Description
A quick, elegant, and crowd-pleasing shrimp scampi with a rich garlic butter and lemon sauce that comes together in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 6–8 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine (e.g., Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio)
- 2 lemons (zest and juice)
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 pound pasta (spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine)
- Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Prep all ingredients: mince garlic, zest and juice lemons, chop parsley, and measure wine. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and pat them dry.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook for 1-2 minutes per side until pink. Remove shrimp and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter to the pan. Once melted, add garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir for 30-60 seconds until fragrant but not brown.
- Pour in white wine and scrape up browned bits from the pan. Simmer for 1-2 minutes to cook off alcohol, then stir in lemon juice and zest. Simmer for another minute.
- Return shrimp to the pan and toss to coat. If serving with pasta, add drained hot pasta to the pan and toss, adding splash of pasta water if needed to emulsify sauce.
- Finish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
Pat shrimp dry before cooking to ensure a good sear. Do not overcook the garlic or it will become bitter. Save pasta water to help emulsify the sauce. Do not freeze leftovers as the sauce may separate and shrimp texture will suffer.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate with pasta a
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 25
Keywords: shrimp scampi, garlic butter shrimp, quick dinner, dinner party recipe, pasta, seafood, lemon garlic sauce, easy weeknight meal