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Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi is so quick and easy. A garlic buttery scampi sauce with a hint of white wine & lemon in less than 10 minutes!
It can be enjoyed as an appetizer, light meal OR for dinner with your favourite pasta of choice! You can also keep it low carb and serve over zucchini noodles or with steamed cauliflower. Either way it’s delicious and even better than an Italian restaurant Scampi!
Shrimp Recipe
After publishing TWO Scampi recipes on this blog over the years, one being Browned Butter Shrimp Scampi and the other this reader favourite Crispy Baked Shrimp Scampi, I wanted to give you guys an even easier recipe ready in less than 10 minutes.
Actually, I started making our family favourite garlic butter recipe when we realised it was fast turning into a Scampi since we add white wine into our recipe for added flavour. So then, I had to share it.
Tips make the best shrimp scampi
- Have all of your ingredients ready on your kitchen bench and close to your cooking area if possible. This recipe cooks FAST. You don’t want to be head deep into your refrigerator searching for your wine, for example, while the shrimp is cooking away on the stove. Over-cooked shrimp is rubbery, tough and not pleasant to eat at all.
- The shrimp is cooked in a butter/oil combination prevent the butter from burning. You can use all butter if you wish, just note it will begin to brown while the shrimp are cooking. (Nothing wrong with a little browned butter.) Though, I do prefer the flavour of a butter/oil mixture in this.
- I love extra large or jumbo shrimp (or prawns) in this recipe! They’re fat and juicy and perfect for a shrimp scampi! If you can find wild-caught shrimp, please cook with those. Better flavour, better colour and a lot healthier for you than farm-raised seafood.
- Use a good quality white wine. I use a Sav Blanc when cooking this recipe. You can also use a Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay.
Shrimp Scampi without wine
Wine can be omitted completely OR substitute with chicken broth if you wish. Chicken broth has a much better flavour than fish broth, however, if you have homemade fish broth laying around, you can definitely use that!
How To Make Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi
Other shrimp recipes:
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Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4-5 cloves garlic large, minced, or 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 1/4 pounds shrimp large prawns, shelled with tails on or off
- 1 pinch salt to taste
- 1 pinch cracked pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup dry white wine or broth
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes crushed, or to taste – optional
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pan or skillet. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 30 seconds – 1 minute). Then add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper to taste and sauté for 1-2 minutes on one side (until just beginning to turn pink), then flip.
- Pour in wine (or broth), add red pepper flakes (if using). Bring to a simmer for 1-2 minutes or until wine reduces by about half and the shrimp is cooked through (don’t over cook your shrimp).
- Stir in the remaining butter, lemon juice and parsley and take off heat immediately.
- Serve over rice, pasta, garlic bread or steamed vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini noodles).
Notes
- Use a good quality white wine. I use a Sav Blanc when cooking this recipe. You can also use a Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay.
- Have all of your ingredients ready on your kitchen bench and close to your cooking area if possible. This recipe cooks FAST.
- The shrimp is cooked in a butter/oil combination prevent the butter from burning. You can use all butter if you wish, just note it will begin to brown while the shrimp are cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this recipe and it has become one of my staples in our dinner rotation! My kids enjoy it too!
One of my adult son’s favorite meals. The day got away from me and this was my savior meal!
how many servings does it make?
Hi Lori, it makes 4 servings, Enjoy! Xx
I just made this recipe for my wife and followed the instructions right down to the best white wine and real cream unsalted butter, oooeeeee its worth the time in ,was so good
The best shrimp scampi I ever made. This one was a hit with my husband. I will be making this one again for sure.
Going to make this tonight.
Question: my shrimp is frozen, cleaned, deveined, with tail on.
How do I prepare the shrimp for this recipe?
Hi Grace. First place the frozen shrimp in a sealed ziploc bag and submerge it in a bowl of cold tap water for 10–15 minutes until fully thawed. Avoid hot water or microwave thawing, as it will start cooking the shrimp. Once fully thawed, drain the shrimp and lay them out on a few layers of paper towels, press another paper towel over the top to pat them completely dry. Season the shrimp lightly with a pinch of salt and cracked black pepper as directed in the recipe just before throwing them in the skillet with your sizzling garlic and butter. Enjoy! Xx
Can you use frozen shrimp?
Hi Natasha, Yes, you absolutely can! Just make sure they are completely thawed and patted dry with a paper towel before cooking so they don’t water down the garlic butter sauce. Xx
Great recipe! Easy and delicious.
Great!
Can I substitute red wine?
Hi Omar, I really wouldn’t recommend red wine for this one. It will turn the shrimp a weird purple grey colour and completely overpower the delicate garlic butter flavour. If you don’t have a dry white (like a Sav Blanc) on hand, just substitute it with chicken broth. You can also omit it completely and let the lemon and garlic do all the work! Xx
Just finished having this dish!
YUM~O! Super fast to put together! I’ll be making this again soon!