10-Minute Easy Shrimp Scampi — If you thought shrimp scampi was just a dish to order out at a fancier restaurant, think again. You can make mouth-watering shrimp scampi at home in less than 10 minutes!
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Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi Recipe
If you think lemon garlic shrimp scampi can only be enjoyed at a fancy restaurant, think again. Shrimp scampi is one of the easiest meals to make and is a fairly inexpensive option when cooking for friends and family.
It’s ready in less than 10 minutes and tastes like a million bucks. Since the buttery sauce is infused with garlic, lemon juice, and the essence of white wine, you are going to want to slurp it up by the spoonful.
Enjoy this simple shrimp scampi as is, or pair with rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta. I have a dedicated shrimp scampi pasta recipe if you want the exact instructions! This is one dinner that everyone always loves!
Shrimp Scampi Ingredients
There are really only a handful of ingredients in this quick shrimp scampi and most of them you probably have on hand, excluding the shrimp. You will need:
- Butter
- Olive Oil
- Garlic
- Shrimp
- Lemon Juice
- White Wine
- Parsley
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Shrimp Scampi
This truly is such a quick and easy shrimp scampi made with garlic butter sauce. Here are the basic recipe steps:
- Melt together butter, olive oil, add garlic, and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Add more butter (optional but recommended), white wine, lemon juice, and then simmer for about 2 minutes.
- Garnish with parsley and dig in!
Recipe FAQs
Use a wine you’d happily drink. Avoid anything labeled as a cooking wine, because the flavor is awful (in my opinion). You can use any white wine you’d like in this garlic shrimp scampi recipe, but my favorites are sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio.
Technically, yes, but I highly recommend using white wine in the shrimp scampi sauce. Anyone who’s concerned about using wine, I don’t believe in the less than 1/4 cup of wine that you’re using for this entire recipe that feeds 4 people, that there is any tangible alcohol content that remains, but this is my personal opinion. You’ll be able to smell the alcohol cooking off from the wine in the first minute or so of simmering
However, if you’re not using wine, I recommend nothing other than maybe a touch more lemon juice or possibly cooking sherry. Just note that some sherry can taste cheap and could overpower the shrimp so use what you’re familiar with.
I highly recommend using fresh, raw large shrimp for this easy shrimp scampi. For me, that means 12 to 15-count shrimp, or 12 to 15 per pound. Smaller shrimp just don’t have the same flavor for me, and they will also cook much faster.
As it is, large shrimp like I used really only need a few minutes to cook. Before adding the lemon juice and wine, I cook them for two minutes, then another two minutes after adding the liquids. Small shrimp can cook uncontrollably fast and then become tough and rubbery which you don’t want.
Cooked properly, the shrimp are tender, juicy, succulent, and with the flavorful sauce they’re bathed in, you’ll want to put this easy and delicious recipe into your rotation, even on busy weeknights.
What to Serve With Shrimp Scampi
I recommend serving it with spaghetti, angel hair, or a similar type of pasta noodle (I use linguine in my shrimp scampi pasta recipe). Or of course there’s always the crusty French bread route for maximum butter-soaking potential. Parmesan cheese French bread wouldn’t hurt either.
If you’re looking for sides to serve with this easy shrimp scampi recipe, here are some suggestions:
- Simple House Salad
- Spinach Apple Salad with Cheddar
- Orange Glazed Brussels Sprouts
- Honey Orange Roasted Carrots
- Roasted Cheesy Asparagus
- Parmesan Balsamic Roasted Broccoli
- Mashed Potatoes
Storage
In the Refrigerator: This recipe will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
In the Freezer: This recipe will keep airtight in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: I use my microwave for quickness and ease and reheat my leftovers for about 30 seconds on high, or as needed. But you can use your stove or oven, whatever is best suited for you.
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Easy 10-Minute Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 to 5 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
- 1.25 to 1.50 pounds large fresh raw shrimp, cleaned and deveined
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- ¼ cup white wine, optional but recommended (sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio are my favorites, chardonnay in a pinch)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 to 4 tablespoons fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely minced
- pinch red chili flakes, optional and to taste
Instructions
- To a large skillet, add 2 tablespoons butter, the olive oil, and heat over medium-high heat to melt the butter.
- Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir constantly.
- Add the shrimp, evenly season with the salt and pepper, cook for 1 minute on the first side, flip, and cook for 1 minute on the second side until shrimp are turning pink and are opaque; they should be about 90% cooked at this point. It’s okay if they are not cooked completely because they will be simmering a couple minutes longer.
- Add the white wine, lemon juice, remaining butter, and allow the mixture to simmer for about 2 minutes, or until the shrimp are completely cooked through and the liquid volume has reduced a bit and smells aromatic. Please see Notes below re cooking with wine if you’re concerned.
- Add the parsley, optional red chili flakes, stir to combine, and serve immediately. Recipe will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Originally published October 7, 2019 and republished February 23, 2024 with updated text.
great
This shrimp scampi recipe is really amazing. My whole family love this shrimp scampi recipe. Thanks for sharing this recipe with all of us. Even i have a special shrimp scampi recipe as well.
This shrimp scampi recipe is really amazing. My whole family love this shrimp scampi recipe. Thanks for sharing this recipe with all of us. Even i have a special shrimp scampi recipe as well. Check out the recipe here: https://www.foodybud.com/easy-shrimp-scampi-recipe-crunchy-creamy-sweet/
This shrimp scampi recipe is really amazing. My whole family love this shrimp scampi recipe. Thanks for sharing this recipe with all of us. Even i have a special shrimp scampi recipe as well.
Made this tonight… tasty! But I’ve gone over the recipe multiple times, and I can’t figure out where the other two tablespoons of butter come in.
Made this tonight… tasty! But I’ve gone over the recipe multiple times, and I can’t figure out where the other two tablespoons of butter come in.
Made this tonight… tasty! But I’ve gone over the recipe multiple times, and I can’t figure out where the other two tablespoons of butter come in.
Glad it was tasty! You can add it with the wine and lemon juice.
Jon loved coming home to this tonight! This is a fantastic recipe and I will have ro make it more often. It also reminds me how much I love cooking with wine–it adds such a special flavor!
Jon loved coming home to this tonight! This is a fantastic recipe and I will have ro make it more often. It also reminds me how much I love cooking with wine–it adds such a special flavor!
Thanks for the five star review and glad he loved this one! And yes cooking with just a bit of wine adds such a great touch and special flavor!
I must try this soon! I have never made shrimp scampi but I can’t believe how easy it is! I already have wine, butter and garlic so I’ll pick up some shrimp this week.
So so easy! Butter, wine, garlic, bam, shrimp scampi!
If you make it, you’ll be able to cross shrimp scampi off your recipe bucket list :)