Easy Shrimp Scampi is a classic! Succulent shrimp swimming in garlic butter sauce is ready in about 20 minutes and will leave you wanting to lick your plate!
Scampi is a recipe that’s so perfectly simple it’s hard not to love. Butter, white wine, garlic, capers and shrimp with a little spice! Yum, Yum! I love to make this easy shrimp scampi when we’re having people over to get those fancy “you cooked” points. But I’ve also been known to whip it up to munch on a lazy weekend.
What is scampi sauce made of?
The ingredients for this garlic shrimp scampi recipe are crazy simple. Maybe that’s why it’s so darn good!
- Butter
- Garlic
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Medium-Sized Shrimp
- Salt and Pepper
- Fresh Lemon Juice
- White Wine
- Fresh Parsley
- Capers
- Olive Oil (optional)
- Essence Seasoning
Shrimp Scampi is great served with toasted/crusty bread to soak up all the juice. It’s amazing! The zing from the lemon in the garlic butter sauce it everything. And you know what? I think this is the best shrimp scampi recipe around.
How to Make Shrimp Scampi
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Generously salt the water and add pasta. Cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain pasta.
- While pasta is cooking, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the garlic and red pepper flakes for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Season the shrimp with essence or salt and pepper. Add to the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until they turn pink. Remove the shrimp and set aside in a bowl.
- Add capers (optional) lemon juice and wine to the skillet. Bring to a boil. Add remaining butter and cook until just melted. Turn off the heat.
- Add the shrimp and cooked pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat the pasta in the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, cheese and chopped parsley.
A word to the wise: shrimp scampi sauce uses melted butter with white wine and lemon juice for the sauce. It’s not supposed to be thick at all. A thin sauce is fine and totally expected. Roll with it.
This recipe is super easy to double up if you’re serving a crowd. Since the shrimp and pasta cook quickly it’s a great meal for busy weeknights too! Take a bite and thank me later!
Shrimp Scampi
4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalIngredients
1 ½ pounds peeled and deveined large (16/20 count) shrimp
2 teaspoons Emeril’s Original Essence
2 teaspoons olive oil
¼ cup unsalted butter
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons capers, crushed
½ cup dry white wine
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound cooked linguine plus
½ cup reserved cooking water
3 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Grated parmesan cheese, for serving
Directions
- Toss the shrimp in a medium bowl with the Essence.
- Place the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over high heat.
- Add the shrimp and spread them out evenly in the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes and then quickly turn the shrimp to the other side.
- Add the garlic and capers to the pan and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the wine, lemon juice, and remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter to the skillet and cook for 1 ½ minutes longer.
- Season with salt and pepper and add the pasta and reserved cooking liquid, tossing to coat well.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the parsley. Garnish with the Parmesan cheese and serve hot.