This shrimp scampi recipe makes easy appear elegant with juicy shrimp bathed in a garlicky, lemony butter sauce. Dish it up as an appetizer or serve as a main with pasta, zucchini noodles, or over rice.
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“Made this tonight for our second time. Gosh, this is such a great recipe and it’s so simple. Everyone loves it.” -Linda, FoodieCrush reader
You Need Just 1 Pan and 30 Minutes to Make This Garlicky Shrimp Scampi
At first glance, this homemade shrimp scampi looks downright decadent. But in reality, it’s the poster child for simplicity, because it takes just minutes to prepare.
It’s elegant but effortless and is a no-brainer for a quick and delicious dinner. Whether you serve it as shrimp scampi pasta for a super quick weeknight meal or serve it to company for a chic nod to your faux fancy cookery, I love this recipe because the ingredients can always be stocked in the pantry and freezer for a sizzling bite any time.
Plus, it’s a versatile dish that can be served over rice, pasta, zucchini noodles, or just with some crusty bread (the perfect vehicle for all of that luscious buttery garlic sauce).
Enjoy!
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Use frozen shrimp for ease. “Fresh is best” almost always applies to any recipe, but this is the exception. Make shrimp scampi with frozen shrimp for ease and to save some money.
Flash frozen shrimp is best. To ensure you’re getting the freshest shrimp possible, skip the seafood counter’s ice rink of thawing shrimp (it was originally frozen too, and how long have they been sitting there??) and go for a bag of flash-frozen shrimp so you can thaw it yourself.
Wild-caught shrimp tastes the sweetest. For the best flavor, choose wild-caught shrimp. I prefer the large 21/25 Key West pink shrimp for its sweet flavor.
Avoid using acids like lemon juice or vinegar in the shrimp marinade. Similar to ceviche, these ingredients will “cook” the shrimp. Sitting in an acid-based marinade for too long could also make the shrimp mealy.
Ingredients in Shrimp Scampi
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Frozen shrimp — Choose a frozen shrimp with the shell and tail still on, then shell and devein yourself. You can keep the tail or remove it. Shrimp still in the shell have more flavor and are cheaper.
- Garlic — Choose fresh garlic over the jarred stuff. I prefer to press mine instead of mincing.
- Red pepper flakes — Deliver a balanced heat.
- Extra-virgin olive oil — A fruity extra virgin is my choice.
- White wine — Adding white wine to this scampi’s olive oil, butter, and lemon juice sauce gives it a depth of flavor that won’t ever leave you boozy woozy. See, the wine’s alcohol cooks out and evaporates while simmering, making it perfectly okay for kids or those who abstain to eat.
- Butter — Salted or unsalted work equally fine and thicken the sauce.
- Lemon juice — Always use fresh lemon juice in this recipe.
- Kosher salt — Isn’t as strong as table salt.
- Parsley — Use flat-leaf or regular parsley. Mince it fine for just the right bits of brightness.
How to Make Shrimp Scampi with Frozen Shrimp
- Thaw and prep the shrimp. Thaw the shrimp by giving it 5 to 10 minute dunk in cold tap water, then remove the shells and devein.
- Marinate the shrimp. Toss the shrimp with a little olive, garlic, kosher salt, and red pepper flakes. Let it hang out for about 20 minutes to give the flavors time to penetrate the shrimp.
- Cook the shrimp. Shrimp cooks quickly, so don’t walk away from the skillet. Give them about 1 minute to 90 second on either side and remove to a plate to prevent them from overcooking.
Heidi’s Tip: If your shrimp taste tough or rubbery, you overcooked them. I suggest setting a timer as soon as the shrimp hit the hot pan so you know when to flip them. You’ll know they’re cooked when they’re opaque in color and the tails have curled in on the heads.
- Make the scampi sauce. To the now-empty skillet, melt the butter and garlic, cooking just until fragrant. Stir in the wine and lemon juice, letting the sauce simmer gently until thickend.
- Whisk in additional COLD butter. This is the secret to creating a rich and creamy scampi sauce.
- Toss it all together. Return the shrimp to the pan and cook just long enough to reheat. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.
Heidi’s Tip: Whisking the cold butter into the warm sauce emulsifies the sauce and thickens it as the butter melts. It’s a French technique similar to the classic beurre blanc, and creates a satiny-smooth, velvety textured garlic butter sauce you’ll be licking with a spoon.
FAQs
Never set frozen shrimp on the counter to thaw; you’re just asking for trouble when you do that.
Frozen shrimp thaws in about 10 minutes when submerged in COLD tap water. You might have to change out the water once or twice if you’re thawing a lot of shrimp.
Choose a drinkable wine that’s on the drier side such as a sauvignon blanc or even a chardonnay.
If you prefer skipping the wine, substitute half chicken broth and half water in lieu of the wine.
If your sauce is at all watery, there might be too much moisture in the pan from the shrimp. After thawing the frozen shrimp in cold water, pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel, taking care to remove all excess moisture.
This also ensures a golden sear on the shrimp. If they’re damp, the shrimp will steam when they touch the hot pan rather than sear.
“Scampi” is the Italian plural for “Scampo,” which is a larger type of langoustine (a shrimp-like crustacean native to Scotland that’s actually in the lobster family.)
Most American versions of garlic shrimp scampi just use shrimp, as I do here.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
The BEST Shrimp Scampi Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound wild caught large shrimp with shells
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil , divided
- 4 cloves garlic , pressed or minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ⅓ cup white wine or chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice , or ½ lemon
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley
Instructions
- Prep the shrimp. Thaw the shrimp in cool water and remove the shells then devein the shrimp. Discard the shells, rinse and drain the shrimp then transfer to a small bowl.
- Marinate the shrimp. Drizzle the shrimp 2 tablespoons olive oil, half of the garlic, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and the red pepper flakes. Toss to coat and set let sit for 20 minutes for flavors to build.
- Cook the shrimp. In a large skillet, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the shrimp and garlic mixture to the skillet, spacing evenly in the pan. Cook for 1 to 1 ½ minutes then flip the shrimps over when they begin to become opaque. Cook for 1 more minute or so, watching so the shrimp turn golden but don't brown too much and the garlic doesn't burn. Transfer the shrimp to a small bowl or plate. If you have browned bits of garlic, move the skillet from the heat and remove the browned garlic as it will be bitter.
- Make the sauce. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in the skillet over medium heat and add the remaining garlic. Cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant then stir in the white wine and lemon juice. Cook for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens and reduces by half, stirring occasionally.
- Finish the dish. Add the shrimp with any juices back to the pan and stir in the last tablespoon of butter and ½ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste. Sprinkle with the minced parsley, stir, and cook for 1 more minute. Serve warm with sourdough bread for dipping, or over pasta or rice.
Notes
Nutrition
What to Serve With Shrimp Scampi
- Carbs — creamy polenta, lemon rice, steamed white rice, lemon fettuccine, lemon asparagus risotto (or make shrimp scampi with zucchini noodles)
- Salad — Caesar salad, shaved parmesan arugula salad, Italian salad
- Bread — garlic bread or garlic rolls
More Shrimp Recipes to Try Next
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Lesley
This is the best scampi recipe. I’ve made many different ones over the years and this one is delicious and a keeper.
Thank you thank you Lesley! So glad you like it! Thanks for the comment and 5 stars!
Angel Elena
This is a very good recipe (excellent advice on selecting and marinating the shrimp), but it’s a misstep to discard the shells. They pump up the flavor of the sauce significantly (it’s a secret used by French chefs in all sorts of seafood preparations). Simply simmer the shrimp shells in the sauce while reducing (flip once mid-simmer) – then remove and discard when you’re ready to combine the sautéed shrimp back in. Then add lemon juice and parsley, and serve.
Thanks for the tip Angel! Yep, shells do add flavor!
Al
Yum
Alexa
This Shrimp Scampi looks incredibly mouthwatering!
Hayley
Thanks, we hope you enjoy it!
Bob Evanko
Been making scampi for years. Made this tonight and it is great. This scampi turned out great
Hayley
We’re so glad you’re a fan Bob!
Barbara Dorfman
Made for 1st time tonight. Fantastic. Hubby and I loved it.
So glad you and your man enjoyed! Thanks for the 5 star rating.
Brenda H.
Hi again Heidi!! I have been looking around at your other recipes, and this one is even more fantastic than your bean one!! You are such an excellent cook, my husband Petru thinks I am stealing recipes from the Gourmet restaurant a few blocks down!
Hayley
Thank you for your sweet words, Brenda! We’re so happy you and your husband are a fan!
Eadburg V.
I made this recipe for my family over-seas and they absolutely loved it. I would definitely recommend this recipe for anyone on the fence about it. I had it with a side of wine and it was even better. Thank you!
Hayley
We’re so glad it was a hit and appreciate you giving it a try!
ellie rocco
can i use raw uncooked frozen shrimp? if so, how do you recommend cooking it?
Hayley
Hi Ellie, you can definitely use raw frozen shrimp in this! You just need to thaw them first, and cook per the recipe instructions. Hope you enjoy!
Cris
OH MY GOODNESS. I made your recipe as written and it was perfect. I tossed it in the pan with a small portion of thin cooked pasta before serving and a nice toasted slice of baguette. Will definitely make this again and again.
Happy to hear you enjoyed Cris!
Joyce Ann Towers
I made the shrimp scampi recipe and it was excellent. I will be making this recipe again and again and again
Im glad you enjoyed Joyce!
Bob
Shrimp scampi is my wife’s favorite! Thanks for the recipe!
Glad you enjoyed Bob!
Jayne
Making for the upteenth time…so over the top delicious and easy. Thanks so much for your recipe
Glad you enjoyed Jayne!
Elishia
Made this yesterday, it was so simple and absolutely delicious. Thank you for the recipe!
Happy to hear it Elishia!
Linda
This was really excellent! We loved it so much that we ate it two days in a row! I didn’t want to open white wine so I used chicken broth and it was still devious! A keeper for company!
Happy to hear you enjoyed Linda!
Karen Kelly
I love this recipe. It’s so easy and my kids think it’s fancy!
Happy to hear it was a success!
Nona
Absolutely the best scampi recipe I’ve made and I’ve made many. I am fortunate to live by the ocean so I can get fresh shrimp. I also marinate overnight. Follow the recipe exactly and serve with pasta, salad and great bread. MY guests love the meal!
Happy to hear it was a success!
Barbara Dorfman
1st time for my hubby and I.
It was delicious and easy. Made it with Pino Grigio wine as that was available in my cabinet. Seeved with fettucini as it was here. Next time linguini.
So tasty, may make it for guests for a special dinner.
Will make it again.
Happy to hear you both enjoyed Barbara!
Barbara kelly
Delicious
Elise
Sooooooo good!!!! Served it with linguine and fresh parmesiano reggiano. My new go to shrimp scampi recipe!! Thank you!!
Sounds great Elise!
Cynthia
Valentine’s Day 2023..may be the most delicious thing I’ve ever made!! I used deveined shrimp, and because of great wine, marinated it for an hour. I served it over angel hair pasta..fabulous!!
Sounds delicious Cynthia!
Donna
This was outstanding! It will be my forever go to scampi recipe. The flavor was bountiful. I did let the shrimp sit in the fridge all day coated with the olive oil/garlic combo that you suggested. It was a game changer! Served it over linguine with a salad and garlic bread for our Valentine’s dinner!
Sounds great Donna! Happy to hear you enjoyed!
Christopher J Rudan
the “Key West shrimp” you’re talking about are known as Argentina Reds. I made this dish tonight. I always use the Argentina Reds because they are sweet & a little larger than the Mayport Shrimp at have here in Florida. GREAT RECIPE! Thank you.
Susan C
Where can I purchase Argentina Red shrimp?
Ricardo
Aldi carries the Argentine shrimp.
Angie
Absolute perfection! The short cook time for the shrimp, combined with the balance of the wine, butter, garlic and lemon is sheer bliss. Utterly impressed and grateful! Thank you!
Hayley
Thanks, Angie, we’re so glad you enjoyed this!
Debbie Lawrence
This recipe is over-the-top delicious! Served it with grits and zucchini noodles
For dinner, then served with grit cakes for lunch next day. I didn’t have fresh lemons, so had to use a lime, but it didn’t matter! Thank you for sharing this wonderful and so easy recipe!
Blanca
Amazing and easy recipe! it looks delicious