Here’s a quick and flavorful Shrimp Scampi Pasta recipe — garlicky, buttery, and bright with lemon.
🍤 Shrimp Scampi Pasta
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 12 oz (340 g) spaghetti or linguine
- 1 lb (450 g) large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
Instructions
1️⃣ Cook the pasta
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
2️⃣ Cook the shrimp
- Season shrimp with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add shrimp and cook 2–3 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove and set aside.
3️⃣ Make the scampi sauce
- In the same skillet, add garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in white wine (or chicken broth) and lemon juice. Simmer 2–3 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Stir in remaining butter until melted.
4️⃣ Combine
- Return shrimp to the skillet.
- Add cooked pasta and toss to coat in the sauce.
- Add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley and optional Parmesan.
5️⃣ Serve
- Serve hot with lemon wedges and crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
Tips
- Don’t overcook shrimp: They cook quickly and become rubbery if overdone.
- Extra flavor: Add a splash of white wine before adding the shrimp back for depth.
- Garlic butter twist: Finish with a pat of butter for an extra rich sauce.
If you want, I can also give you a one-pan garlic butter shrimp scampi version that’s faster and easier with minimal cleanup.
Do you want that version?
