Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi
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Made in just 20 min from start to finish! The garlic butter sauce is TO DIE FOR – so buttery, so garlicky/lemony + so perfect!
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Is it just me or do you all want to go swimming in this pool of butter sauce? Don’t be shy, guys. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to face plant yourself right into this. And I really just want all the crusty bread in this world to soak up everything. A single drop should not be left behind.
why i love this recipe
- Quick cooking time. Shrimp scampi comes together in lightning fast speed – we’re talking 20 minutes start to finish.
- Restaurant-quality. This may cook quickly, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have restaurant-quality shrimp right at home using bigger and better quality shrimp all around. Talk about more bang for your buck!
- Versatile recipe. Serve this as an appetizer with some crusty bread, or over a bed of angel hair pasta and a salad as a fancy dinner.
types of shrimp
Wild caught shrimp vs. farmed shrimp
Farmed shrimp are raised in controlled environments, whereas wild caught shrimp have been caught in their natural habitats by fishermen. Wild caught shrimp is generally preferred over farmed shrimp primarily due to taste.
Frozen vs. fresh shrimp
Unless you reside in a coastal area, the “fresh shrimp” on display at your local grocery store have already been previously frozen at sea. Frozen shrimp offers ultimate freshness (flash-frozen as soon as they are caught) and flexibility, using only what you need for dinner. Bottom line, frozen shrimp will taste better and cook better.
tips and tricks for success
- Use a cast iron skillet. Cast iron skillets retain heat much better than a nonstick skillet, allowing for even cooking and a better sear on the shrimp.
- Know your shrimp size. Shrimp size is calculated on number of shrimp per pound. The smaller the number, the larger your shrimp. There are about 40-50 medium shrimp per pound. Note that smaller shrimp will cook much faster!
- Buy frozen shrimp. For superior quality and freshness, using frozen shrimp is ideal (but avoid the bags with freezer burn), opting for a quick thaw under cold running water.
- Cook in batches. Overcrowding the pan will lead to poor searing and chewy, rubbery shrimp.
- Reheat in the oven. Leftover shrimp can be rubbery when reheated in the microwave. For best results with leftovers, reheat in the oven at 325°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through.
- Serve with crusty bread. Serve with all the homemade crusty bread for dipping, sopping and dunking!
what to serve with garlic butter shrimp scampi
BEST Tools For COOKING garlic butter shrimp scampi
Large cast iron skillet
For the best texture and flavor, use a large, heavy-bottomed skillet that holds heat evenly.
Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi: Frequently Asked Questions
Unsalted butter allows you to add as much salt (or as little) salt in your dish, allowing for more control and consistency.
You can replace unsalted butter with salted butter in a pinch, reducing the amount of salt indicated in the recipe, and adding to taste.
You can thaw frozen shrimp overnight, transferring it from the freezer to the fridge the day before. For a quick thaw, you can run them under cold water until completely thawed, about 5-10 minutes. Pat them dry as thoroughly as possible to remove any excess moisture (so they can brown nicely and evenly).
The lemon juice helps balance out the flavors and richness of the butter.
Absolutely! This can be served over angel hair, linguine, fettuccine, or any other long strand pasta option.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 day.
Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium shallot, diced
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 ½ pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
Equipment
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, shallot and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add shrimp; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pink and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in parsley, lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Did you make this recipe?
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I just made this recipe tonight and it was delicious! We did sprinkle parmesan cheese on top and it just added to the great flavor. We had a small amount left which I added a small amount of heavy whipping cream to for more juice and it to was great.
You never let us down with your amazing recipes. Delish!
SUPER EASY! I’ve made other shrimp scampi from other sites and never came out good but this came out delicious my husband had 2 plates and I couldnt be happier. The only thing I added was grated parmesan cheese. It was the icing on the cake. Thank you
This recipe is every bit as good as you say it is! Absolutely astounding! Thank you! Fortunately my wife and I were eating alone at home, so after I soaked up the sauce with some crusty bread, I could pick up the plate and lick it! :-). Thanks for an astounding recipe!
This is so simple and inexpensive. I got some pasta on sale. I didn’t have any shallots available, but I added a chopped up red bell pepper and chopped up carrots to add some
Veggies to the mix.
We got some garlic bread, and it was a delicious, quick meal. It is perfect for a weeknight dinner.
FRIGGIN AWESOME!!! I just saved this to my phone for future use. Bravo to the chef!
I made this for my fiance this dish for his birthday… And besides my pot roast, this is the 2nd favorites meal I’ve cooked for him. I cook for him almost every day for the last six years. So thank you for this recipe!
OMG Absolutely delicious!!! I served it over rice, and, I will definitely be making it again. Thank you for a great recipe.
I made this for the first time and as a beginner cook, this is so very easy and quick to make. So full of color and flavor. I piled some scampi on pasta with the sauce and a side of Italian bread and it was perfect! My hubby said it was better than his! I will be making it again.
Let me tell yall! I made this dish for my parents and my Dad was begging for seconds and thirds!!! Definitely will be making this again!!✔✔✔
Isn’t it the best? Glad your dad is a fan! Thanks for sharing, Sabrina!
I think the lemon zest made it bitter but other than that it was good. I think next time I will leave it out.
Be careful to zest just the yellow rind. The white pith underneath is very bitter. I made it for the second time tonight. So delicious that I printed the recipe and it’s officially in our favorite recipe binder.
I just made this shrimp scampi. It was my first time making shrimp scampi ever and it came out amazing. Restaurant quality. I will be making this again and again!
It just so simple..
Over egg noodles
Can you use already cooked shrimp? Would you cook it for as long as raw shrimp?
I recommend using uncooked shrimp to avoid overcooking, resulting in rubbery shrimp.
I used cooked and it turned out great just cooked on lower heat to get hot and then serve. Great recipe thanks!
I made this and it was so good that I decided to use it as a base for another dish – Make some angel hair pasta and reserve the pasta water. Add 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan cheese and one cup of pasta water. Toss. Chop up at least one cup of arugula (more if you like arugula) and mix into pasta, then toss in the garlic butter shrimp scampi! Serve immediately. DELICIOUS!!
I always add heavy cream… yum yum
As good as I hoped it would be! DEElicious! I halved the recipe for the amount of shrimp that I had, but doubled the garlic. I didn’t have a shallot, so I used some red onion. So I pretty much followed the recipe. I took the advice of having some good bread to soak up every drop and that we did! My husband and I both loved it and I will definitely make it again. Thanks for the recipe!
This recipe is quick, easy and DELICIOUS! Made it last night for my husband and adult son- there wasn’t a scrap left after the meal! We had 2 pound bags of shrimp so used that amount vs. the 1 1/2 pounds in the recipe. Also didn’t have a shallot so used red onion. Other than that, did everything just as stated. Was afraid with the extra shrimp we might not have enough sauce but that wasn’t the case. After drenching the shrimp and dipping about 20 toasted slices of a petit loaf of organic bread- the guys still had enough for ladling tasty spoonfuls directly into their mouths. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Your review is mouthwatering, Karen! I think I might have to make this again myself! 🙂
This was fantastic—a great basic shrimp scampi recipe that could be adjusted to suit people’s tastes—like adding a fave veggie or putting over noodles or rice. But it really does not need any additions to be delicious. And the cook time and prep time is basically nothing for such wow flavors. A definite make again in our family rotation.
I made this dish and it was amazing! I actually used leftover shrimp from my favorite seafood restaurant that I froze two months ago. At first I was just looking for a dish that I could use my leftover shrimp. They were just too good to throw away and it was quite a bit. Needless to say I was skeptical. This recipe was fast, simple and a breeze. The flavor was incredible… restaurant quality. I will definitely make this again! Next time I plan to add crab or lobster. I painted this dish with pan seared asparagus. One of the best decisions ever.
What a great way to repurpose your leftover shrimp! 🙂