Seafood

Serving

Seafood Quick & easy

Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi

Name: Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Seafood
Ingredients: 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined; 12 oz linguine; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 6 cloves garlic, minced; 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1/2 cup dry white wine; 1 lemon, juiced (about 3 tablespoons); 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Plump shrimp swimming in a bright garlic-butter and white wine sauce, finished with lemon and parsley over linguine.

25 minutes

Serves 4

Dinner

11 min prep

19 min cook

Contains common allergens

Dairy Seafood Shellfish Wheat

In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.

Good to know

Ready in under 30 minutes

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals

Instructions

6 steps

1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the linguine until al dente, about 9 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
2
Pat the shrimp dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
3
Add the shrimp in a single layer and sear 1 to 2 minutes per side until just pink and opaque; transfer to a plate. Do not overcook or they will turn rubbery.
4
Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 2 tablespoons butter, then the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
5
Pour in the white wine and simmer 2 to 3 minutes until reduced by half. Stir in the lemon juice and remaining 2 tablespoons butter until the sauce is glossy.
6
Return the shrimp to the pan, add the drained pasta and a splash of reserved pasta water, and toss to coat. Fold in the parsley and serve immediately.

Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi — plated and served — Serving moment. How Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

56/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 60

Kid-friendly 35

Weeknight-easy 86

Budget-friendly 48

Great leftovers 50

Pantry-friendly 50

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

655

Calories

39 g

Protein

68 g

Carbs

23 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Shrimp scampi is an Italian-American invention, born when immigrant cooks substituted shrimp for the langoustines called scampi in Italy and dressed them in garlic, butter, white wine, and lemon. The dish became a red-sauce-restaurant staple precisely because it is fast, fragrant, and built from pantry ingredients. The name technically means the shrimp are cooked scampi-style, a small linguistic quirk that stuck.

Listahan note

This version balances the garlic butter with white wine and lemon so the sauce stays bright rather than greasy, and it comes together in one pan.

Technique cues

Cook the garlic gently in the butter just until fragrant and pale gold; browned garlic turns bitter and dominates the sauce.
Add the shrimp in a single layer and pull them at the first curl, since the residual sauce heat keeps cooking them.
Finish with cold butter swirled off the heat so the sauce emulsifies glossy instead of breaking into oil.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Get pasta or bread going first, then mince garlic and prep shrimp so the pan sequence runs in under ten minutes.
Make-ahead: Peel and devein the shrimp and mince the garlic ahead; the cooking itself should be last-minute for best texture.
Leftover move: Toss leftovers with hot pasta and a splash of pasta water to remake them into scampi linguine.
Cleanup rhythm: Deglaze and wipe the pan while it is still warm so the garlic butter does not set.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

Shrimp

the star protein

Purpose: Large shrimp cook in minutes and soak up the garlic butter without turning tough if watched.

Handling: Peel and devein, patting dry for a quick sear.

Adaptation: Scallops or langoustines make a more classic or luxe version.

Garlic

the defining aromatic

Purpose: Plenty of garlic is the whole identity of scampi, perfuming the butter sauce.

Handling: Slice or mince and cook gently to avoid bitterness.

Adaptation: Shallot plus a little garlic gives a milder, sweeter base.

Butter

the sauce body

Purpose: Butter carries the garlic and lemon and gives the sauce its silky richness.

Handling: Use part to cook and reserve cold butter to finish.

Adaptation: Olive oil works for a lighter, dairy-free sauce.

White wine

the acid and depth

Purpose: Dry white wine deglazes the pan and brings acidity that balances the butter.

Handling: Add and simmer briefly to cook off the raw alcohol.

Adaptation: Seafood or chicken stock with a splash of lemon works alcohol-free.

Lemon

the brightener

Purpose: Lemon juice and zest lift the rich sauce and keep it fresh.

Handling: Zest into the butter and squeeze juice at the end.

Adaptation: A splash of white wine vinegar gives similar brightness.

Technique notes

Reduce the wine before adding the final butter so the sauce has body and clings to each shrimp.
Take the pan off the heat to swirl in finishing butter, which keeps the emulsion intact.
A pinch of red pepper flakes adds gentle warmth that flatters the garlic without making it spicy.

Ingredient swaps

Dairy-free option: Build the sauce on olive oil and finish with a touch more oil instead of butter.
Alcohol-free direction: Replace the wine with seafood stock plus extra lemon for the same brightness.
Gluten-free direction: Serve over gluten-free pasta or zucchini noodles rather than bread.

Serve alongside

Linguine tossed in the sauce
Crusty garlic bread
Lemony arugula salad
Steamed asparagus
Crisp Pinot Grigio
Dry sparkling water with lemon
Vermentino

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate airtight for up to two days; reheat gently and briefly so the shrimp do not toughen, adding a splash of water or stock to loosen the butter. Avoid freezing, since the butter sauce separates and the shrimp turn rubbery on thawing.

Equipment

Large skillet
Microplane for zest and garlic
Tongs
Wooden spoon

Make this household-aware

Listahan Pro checks this recipe against your household's allergens, finds pantry-aware swaps, builds the shopping list, and helps you plan the week around it.

Get the app