This Shrimp Scampi is the definition of an easy weeknight dinner! The combination of butter, garlic, white wine, and lemon juice is a match made in heaven. I love serving this with freshly cooked spaghetti to soak up all the sauce. I bet crusty bread would taste amazing as well.
Looking for more easy dishes? Try my Fettucine Alfredo or Garlic Butter Shrimp next!

About This Recipe
I remember the first time I had shrimp scampi was at The Cheesecake Factory in Seattle. If you've never been before, their menu is huge. They have basically every dish you could ever want. Of all the things we could've ordered, my wife decided to order the shrimp scampi for the two of us. And I'm glad she did!
Shrimp Scampi has become one of my new favorite dishes. It's an Italian-American dish. I love to make it on busy weeknights because it only takes 15-20 minutes to make. Everything is cooked in a single pan. And there is not much prep to be done (just chopping some garlic and parsley).
I love serving this with a side of spaghetti to soak up all the delicious sauce. Sometimes, I will also add a bit of parmesan cheese or heavy cream to make the sauce extra creamy
Key Ingredients
Raw shrimp: I used frozen raw shrimp. The size was 31-40 from Costco. 31-40 means there are 31-40 shrimps per pound. I like this size because they are relatively large. If you use smaller shrimp, they will be easier to overcook.
Olive oil: I used extra virgin olive oil to saute the shrimp. Vegetable oil would work as well.
Minced garlic: Garlic is what gives this dish such a wonderful taste. I used 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, which is about 6 cloves.
White wine: Any DRY white wine (not sweet) should work. Pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, and chardonnay are what I would recommend.
Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed is a must here. I added one tablespoon, but you can add more to your own taste.
Butter: This is what makes the sauce extra creamy. The butter should be added at the end and AFTER the pan is removed from the heat. This will prevent the butter from separating.
Seasonings: Freshly chopped parsley, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.
Instructions
STEP 1: Heat olive oil in a skillet and cook the shrimp for 1 minute on each side until pink (they do not need to be fully cooked).
STEP 2: Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
STEP 3: Add the white wine and simmer for 2 minutes until the white wine has reduced by about half.
STEP 4: Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, red pepper flakes, parsley, salt, and pepper. If desired, serve with a plate of pasta. Enjoy!
📋 Recipe
Quick and Easy Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound raw shrimp (thawed, peeled, and deveined)
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 6 cloves)
- ¼ cup dry white wine (or chicken broth)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook each side for 1 minute until no longer pink.
- To the pan, add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the white wine and cook for 2 minutes until it reduces in volume by half.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, parsley, red pepper flakes, butter, salt, and black pepper. Wait for the butter to melt, then serve immediately with pasta. Enjoy!
Leave a Reply