What Does Shrimp Scampi Contain? The Ultimate Guide to This Mouthwatering Dish!

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Fast and unfussy, this shrimp scampi with pasta recipe delivers a big flavor with minimal effort.

• Salt
• 1 pound (16 oz) angel hair, spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccini
• &frac13 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¾ cup thinly sliced shallots, from 2 to 3 shallots
• 6 large cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1¼ pounds extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined, thawed if frozen
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ¾ cup dry white wine
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice plus 1 teaspoon lemon zest, from 1 to 2 lemons, plus wedges for serving
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook to al dente according to the package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, for about 1 minute. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, shrimp, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate. Add the wine to the skillet and simmer until reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the butter, lemon juice and lemon zest, ½ cup of the reserved cooking water, and ½ teaspoon salt; stir until the butter is melted. Add the drained pasta and continue to cook, tossing, until the pasta is warmed through, adding more of the reserved cooking water as needed if the pasta seems dry. Return the shrimp and any juices from the plate to the skillet and toss with the pasta. Stir in the parsley, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve with lemon wedges.

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• Per serving (4 servings)
• Calories: 925
• Fat: 38 g
• Saturated fat: 14 g
• Carbohydrates: 94 g
• Sugar: 6 g
• Fiber: 5 g
• Protein: 45 g
• Sodium: 187 mg
• Cholesterol: 274 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

What You’ll Need To Make Shrimp Scampi with Pasta

• Angel hair, spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccini: Any long pasta works here, but angel hair or capellini are especially great for soaking up all that garlicky sauce.
• Extra-virgin olive oil: Used to sauté the shallots, garlic, and shrimp—adds flavor and keeps everything from sticking.
• Shallots And Garlic: The aromatic base of the dish. With six cloves of garlic, it’s a great time to dust off the garlic press.
• Red pepper flakes: Bring a touch of heat—add more or less depending on how spicy you like it.
• Extra-large shrimp: Unless you’re near the coast, frozen shrimp are often your best bet—they’re flash-frozen at peak freshness and thaw super quickly. Extra-large shrimp are good for this dish as they’re easier to sear and stay juicy.
• Dry white wine: Adds brightness and depth to the sauce. Use something you like enough to drink (and skip anything labeled “cooking wine”).
• Unsalted butter: Enriches the sauce and makes it silky.
• Fresh Lemon juice and zest: Balances the rich sauce with bright, tangy flavor.
• Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

Step 1: Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Salting the water generously is key—it essentially helps season the pasta from the inside out. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain and set aside. The starch in the cooking water helps bind and emulsify the sauce later, creating a silky texture that clings to the noodles.

Step 2: Start the sauce. While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Using a large skillet gives the shrimp and pasta enough room to cook and mix without crowding. Add the shallots to the pan and cook for about a minute, stirring often. Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Adding the garlic after the shallots have cooked for a bit helps prevent it from burning.

Step 3: Cook the shrimp. Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink and just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Shrimp cook quickly and can become rubbery if overdone—removing them early ensures they stay tender when added back in. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Step 4: Deglaze with wine. Pour the wine into the skillet and let it simmer for a few minutes until it’s reduced by about half. This step lifts all those flavorful browned bits off the bottom of the pan and builds a richer sauce. As it reduces, the wine adds a mellow acidity that brightens the dish—without the bite of alcohol.

Step 5: Add lemon and butter. Stir in the butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, some of the reserved pasta water, and salt. (Use pasta water sparingly at first—it’s easier to thin the sauce than to fix an overly watery one.) Stir until the butter melts into the sauce.

Step 6: Toss everything together. Add the pasta and toss to coat and warm through, adding more pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Return the shrimp (and any juices) to the skillet and toss again. Stirring the shrimp in at the end gently reheats them without overcooking. Stir in the fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy!

How to Cook Shrimp Scampi with Pasta | Allrecipes

FAQ

What do shrimp scampi have in it?

What’s in shrimp scampi sauce? All of the best things in life: butter, wine, and lemon! Garlic and onion deepen the flavor of the sauce and basil and parsley sprinkled in at the end bring a burst of freshness. It’s incredibly simple in order to enhance the shrimp but not overpower it.

What is traditional scampi made of?

In most countries, especially Italy, scampi means the peeled tail of pretty much any kind of prawn but in the UK it refers to the meat of just one special prawn: the langoustine. Langoustine is a small lobster found in the colder waters of Scotland, Ireland and Norway.

What does scampi sauce consist of?

Dry white wine emulsifies with butter and olive oil to make the scampi sauce. If you don’t use wine in your cooking, you can easily make this shrimp scampi recipe with broth or stock instead. I’d recommend using a low-sodium chicken stock or seafood stock. Lemon adds a wonderful citrusy flavor to the scampi sauce.

Is shrimp scampi healthy to eat?

Is shrimp scampi authentic?

While not authentic scampi, shrimp scampi can still be a delicious and satisfying meal when prepared correctly. The key to a good shrimp scampi is to use high-quality shrimp, cook them properly, and use a flavorful sauce. The sauce typically consists of garlic, butter, white wine, lemon juice, parsley, and seasoning.

Is shrimp scampi the same as prawns?

In many regions, particularly in North America, “scampi” has become a more generic term for prawns or shrimp cooked in a specific style – typically with garlic, butter, white wine, and herbs. This distinction is crucial to understanding the different interpretations of the dish. Why is “shrimp scampi” considered a misnomer by some?

How do you make a good shrimp scampi?

The key to a good shrimp scampi is to use high-quality shrimp, cook them properly, and use a flavorful sauce. The sauce typically consists of garlic, butter, white wine, lemon juice, parsley, and seasoning. The shrimp are often served over pasta or rice, allowing the sauce to coat the grains.

What is a lighter shrimp scampi?

This lighter shrimp scampi is a flavorful dinner that is restaurant quality! Lemony and delicious, this dish is full of flavor while being lower in calories than traditional shrimp scampi. We love taking traditional Italian classics and making them a little lighter, like our healthy baked chicken parmesan or pasta fagioli.

What is a scampi style?

The “scampi style” of cooking is characterized by a few essential ingredients that create its signature flavor profile. These typically include garlic, butter, white wine (or sometimes lemon juice), and fresh herbs like parsley. Olive oil is also commonly used, and sometimes a touch of red pepper flakes is added for a hint of spice.

Should you cook scampi or shrimp?

Whether you’re using actual scampi (Nephrops norvegicus) or shrimp, the key to a successful scampi dish lies in the proper preparation. Overcooking is the most common mistake, resulting in tough, rubbery seafood. The goal is to cook the scampi or shrimp just until they are opaque and firm to the touch.