Our family loves this garlic butter shrimp scampi recipe. It’s so quick to make and tastes incredible. Serve these garlicky shrimp as an appetizer, with toasted or grilled bread or over pasta. This is a classic recipe for shrimp scampi. If you love the classic but want to try a fun twist, try our cilantro lime butter shrimp!
Key Ingredients
Shrimp: Use fresh, high-quality jumbo or large shrimp. You can keep the tails on or remove them, whichever you prefer. Shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes: These will be cooked in olive oil to create the base of your sauce. Fresh lemon juice and white wine: Use these to deglaze the pan and create the scampi sauce. The best wine for shrimp scampi is a dry, crisp white wine. We reach for pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, or unoaked chardonnay. The most important thing to remember is to use something you enjoy. Our scampi recipe calls for 1/2 cup of wine, so you will have some wine left to enjoy with the shrimp. Butter and parsley: These will be added at the end to make the sauce smooth and creamy.
How to Make Shrimp Scampi
Shrimp scampi is a quick and easy dish. Begin by sautéing your aromatics (think shallots, garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes) in olive oil until fragrant. Next, add your shrimp to the pan. Shrimp cook quickly, so keep a close eye on them. They’re done when they turn pink and opaque, usually within a few minutes per side. Once cooked, remove the shrimp from the pan and set them aside. Now, it’s time to deglaze the pan. Add a splash of white wine and fresh lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom to pick up as much flavor as possible. Finally, finish the sauce by swirling in butter and a handful of chopped fresh parsley. The butter melts into the wine and lemon juice, creating an unbelievably delicious garlic butter sauce for the shrimp.
What to Serve with Shrimp Scampi
You can serve shrimp scampi in a variety of ways. I love this as an appetizer next to other light Italian dishes like our Caprese salad, tomato bruschetta, or this easy olive oil dip with crusty bread. It’s also excellent served over rice, grains, and pasta (I’ve shared tips for shrimp scampi pasta below the recipe). You can also add it to our garlic zucchini noodles! Salt and fresh ground black pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 tablespoons butter, cut into four pieces 1/4 cup minced shallot, 1 medium 1 ½ tablespoons minced garlic, about 4 cloves 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional 1/2 cup (118ml) dry, crisp white wine like pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc or unoaked chardonnay, see notes for alternatives 1 lemon, cut in half 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves and tender stems, chopped 2Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Stir them around the pan and cook until the shallots soften, 1 to 2 minutes. 3Add the shrimp in a single layer to the skillet. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side or until pink and opaque. Transfer to a plate. 4Add white wine and the juice from half a lemon to the skillet. Simmer until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. 5Remove the skillet from the heat. Swirl in the butter and parsley until melted and creamy. Season with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice to taste. 6Spoon the scampi sauce over the shrimp and enjoy.
