cheese that you can grate. It has to be hard/aged though otherwise you’ll end up with gooey cheese in your scampi! :)
I made this for dinner last night and received the highest compliment I’ve ever received. Hubby told me that you couldn’t have had a better meal at a five-star restaurant! This is most certainly going to be made repeatedly at our house. Thank you!
That’s wonderful, you’ve made my day, thank you!! And your husband’s totally right – sometimes the only thing that distinguishes a 5-star restaurant meal from a great home-cooked meal is the price tag ;)
Hi Kimberly,
just for sake of completeness. This one’s really easy. First time that waiting for the pasta water to boil lasts longer than the preparation of the main part. But as easy as it is as delicious is it. An A+ from my wife with an “we can do it again next week”.
Seems you got a greater influence on my citchen now than my grandma…
Hi Rolf! Yes, this dish is super quick to make and I usually start the pasta cooking in advance (or just keep the finished scampi dish warm until the pasta is ready…shhhhhhh). I’m thrilled you both enjoyed it and, as always, really appreciate your feedback!
The recipe sounds delicious, but I totally dislike when people leave the tail on shrimp. It might look fancy, but it’s a real hassle to eat because you have to take the tail shell off of each and every shrimp before you can eat the dish. Unless you want to eat the tail shell (ewww) I’d say leave the tail off to make it easier for your guests to eat. Of course, that’s just my humble opinion and to each his own. :)
Cheryl, I agree with you. And the fact is, I don’t even like shrimp to begin with! I make seafood for my husband because he loves it. And yes, leaving the tail on is purely for appearance sake – it just looks neater that way. That’s the only reason. For a special, fancier meal I’ll leave them on but if it’s just a casual meal, I usually remove them.
Made this for supper. My husband is not a big pasta fan, but really loved this dish. It is very simple to make and delicious. Thanks. Lisa D.
That’s wonderful, Lisa! I’m so happy to hear that you both enjoyed it – and that you even managed to convert your husband in the process!
I really enjoyed this one.
Thanks, Susan! It’s one of my husband’s favorites.