When Lent arrives each year, I expect the usual tuna casserole request from the hubby. But he surprised me this year when he asked me to cook a Shrimp Scampi Recipe!
This Easy Shrimp Scampi only takes minutes to make and is as delicious as what you’d get at your favorite seafood restaurant. If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you may remember that my dear husband was not a fan of seafood until recently, unless it was his mom’s tuna casserole or salmon loaf. He grew up in a small town in the Midwest where there weren’t a lot of options besides catfish from the Mississippi River. No comment on that!
Why You Must Make
- This Scampi Recipe is one of the speediest entrees you’ll ever make. There’s very little prep and the shrimp cook in just a few minutes.
- It’s a restaurant-worthy recipe that’s simple to make at home!
- Learning how to make shrimp scampi is easy, even for new cooks.
- Garlic Butter Shrimp makes a perfect family dinner, but is delicious enough for company!
Ingredient Notes
- Kitchen Staples – Butter (salted is OK as it won’t make the results overly salty), Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Kosher Salt, Black Pepper
- Fresh Garlic – Minced.
- Dry White Wine – I used a Sauvignon Blanc. Chicken broth can be substituted if you want to avoid alcohol, though most of it will evaporate during the cooking time, leaving only delicious flavor.
- Shrimp – Use large or extra-large shrimp with their shells on for the best flavor. Peel before cooking, but the tails can be left on if desired.
- Parsley – Finely chopped. Either flat leaf or curly parsley can be used.
- Lemon Juice – Fresh juice will taste much better than bottled.
How to Make
Recipe Tips
- Use large or extra-large shrimp for the best results.
- PRO-Tip: Your shrimp is done when it just starts to curl and turn pink, about 2-4 minutes. If it’s tightly curled, it’s overcooked and can be tough.
- You can leave the tail on for a pretty presentation, but if you prefer not to deal with the tails, go ahead and remove them before cooking.
- Our favorite fishmonger (Kona Jack’s in Indianapolis) removes the veins (which are really intestines) from the large shrimp. But it isn’t hard to do at home with a paring knife.
- PRO-Tip: Serve with lemon wedges if desired. A little squeeze helps to brighten the flavor of the shrimp. Plus, a dusting with finely chopped parsley is a nice finishing touch.
- You can serve this shrimp scampi recipe over buttered noodles or with crusty bread to soak up the juices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Scampi is the Italian word for the tail portion of prawns. On menus in the U.S., scampi refers to large shrimp that are split, brushed with garlic butter, and broiled.
Crusty bread, rolls, or pasta are wonderful to sop up the garlic butter sauce that covers the shrimp. A simple green salad and/or roasted vegetables are also good side dish options.
You can gently reheat your scampi in the microwave or in a skillet. But overheating the shrimp will make them tough so watch carefully or they will get rubbery.
Chicken Broth is a good option if you don’t want to add alcohol to your scampi. Most of the alcohol will evaporate during the cooking time, so it’s safe for children to eat this scampi dish.
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2-4 garlic cloves, minced (depending on their size)
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ½-¾ teaspoon kosher salt (to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 ¾ large or extra-large shrimp, shells removed
- ¼ cup minced or chopped parsley, I used flat leaf parsley.
- Juice from half a lemon
Instructions
- Melt butter with the olive oil in a large skillet.
- Add the garlic and saute for about a minute, until fragrant.
- Add wine, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and let simmer until the wine is reduced by half.
- Add shrimp and saute until they turn pink, about 2-4 minutes, flipping once.
- Stir in the parsley and squeeze a half lemon over the shrimp before serving.
Notes
Chicken broth can be used instead of wine for a non-alcoholic version.
Recipe adapted from Melissa Clark.
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