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DinnerShrimp scampi tossed through linguine in a garlic butter sauce
Italian · Dinner

Shrimp Scampi

This shrimp scampi is rich, garlicky, buttery, and packed with flavor. Tossed with linguine, fresh parsley, lemon juice, and parmesan, it’s an easy pasta dish that feels restaurant-worthy but comes together so quickly.

5.0 (4 reviews)
20m
Prep
20m
Cook
40m
Total
4
Serves
easy
Level
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How to Make Shrimp Scampi

  1. Season the shrimp
    In a bowl, season the shrimp with paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Toss well until evenly coated.
  2. Cook the shrimp
    Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until pink and cooked through. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
  3. Make the sauce
    In the same pan, add the butter. Once melted, stir in the minced garlic and red chili flakes. Cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the lemon juice.
  4. Add the pasta
    Add the cooked linguine to the pan along with the chopped parsley, pasta water, and shredded parmesan. Toss everything together until the sauce is silky and coats the pasta well.
  5. Finish the dish
    Add the cooked shrimp back into the pan and toss gently to combine.
  6. Serve
    Serve warm with extra parsley and parmesan on top if desired.

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5.0 (4 reviews)

About Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp scampi is proof that a few good ingredients beat a long list every time. Plump shrimp cooked in garlic, butter, a splash of white wine, and lemon, then tossed with pasta and a handful of parsley. It feels fancy enough for guests but it is quick enough for a Tuesday, which is exactly why I love it.

The whole dish lives and dies on the garlic and the timing. You want the garlic soft and fragrant, never browned, and the shrimp pulled the moment they turn pink and curl into a loose C. Overcooked shrimp go rubbery in a flash, so this is one to stay close to.

I usually serve it over linguine or spaghetti with crusty bread on the side, because that garlicky, lemony, buttery sauce is far too good to leave in the pan. A little reserved pasta water helps the sauce come together silky and cling to every strand.

Per serving
  • 480Calories
  • 28gProtein
  • 18gFat
  • 48gCarbs
estimated

Shrimp Scampi Tips and Notes

Why you'll love it

  • On the table in about 20 minutes.
  • Tastes restaurant-fancy from simple pantry ingredients.
  • Bright, garlicky, buttery sauce that everyone mops up with bread.
  • Naturally light if you serve it without too much pasta.
  • Easy to scale up or down for two or for a crowd.
  • One pan plus a pot of pasta, so cleanup is minimal.
  • Endlessly flexible with whatever herbs or veg you have.

Ingredient notes

Shrimp: Large shrimp, peeled and deveined, are ideal because they stay juicy and are quick to cook. Leave the tails on for looks or off for easy eating, your call.

Garlic: The heart of the dish, so use plenty and slice or mince it fresh. Cook it gently in the butter and oil so it stays sweet and never bitter.

White wine: A dry white like sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio deglazes the pan and adds brightness. If you skip it, use a little extra stock and a squeeze more lemon.

Butter and olive oil: Use both. The oil lets you cook hotter without the butter burning, and the butter brings the richness that makes the sauce.

Lemon: Fresh juice and a little zest right at the end lift the whole thing. Add it off the heat so it stays bright rather than cooked-down and dull.

Tips & tricks

Do not brown the garlic. Cook it gently for under a minute until just fragrant. Burnt garlic turns the whole sauce bitter and there is no saving it.

Pull the shrimp the instant they turn pink and curl into a loose C, about 2 to 3 minutes total. They keep cooking off the heat, so err on the early side.

Save a cup of starchy pasta water before draining. A splash or two loosens the sauce and helps it cling to the pasta instead of sliding off.

Add the lemon juice off the heat at the very end so it stays fresh and bright instead of turning flat.

Have everything prepped and the pasta nearly done before the shrimp go in. The cooking happens fast and shrimp do not wait.

Storage & make-ahead

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Shrimp are best fresh, so eat them sooner rather than later.

I do not recommend freezing this. Cooked shrimp turn rubbery and the sauce splits on thawing, so it is really a make-and-eat dish.

Reheat gently in a pan over low heat with a splash of water or stock just until warmed through. High heat or the microwave will make the shrimp tough.

Variations

Spicy scampi: Add a good pinch of chili flakes with the garlic for a gentle heat that plays well against the lemon and butter.

Creamy scampi: Stir in a splash of cream at the end for a richer, more luxurious sauce.

No wine: Skip the wine and use a little extra chicken or vegetable stock plus a bit more lemon to keep the brightness.

Add greens: Toss in baby spinach, asparagus tips, or cherry tomatoes for colour and a bit of veg.

Learn the staples

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Shrimp Scampi FAQs

Shrimp cooked in garlic, butter, olive oil, white wine, and lemon, usually finished with parsley and served over pasta. It is a short list of ingredients done well.
Yes. Replace the wine with a little extra chicken or vegetable stock and a touch more lemon juice. You will still get a bright, flavourful sauce.
Cook them just 2 to 3 minutes until they turn pink and curl into a loose C, then pull them off the heat. Overcooking is the only thing that toughens shrimp.
Linguine or spaghetti are the classics because the strands hold the buttery sauce. Angel hair also works if you want something lighter and quicker to cook.
Yes. Thaw them fully and pat them dry before cooking so they sear rather than steam. Drying them is the key to a clean, glossy sauce.
Scampi originally meant a small lobster-like shellfish in Italy. When the dish came to North America, cooks used shrimp but kept the name for the garlic-butter style.
Crusty bread to mop up the sauce is a must. A simple green salad or steamed vegetables on the side rounds it out nicely.
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