Dinner in 30 · Italian

Easy Shrimp Scampi

Name: Easy Shrimp Scampi
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: italian
Ingredients: 1.5 lb (680 g) large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails off; 1 tsp salt, divided; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 3 tbsp olive oil; 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter; 6 garlic cloves, minced; 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes, optional; 0.5 cup (120 ml) chicken or vegetable broth; 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, about 1 lemon; 1 lemon, cut into wedges; 0.25 cup chopped fresh parsley; 2 tbsp cold butter, cubed, for finishing

Shrimp scampi is the fastest way I know to make a Tuesday feel like a night out. Plump shrimp, a pool of garlic butter with lemon, and a shower of parsley, all done in one skillet before the pasta on the side even finishes draining.

The whole thing hangs on one rule: do not overcook the shrimp. Shrimp go from perfect to rubber in about a minute, so this recipe has you pull the pan the moment they curl into loose C shapes and turn opaque. Shrimp are done at 145 F (63 C) on an instant read thermometer, and they should look pink and opaque all the way through, never translucent in the center.

There is no cream in a true scampi. The sauce is butter, olive oil, garlic, lemon, and a splash of broth, emulsified by swirling the pan. It clings to the shrimp and, if you let it, to a bowl of linguine or a hunk of crusty bread.

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By the TasteBoard team. Timed in a home kitchen, with total time added up and safe temperatures checked.

Shrimp platter with fried and scampi shrimp

Photo: @Harrison Keely / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

30 min promise: 20 min total
Prep: 8 min
Cook: 12 min
Total: 20 min
Servings: 4
Course: Dinner in 30
Calories, about: 420 per serving

Ready in 20 min, honestly. No hidden waiting.

Instructions

1Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels and season them with 0.5 tsp of the salt and the pepper. Dry shrimp sear; wet shrimp steam.
2Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook 90 seconds per side, until pink and just opaque. Shrimp are done at 145 F (63 C) and should curl into a loose C. Move them to a plate right away.
3Lower the heat to medium and add the butter to the same pan. When it melts, add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 45 to 60 seconds, stirring, until fragrant but not browned. Burnt garlic turns bitter fast.
4Pour in the broth and lemon juice, scrape up any browned bits, and let it bubble 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
5Take the pan off the heat. Swirl in the cold butter a cube at a time until the sauce turns glossy and slightly thick.
6Return the shrimp and any collected juices to the pan, toss to coat, and taste for salt. Scatter the parsley over the top and serve with lemon wedges.

Tap a step to mark it done, saved on this device only. Timer buttons count down right here and beep when time is up.

Why you will love it

20 minutes start to finish, and most of that is the garlic doing its thing in the pan.
One skillet, so there is almost nothing to wash.
Naturally gluten free as written, and easy to keep dairy free with one swap.
Looks impressive enough for date night but costs about what a sandwich does.
The sauce doubles as pasta dressing, so nothing goes to waste.

Tips

Buy peeled and deveined shrimp with the tails off for this one. Tails look pretty but they slow down every bite at the table.
Thaw frozen shrimp overnight in the fridge or for 20 minutes in a bowl of cold running water, then dry them well.
Keep the garlic pale. If it browns, the whole sauce tastes like it, so lower the heat the moment it smells strong.
The cold butter at the end is what makes the sauce look glossy instead of greasy. Do not swap it for more melted butter.

Swaps and variations

Chicken broth instead of a splash of white wine: what changes: you get the same depth without opening a bottle. If you do use wine, use 0.5 cup dry white and let it reduce a full 2 minutes.
Ghee or olive oil instead of butter: what changes: dairy free, and the sauce is a little less silky but still great.
Zucchini noodles instead of pasta: what changes: a lighter low carb plate. Sauce them briefly in the pan drippings so they do not water out.
Scallops instead of shrimp: what changes: sear them 2 minutes per side and pull them at 145 F (63 C) with the centers just opaque.

What to serve

Linguine or angel hair, tossed right in the pan with the sauce.
Crusty bread, because someone will fight over the pan juices otherwise.
A simple arugula salad with lemon, to cut the richness.

Storage and reheating

Leftovers keep in the fridge for 2 days; shrimp dry out faster than most proteins, so eat them soon. Reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, just until warmed through to 145 F (63 C), and do not boil. The microwave works in 20 second bursts at 50 percent power. I do not recommend freezing cooked shrimp, they turn squeaky.

Calories shown are an estimate from standard ingredients, not medical advice. Brands and amounts change the number.

Questions cooks actually ask

Can I use frozen shrimp?

Yes, most shrimp sold as fresh were frozen anyway. Thaw them fully, pat them very dry, and season right before cooking. If they still carry ice crystals they will steam instead of sear, and the sauce will be watery.

Is scampi spicy?

Not as written. The red pepper flakes are optional and, even with them, the heat is a gentle background warmth. Leave them out for kids and add them at the table for the adults.

Can I make the sauce ahead?

You can make the garlic lemon butter base up to 2 days ahead and keep it in the fridge, then warm it and cook the shrimp fresh, which takes 4 minutes. Cooked shrimp do not reheat well twice, so the shrimp should always be cooked to order.

How do I know the shrimp are done?

Three signs together: the flesh turns pink and opaque with no gray translucency, the shape curls into a loose C, and an instant read thermometer reads 145 F (63 C). A tight O shape means they are already overcooked.

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Easy Shrimp Scampi

Instructions

Why you will love it

Tips

Swaps and variations

What to serve

Storage and reheating

Questions cooks actually ask

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