Quick Shrimp Scampi is my favorite kind of dinner – quick and easy to prepare with ingredients I have on hand, infused with flavor and pretty on the plate. After all, what could be better than shrimp cooked in olive oil, butter, white wine and lemon juice, punctuated with fresh garlic, flecked with fresh green herbs and finished with a pinch of red pepper flakes? And, for my take on this classic Italian-American dish I’ve created (and tested many times) three different preparation methods – sauté, bake or grill. Take your pick!
Homemade Shrimp Scampi You will Love
I have been eating some version of shrimp scampi since I was a little girl, and have always loved it. Not surprising, since I love most dishes with butter and garlic in them! And when looking to prepare quick and easy dinner, I often turn to shrimp. In fact, I keep a bag of peeled and deveined shrimp in the freezer, so its always on hand. And, it cooks quickly!
Quick Shrimp Scampi Recipe Ingredients
For my recipe, I include the traditional ingredients of olive oil, garlic and white wine, layering in even more flavor with the addition of tarragon, chives and lemon juice. I also throw in some red pepper flakes for a bit of a kick – something I remember when eating the Portuguese version of shrimp scampi in Lisbon.
How to Cook Shrimp Scampi
I’ve created three alternative ways to prepare my shrimp scampi – in addition to sautéing, you can bake or grill it. I came up with the idea to grill it “en papillote” (using foil) when Robert and I were camping in our airstream trailer, and it worked beautifully!
Here’s a description of the easy steps to follow for each method:
- Cook pasta.
Cook linguine according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Sauté Method
- Melt butter and oil; add garlic, pepper and herbs.
In a large skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. When butter is melted, add garlic, red pepper, tarragon and chives and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. - Add shrimp.
Add shrimp and cook just until the shrimp just begin to turn pink. - Add wine and lemon.
Add white wine and 1/4 cup lemon juice and continue cooking until shrimp are cooked through, around another minute or so. - Adjust seasonings.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add additional lemon juice to taste (how much depends on the sweetness of your lemons). - Plate, garnish and serve.
Mound cooked linguini on a serving platter or individual dinner plates (or pasta bowls). Spoon shrimp and sauce over top and garnish with chopped Italian parsley.
Grill Method
- Prep grill.
Preheat grill to medium heat. - Prep sauce.
In a small saucepan, heat butter, oil, garlic, pepper flakes, tarragon, chives, wine and lemon juice over medium heat, stirring, just until butter is melted and ingredients are mixed together. - Create grilling packets with shrimp.
Tear off 2 to 3 large squares of foil. Divide shrimp equally between each square, drawing up foil sides to make a bowl. - Add sauce; season.
Drizzle butter sauce over shrimp. Season with salt and pepper. Fold up two opposite edges of the foil and fold over to seal. Fold up ends and seal. - Grill.
Place on a preheated grill and cook for around 10 minutes or until the shrimp are pink and cooked through. - Plate, garnish and serve.
Mound cooked linguini on a serving platter or individual dinner plates (or pasta bowls). Spoon shrimp and sauce over top and garnish with chopped Italian parsley.
Baking Method
- Prep oven.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. - Prep sauce.
In an ovenproof baking dish, heat butter, oil, garlic, pepper flakes, tarragon, chives, wine and lemon juice over medium heat, stirring, just until the butter is melted and ingredients are mixed together. - Add shrimp; cover and bake.
Remove from heat and stir in shrimp. Cover and bake in a preheated until shrimp are done, around 12 to 15 minutes. - Plate, garnish and serve.
Mound cooked linguini on a serving platter or individual dinner plates (or pasta bowls). Spoon shrimp and sauce over top and garnish with chopped Italian parsley.
Langoustine Scampi FAQs
This recipe, and others similar to it, are an American interpretation of a classic Italian dish. “Scampi” are actually langoustines, which are in the lobster family but smaller. They look like a shrimp and a lobster had a baby! The traditional Italian dish Shrimp Scampi is made with langoustines that are sautéed in olive oil, garlic, onion and white wine. When Italians immigrated to the US, shrimp were more readily available so they were substituted for the langoustines. And, “scampi” came to mean the preparation method rather than the shellfish. Over the years, the recipe has been adapted by various cooks (including me!) so there are now seemingly limitless versions.
Shrimp is cooked when it’s an opaque white color with pink markings. Take a look at the cut along the outside (where the vein was removed) and make sure it’s white on the inside.
“Scampi” are actually langoustines, which are in the lobster family but smaller. They can grow to a maximum of 10 inches, but most available commercially are closer to 5 to 6 inches.
Serving Homemade Shrimp Scampi:
As mentioned the recipe, I like to serve Shrimp Scampi over cooked pasta noodles – linguine is my pasta of choice. You could also serve it over sautéed zucchini noodles or cooked rice. Add some crusty bread on the side along with a salad and you have a well balanced, delicious dinner that took only minutes to prepare!
Storing Quick Shrimp Scampi
Any leftover Shrimp Scampi or pasta can be stored, separately, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat: place shrimp and sauce in a skillet over medium-low heat just until it warms up. Don’t overcook! Leftover pasta can be reheated by placing in boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
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PrintQuick Shrimp Scampi Recipe
Quick Shrimp Scampi is my favorite kind of dinner – quick and easy to prepare with ingredients I have on hand, infused with flavor and pretty on the plate. After all, what could be better than shrimp cooked in olive oil, butter, white wine and lemon juice, punctuated with fresh garlic, flecked with fresh green herbs and finished with a pinch of red pepper flakes? And, for my take on this classic Italian-American dish I’ve created (and tested many times) three different preparation methods – sauté, bake or grill. Take your pick!
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 10 to 12 ounces linguine (can also use spaghetti)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoons chopped garlic (or to taste)
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
- 1 1/2 pounds large (21 to 30 per pound) shrimp, shelled and deveined (tail shells removed)
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
- Chopped Italian parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook linguine according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Sauté Method
- In a large skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. When butter is melted, add the garlic, red pepper flakes, tarragon and chives and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Add shrimp and cook just until shrimp begin to turn pink.
- Add white wine and 1/4 cup lemon juice and continue cooking until shrimp are cooked through, around another minute or so. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Add additional lemon juice to taste (how much depends on the sweetness of your lemons).
- Mound cooked linguini on a serving platter or individual dinner plates (or pasta bowls). Spoon shrimp and sauce over top and garnish with chopped Italian parsley. Serve immediately.
Grill Method
- Preheat grill to medium.
- In a small saucepan, heat butter, oil, garlic, pepper flakes, tarragon, chives, wine and lemon juice over medium heat, stirring, just until the butter is melted and ingredients are mixed together.
- Tear off 2 to 3 large squares of foil. Divide shrimp equally between each square, drawing up foil sides to make a bowl.
- Drizzle butter sauce over shrimp. Season with salt and pepper. Fold up two opposite edges of the foil and fold over to seal. Fold up ends and seal.
- Place on a preheated grill and cook for around 10 minutes or until the shrimp are pink and cooked through.
- Mound cooked linguini on a serving platter or individual dinner plates (or pasta bowls). Spoon shrimp and sauce over top and garnish with chopped Italian parsley.
Baking Method
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In an ovenproof baking dish, heat the butter, oil, garlic, pepper flakes, tarragon, chives, wine and lemon juice over medium heat, stirring, just until the butter is melted and ingredients are mixed together. Season with salt and pepper.
- Remove from heat and stir in shrimp. Cover and bake until shrimp are done, around 12 to 15 minutes.
- Mound cooked linguini on a serving platter or individual dinner plates (or pasta bowls). Spoon shrimp and sauce over top and garnish with chopped Italian parsley.
- Category: Main dish, easy entertaining, every day dishes