How To Make Shrimp Scampi Sauce

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Ingredients In Shrimp Scampi

Easy Shrimp Scampi Sauce Recipe

Shrimp for the best results, choose large, fresh shrimp. You can get shrimp still in shells to clean and de-vein yourself, or you can get cleaned out shrimp in the seafood section of the grocery store.

Butter dont be stringy with butter here, its a rich, smooth, and comforting dish. The taste depends on having a good amount of butter.

Garlic try to get fresh garlic for best flavor and avoid the chance if it turning blue.

White wine use dry white wine and get the wine that you would love to drink. I always say that if you wouldnt drink the wine, dont cook with it. Flavor of wine does translate into the sauce.

Lemon get ripe lemon to get the most juice out of it. If lemon is hard to the touch, its not ripe and wont give you a lot of juice.

Parsley use fresh parsley when possible. If youre worried about buying a whole bunch of parsley to use a couple of tablespoons, remember that you can always mince remaining parsley and freeze it in a zip-lock bag. You can also keep a bunch of parsley in a glass of water for almost a week and use for other recipes.

Pasta personally, I love to use thin pasta like angel hair or linguine, but you can choose any pasta you like.

Optional: red pepper flakes and shallots. Red pepper flakes give the dish a nice layer of heat but its not overpowering. When available, shallots sauteed at the same time as the garlic will add a lot of flavor to the dish.

Why Is It Called Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp scampi. Buttery, garlicky, shrimp-y. You know you love it. But what, exactly, is it? Well, if youre a little vague on the exact definition of shrimp scampi, guess what? Youre not alone and youre not wrong. Shrimp scampi means different things to different people, but it always involves butter, garlic and shrimp. For some people, its just not shrimp scampi if its not served over angel hair pasta. For others, pan-fried, buttery shrimp are simply served as-is, alongside some crusty bread for dipping. Some add wine, some add tomatoes. Most people add lemon. But theres no right or wrong. And why is that? Welllike so many of our very favorite recipesshrimp scampi is not actually a classic Italian recipe, its Italian American in origin.

Scampi is the Italian word for langoustine, a type of crustacean thats common in Europe and is much bigger than even jumbo shrimp that were used to eating here in the U.S. In Italy, a quick sauté in butter, olive oil and garlic is the traditional way to serve these sweet, pink-fleshed clawed crustaceans. Does this mean that shrimp scampi kind of means shrimp shrimp? We like to think so.

But in all seriousness, a more accurate interpretation would be to think of the name shrimp scampi as meaning that you cook regular shrimp in the same style as scampi would traditionally be cooked in Italy.

Shrimp Scampi Nutrition Facts

This is the best Shrimp Scampi recipe of all time! How to make shrimp scampi you ask? Its easy! This Shrimp Scampi recipe will absolutely blow your mind because its made with fresh shrimp and a delicious olive oil butter sauce with a splash of lemon. Do you have a favorite meal for those need-something-quick-and-dont-want-to-have-to-plan-or-work-too-hard days? I keep a bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer just for those times when Im too busy to plan, but want a quick and easy meal.We love this easy Shrimp Scampi recipe so much its on regular rotation here during the school year. And the best part? Theres very little cleanup since its cooked in just one pot.This classic shrimp scampi recipe makes a simple garlic, white wine and butter sauce that goes well with a pile of pasta or with a hunk of crusty bread. However you make the dish, once the shrimp are added to the pan, the trick is to cook them just long enough that they turn pink all over, but not until their bodies curl into rounds with the texture of tires.

This shrimp scampi recipe looks like you fussed, but its easy to prepare. Served over pasta, this main dish is pretty enough for company. Shrimp scampi is so quick and easy! A garlic buttery scampi sauce with a hint of white wine & lemon in less than 40 minutes!

Best Shrimp Scampi Recipe

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Lets Talk Shrimp Scampi Ingredients

Like we said, people get crazy with their shrimp scampi recipes. Everyone is sort of just out there, sautéing shrimp, trying to recreate some sort of pristine, perfect, first shrimp scampi experienceits all very Proustian. And look, were in the same boat! We think our shrimp scampi recipe keeps it pretty darn classic, but we fully acknowledge that it might not be classic in everyones eyes. We can, however, promise that its a really gosh darn delicious way to cook shrimp. And fast, too. So try it! Youll like it. Heres what youll need:

  • Butter
  • Olive oil
  • Garlic
  • Dry white wine. Think vermentino or pinot grigiotwo often-dry Italian whites that would also be nice to drink with the finished dish. You can use broth, if you dont want to use wine.
  • Red pepper flakes

How To Make Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi At Home

Quick and Easy Shrimp Scampi

After getting all the ingredients, you are ready to make the authentic red lobster shrimp scampi at home. So lets check out the recipe

Note- Dont skip any of the steps if you want to make your Shrimp Scampi as tasty as youve eaten in Red Lobster.

  • Add Olive Oil to a cast-iron skillet and heat it.
  • After the olive oil will get a little warm, add shrimp to it.
  • Cook the Shrimp until it becomes translucent. After that, remove the Shrimp and add Garlic to the cast-iron skillet.
  • Do not cook the garlic till it turns brown. It will make your shrimp scampi bitter.
  • After that, add wine and lemon juice and cook it until the wine is reduced by half.
  • Add Italian seasoning and reduce the heat to low. Then add butter to it.
  • Add your shrimp back and cook it for 5 minutes in the sauce so that the shrimp will soak all the flavors.
  • Then add parsley to give the dish some more flavor.
  • Season your shrimp scampi with salt and pepper and sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on it. And serve.
  • You have to follow every step mentioned above to make your shrimp scampi as tasty as Red Lobsters.

    Note You can add white wine according to your taste. You can also make your Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi without wine.

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    What To Serve With Shrimp Scampi

    Shrimp and pasta is a filling meal by itself, so I would pair it with a light salad or steamed veggie. You could even just add a piece of garlic toast Here are a few options:

    I have a recipe for everyone in my side dish archives. If you dont see anything on this list you think you would like, be sure to browse my recipe index.

    Shrimp Scampi Recipe Tips

    To make this scampi recipe come together even more quickly, stop by your grocery store seafood counter and buy the peeled and deveined shrimp like I did for this one.The shrimp look prettier with the tails on but who wants to be picking the tails off while theyre eating their dinner..am I right? Have all of your ingredients ready on your kitchen bench and close to your cooking area if possible. This recipe cooks fast. You dont want to be head deep into your refrigerator searching for your wine, for example, while the shrimp is cooking away on the stove. Over-cooked shrimp is rubbery, tough and not pleasant to eat at all.Cook your pasta first and have it ready to go: You can very quickly prepare this simple shrimp scampi recipe by having all your ingredients ready to go, including your pasta simply cook it before starting, and keep it warm, then add it in when ready.

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    How Do You Make Scampi Sauce

    All you need for scampi sauce is 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/4 cup of dry white wine, salt and ground black pepper. This sauce is usually served with shrimp, pasta or rice as an accompaniment.

    To make the scampi sauce, melt the butter in a frying pan at medium heat until foaming. Add the minced garlic and season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 seconds, stirring occasionally, until the fragrances blend together. Add the white wine and cook the mixture for one minute or until the alcohol evaporates. Add shrimp and cook for an additional three to four minutes, until the shrimp is pink and opaque. Alternately, serve the sauce on the side as a complement to seafood or other white meats.

    Garnish With Fresh Ingredients

    The Best Way to Make Perfect Shrimp Scampi at Home

    Chop up some ripe Roma tomatoes and toss them in with the shrimp to complement the slight sweetness of the seafood and acidity from the lemons. For color and texture, you can add other vegetables to the dish, like zucchini, bell peppers, or sauteed spinach. Sprinkle in a generous amount of parsley, or other herbs like sliced basil and oregano work well too.

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    What You Need To Make Shrimp Scampi

    I love how simple this recipe is to make. To make the best shrimp scampi, you need the following ingredients:

    Shrimp The size of shrimp you choose is up to you, but we love to use extra-large shrimp in this recipe. That means that for one pound of shrimp, you will get close to twenty-five shrimp.

    Aromatics This recipe is simple and doesnt ask for many ingredients. When it comes to aromatics in this recipe, garlic is a must, and if you have it on hand, shallot is nice, too. The garlic adds lots of flavor, and the shallots add sweetness and melt into the garlic-butter sauce. In addition to the garlic and shallot, we add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes for a little spice.

    Olive Oil and Butter We call for olive oil to cook the garlic, shallot, and shrimp. Then we switch to butter to make the scampi sauce. You can use all butter if you prefer.

    Dry White Wine For classic shrimp scampi, youll want to use a dry, crisp white wine. We reach for pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc or unoaked chardonnay and choose something we enjoy. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup, so you will have wine leftover to enjoy with the shrimp. If you dont drink or cook with wine, we shared an alternative in the recipe below.

    Lemon and Parsley We add both fresh lemon juice and fresh chopped parsley towards the end of the recipe. The lemon keeps the butter sauce light on its feet, and the parsley adds color and a pop of fresh flavor I love the taste of parsley, so I add quite a bit.

    Red Lobster Recipes To Recreate At Home

    With these Red Lobster recipes, you can recreate your favorite dining experience right at home!

    Everyone loves Red Lobster! The delicious and budget-friendly seafood menu makes this restaurant a popular stop for birthdays and anniversaries.

    Want to save this recipe? Enter your email below and well send the recipe straight to your inbox!

    Bring the party home with these copycat recipes! I have all of the secrets for your favorite dishes in this recipe list.

    From scampi to sweet potatoes, there is a recipe here for all of your favorite menu items.

    I hope youre hungry! Treat your family to an at-home Red Lobster feast tonight!

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    Easy Shrimp Scampi Recipe

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    Swimming in a garlicky white wine sauce, this Easy Shrimp Scampi Recipe is on the table in just 15 minutes!

    A super quick meal that seems like afancy dinner. Shrimp Scampi is quick enough for a weeknight but elegant enough to serve to guests. Youll be amazed at how incredibly easy this dish is to make at home!

    I love shrimp pasta with hunks of crusty bread for cleaning the plate and this version is extra fast and easy!

    Red Lobster Bananas Foster Cheesecake

    How to Make the Best Easy Shrimp Scampi

    Youve had Bananas Foster, youve had cheesecake, and now you get the best of both worlds with this Bananas Foster cheesecake!

    Thank you Red Lobster for introducing us to this slice of heaven. Now, you are no longer limited to just a slice. Eat the whole thing when you make it at home!

    Creamy alfredo is a favorite entree anywhere, but Red Lobster spruces things up with chunks of delicious crab meat.

    If you can get the real stuff, all the better, but imitation crab works well, too!

    Indulge in a rich dinner that will satisfy all of your food cravings.

    Brussels sprouts are an earthy veggie that can steal the show when prepared properly. Learn from the best with this roasted sprouts recipe.

    There isnt a better side for your fish dinner!

    Popcorn shrimp is a great introductory dish for seafood newbies and a beloved favorite of seasoned vets. The crispy outer layer makes it the perfect finger food.

    Dip it in ketchup or tartar sauce. You cant go wrong with popcorn shrimp.

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    Wine For Shrimp Scampi

    Your best bet is a crisp dry white wine that youll enjoy drinking with your amazing meal! You may enjoy any of the following:

    • Pinot Grigio

    Kellie is the creator of The Suburban Soapbox, a food and lifestyle blog. A busy mom of two and former marketing manager, she created her website as a way to share recipes and household DIY tricks with her corporate coworkers. Kellie is always on a quest to consistently create the fastest, tastiest dinners that every family will love, even the pickiest of eaters. Her recipes are fool-proof and suitable for quick weeknight dinners and easy entertaining.

    A lover of travel, wine, butter, chocolate and cheese , Kellie finds inspiration for her food creations just about everywhere she turns.

    What Can You Serve This Creamy Garlic Butter Shrimp Piccata With

    • We prefer ours served over rice that has been simmered with onions and garlic for added flavour. Mm-mm-mm.
    • Also amazing over pasta that has been mixed through with olive oil, salt and garlic. Plus a touch of extra parmesan never hurt anyone.
    • Garlic bread: soaking up creamy sauce with a warm piece of bread. Its heaven.

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    How To Choose Shrimp

    I generally buy medium-sized frozen shrimp to make this recipe, already peeled and deveined this cuts down on the prep work. If youre going to buy fresh shrimp, be sure to avoid picking shrimp that smells like ammonia, or shrimp that has black spots on the head and body needless to say, these are bad signs.

    What Kind Of Shrimp Should I Get

    The BEST Way To Make SHRIMP SCAMPI!

    For this recipe I recommend using extra large shrimp. While that sounds like it might be huge, its actually a mid-range size of shrimp, falling below the bigger sizes such as jumbo and colossal. Large is a great option too. Ideally use something in the range of 21 30 count per pound.

    If you feel that size of shrimp is too large and would prefer something more bite-sized, try medium shrimp. If you replace the shrimp size just be sure to buy the same weight, instead of the number of shrimp.

    For this recipe I recommend using frozen and thawed shrimp. The stuff you buy at the meat/seafood counter is almost always previously frozen, unless you live right off the coast then some places you might be buying actual fresh caught shrimp .

    They usually just grab some of the bags from the freezer to stock the supply at the meat/seafood counter. So, what I recommend is buying frozen shrimp and thawing completely and using right away for best results. That way you know if hasnt been sitting there for a few days thawed.

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    How To Cook Shrimp For Shrimp Scampi

    • Boil the pasta. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente.
    • Cook the shrimp. In a large skillet, melt the unsalted butter and olive oil over medium-high heat and then add the raw shrimp. Cook the shrimp until pink and opaque, stirring occasionally.
    • Add the garlic and seasonings. Now add the minced garlic cloves, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir everything together until the garlic becomes fragrant .
    • Add the wine and lemon juice. Bring the heat up to high and pour in the white wine and fresh lemon juice. Let it come to a quick boil .
    • Add the pasta. Stir the pasta into the shrimp scampi and garnish it with freshly chopped parsley.

    Pro Tip: If you prefer NOT to use wine, you can substitute with equal amounts of chicken broth instead.

    What’s The Best Pasta To Serve With Shrimp Scampi

    Shrimp scampi is typically served over pasta. Any type of thin long noodles like spaghetti, angel hair, capellini or spaghettini are all good options. Their delicate thin strands pair well with the light garlic and butter sauce, as the sauce will coat the strands without weigh them down too much.

    If you love extra saucy pasta, double the sauce portion of the recipe.

    For a low-carb option, you can easily serve shrimp with garlic and butter over zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice. I also tend to pair dish with a bright and colorful side salad to balance out the meal.

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