Quick and easy Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi recipe – perfect for busy weeknights! Ready in 15 minutes with simple ingredients, this flavorful dish pairs perfectly with pasta, rice, or crusty bread for a satisfying meal.
😍Reasons to Love This Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi
- Quick & Easy: This recipe only takes about 15 minutes from start to finish! Perfect for those hectic weeknights.
- Minimal Ingredients: Just a handful of basic ingredients – shrimp, garlic, butter, lemon juice, and a few seasonings – which you likely already have at home.
- One-Pan Wonder: Cook everything in one skillet, making cleanup a breeze.
- Versatile: Serve over pasta, rice, or a side of crusty bread to soak up the delicious garlic butter sauce.
- Kid-Friendly: The flavors are mild enough that kids usually love it, especially if they enjoy pasta or rice.
Don't stop here! Check out our other mouth-watering shrimp recipes- Panda Express Honey Walnut Shrimp, Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp, Easy Shrimp Tempura, or Easy Shrimp Stir Fry for more delicious options!
✅Ingredient Notes
- Shrimp: Use large shrimp, fresh or frozen. If you’re really short on time, buy pre-peeled and deveined shrimp to skip the prep.
- Vegetable Oil: Keeps the butter from burning when you cook.
- Butter: Adds rich flavor and creaminess to the sauce. Divide it up because you’ll use half for cooking the garlic and the rest for the final sauce.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic works best for this recipe to give the dish that classic scampi flavor.
- White Wine or Broth: Adds depth to the sauce. Wine gives a nice zing, but chicken or vegetable broth works well, too, especially if you prefer an alcohol-free dish.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Optional, but they add a hint of heat. Adjust to your family’s taste preferences or skip it if you’re serving kids.
- Lemon Juice: Brightens the sauce and balances the butteriness. Fresh lemon juice is ideal, but bottled is fine if it’s all you have on hand.
- Fresh Parsley: Adds a pop of color and fresh flavor. Use dried parsley in a pinch, but reduce the amount to about 1 teaspoon.
🔪How to Make Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi
Heat the oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat.
Sauté the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes on one side until they start turning pink, then flip them over.
Add the wine or broth and red pepper flakes to the skillet, simmering until the liquid is reduced by half.
Stir in the remaining butter, lemon juice, and parsley, and remove from heat.
Serve over your choice of rice, pasta, garlic bread, or steamed veggies.
👨🍳Pro Tips
- Prep everything ahead of time: Gather all your ingredients and have them ready on the kitchen counter, close to your cooking area. This recipe cooks super fast, so it’s best to avoid any last-minute searching – like digging through the fridge for the wine while the shrimp is on the stove! Overcooked shrimp can turn rubbery and tough, which isn’t fun to eat, so stay organized and ready.
- Butter and oil combo: The shrimp is cooked in a mix of butter and oil. This helps prevent the butter from burning while still giving you that delicious buttery flavor. You can use all butter if you prefer, just keep in mind it may start to brown as you cook – a little browned butter adds a nice, nutty flavor, though!
- Choose larger shrimp: Go for extra-large or jumbo shrimp (or prawns) if you can! They’re plump, juicy, and perfect for this dish. If possible, look for wild-caught shrimp – they not only taste better but also have a better color and are generally healthier compared to farm-raised seafood.
- Pick a quality white wine: A good white wine makes a big difference in flavor. We recommend a Sauvignon Blanc, but a Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay also works great.
- Don’t forget the garnish: A squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of parsley can really brighten up the flavors and add a fresh touch at the end.
Shrimp Scampi Without Wine
You can totally skip the wine, or swap it out with some chicken broth. Chicken broth adds a richer flavor than fish broth, but hey, if you’ve got some homemade fish broth hanging around, go ahead and throw that in!
🗄️Storage
To store, let it cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. Keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days for the best flavor and texture.
If you make this recipe be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐! I will be happy to hear from you!
Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 ½ tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 pound LARGE shrimp deveined with tails on or off
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup dry white wine or broth
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes crushed or to taste - optional
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the garlic to the pan and sauté until it becomes fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Add the shrimp to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes on one side until they start turning pink, then flip them over.
- Pour in the wine or broth and add red pepper flakes if using. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes or until the liquid reduces by half and the shrimp are cooked through. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp.
- Stir in the remaining butter, lemon juice, and parsley. Remove the skillet from heat immediately.
- Serve the shrimp over rice, pasta, garlic bread, or steamed vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, or zucchini noodles.
Notes
Nutrition
All rights reserved. CHEF JAR. All images and content are copyright protected. PLEASE do not use my images without my permission. If you want to share this recipe, PLEASE provide a link back to this post.
Nate says
This scampi recipe was so easy and incredibly tasty! The garlic butter sauce was rich and flavorful, and it coated the shrimp beautifully. We served it over linguine, and it was a hit!
Tatiana says
Thanks, Nate! Garlic butter shrimp over linguine sounds amazing. I’m glad it was a hit!