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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.
How will the cooking change if using already cooked frozen shrimp ?
Hi Lynda, Thaw the shrimp completely first. Don’t cook them from frozen. Thawing them ensures they don’t release excess water into the pan, which would water down the scampi sauce. Place them in the refrigerator overnight or run them under cold water until thawed, then pat them completely dry with paper towels. The original recipe cooks the raw shrimp while making the sauce. Since your shrimp are already cooked, you need to create the flavor base first. Follow the original recipe minus the shrimp. Once the sauce is reduced and flavorful, toss in the thawed, cooked shrimp. Sauté for only 1 minute—just long enough to heat them through. If you cook them longer, they will shrink and become chewy. Stir in the remaining butter, lemon juice, and parsley, and take off the heat immediately, and serve! Enjoy! Xx
First time making shrimp scampi, decided to try your recipe based on the rating and simplicity and it was scrumptious. Very easy to make and fast too . Mom loved it said it was perfect. Served over pasta but realized it would work only for 2 servings otherwise it would be too dry, nevertheless the taste was super delicious.
This scampi was the first I’ve made myself. It could rival any North End (yes, I’m from Boston) dining establishment.
And from an old lady who used to be pretty cute back in my day, I have one thing to say, “YOU GO GIRL!”👍💕
Simple and good
We dont usually drink wine, but recipe says or broth, what kind of broth can I use?
Thank you
Hi Lydia, Chicken broth is the best substitute! It has a much better flavor than fish broth for this recipe, though you can use fish broth if you have it. Enjoy! Xx
Recipe was perfect … very easy to produce ..my wife cleaned her plate!!!
Loved the red pepper flakes! Notes/preference- Would not add lemon juice next time, and it took longer to cook the shrimp to “pink” than the 1-2 minutes. My husband and I finished the shrimp w pasta in one sitting, we had it with fettuccine noodles. Thank you for the recipe.
I didn’t have white wine. I took my white wine vinegar and did half water and because I used the white wine vinegar I only did 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. It turned out wonderful. I’m definitely saving this and hopefully next time I will have regular white wine. My husband loved it as well. 5 stars.
Amazing.
Delish!! Wow! Light and flavorful. It’s a keeper! I served it with “bowtie” farfalle pasta.