Shrimp Scampi is the ultimate seafood dish: shrimp sauteed in butter, garlic and white wine with a dash of lemon juice, served over pasta. It’s a restaurant favorite and here’s a little secret: it’s one of the easiest and quickest entrees to make at home. It comes together in 10 minutes or less [yes, really!]

This scampi sauce is so fresh, vibrant, and flavorful. We use a combination of butter and olive oil to prevent the butter from burning and swap onions for shallots. Shallots are smaller, have finer layers and contain less water. They are also described as having a sweeter taste, which makes them the best complement to fish and chicken.

Serve the shrimp scampi with a loaf of crusty bread to soak up all that delicious sauce. If you want to keep it low carb, serve over zucchini noodles or with steamed cauliflower.

 

Why We Love These Ingredients

Shallots contain more antioxidants and anti-microbials than other members of the onion family. They can fight various health problems like infections, high blood sugar levels/insulin resistance, blood clots and high LDL cholesterol levels. 

Parsley is packed with Vitamin K, which helps blood to clot and promotes healthy bone density. In fact, just one tablespoon of fresh chopped parlsey provides over 70% of the recommended daily intake of this little-known vitamin.

Lemons contain a substantial amount of Vitamin C as well as antibacterial and antifungal compounds which can protect against bacteria and infections. They’re also filled with gut-friendly pectin. 

Shrimp is a great source of lean protein. In fact, ten medium-sized, cooked shrimp—provide almost nine grams of protein. Research shows that shrimp eaters have lower rates of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and have healthier hearts. 

Shrimp also contains high levels of Vitamin E and zinc, which supports immune health and aids in wound healing. 

And last but definitely not least…garlic. Garlic was used back in Roman times as a cure-all for infections, flu, and dozens of other maladies. Modern research shows that garlic is a treasure trove of anti-microbial and anti-viral compounds that can protect against colds, pathogens and even memory loss!

 

Pro Tips To Get You Started 

We used linguini, but you can use just about any pasta here; spaghetti, penne, angel hair, you name it. Angel hair is a little less filling, while spaghetti and linguini deliver a hearty bite. 

Use a dry, crisp white wine like pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc for shrimp scampi sauce [and you can drink the leftover wine with dinner!] And use the best-quality olive oil you can find. Extra-virgin works best. 

Cooking raw shrimp will give you the best flavor as it takes on the garlic flavors from the pan and will add flavor to the sauce. You can save prep time by purchasing shrimp that’s already cleaned, peeled and de-veined. If you can find wild-caught shrimp, please cook with those. Better flavor, better color and a lot healthier for you than farm-raised seafood. 

Be careful not to overcook the shrimp. Over-cooked shrimp is rubbery, tough and not pleasant to eat. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, until just beginning to turn pink then flip.

The secret weapon to this sauce is the pasta water. When you drain the pasta, reserve about a cup of the pasta water. The starches in the water help the butter and garlic sauce cling to the pasta and the shrimp. Add the water a little at a time until the scampi reaches your desired consistency. 

Ready? Let’s do this!

 

Shrimp Scampi with Linguine

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 35 mins

Servings: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (16 ounce) package linguine, spaghetti or angel hair pasta
• 6 TBSP butter
• 6 TBSP olive oil
• 2 shallots, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced [add more if you like]
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes (Optional)
• 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (size 21-30 count per pound)
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2/3 cup dry white wine [such as pinot grigio]
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1-1/2 tsp lemon zest
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, or to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Dry shrimp with a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and a dash of Old Bay seasoning.
   
   
2. Juice and zest lemon 
   
   
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; cook linguine in boiling water until nearly tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Save 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain. 
   
   
4. While the linguine is cooking, melt 3 tablespoons butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
   
   
5. Add the shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes to the skillet with the hot butter and oil. Cook until shallots are translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. 
   
   
6. Add shrimp to the skillet and cook until pink, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes. Don’t overcook! Remove shrimp from skillet and keep warm. 
   
   
7. Make the sauce: add white wine and lemon juice into skillet and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off of the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. 
   
   
8. Then, add an additional 3 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons olive oil into butter mixture. Bring to a simmer.
   
   
9. Add shrimp, drained linguine, lemon zest and chopped parsley to the skillet butter mixture.  Add pasta water ¼ cup at a time until everything is coated in a rich sauce [you may not need to use it all.] Season with salt and black pepper, and garnish with parmesan or pecorino romano cheese. Buon appetito.

 

Recipe source: Recipe is mine but very close to this: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/229960/shrimp-scampi-with-pasta/