Shrimp Scampi
If you’re craving something decadent, try Shrimp Scampi. Tender shrimp simmered in a rich, garlicky white wine sauce – perfect as an appetizer or tossed with pasta for a restaurant-worthy meal at home.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb pasta (angel hair, fettuccine, spaghetti)
- 2 lbs shrimp, peeled, deveined
- salt, ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons oil
- 1/2 cup white wine (I use Sauvignon blanc)
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 3–5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1–2 teaspoons dry herbs and spices (I like Onion Salt Trader Joes and Simply Organic All Purpose Seasoning), optional
- red pepper flakes, optional
- fresh parsley and basil, minced
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions or how you like them, al dente or well done, whatever suits your fancy.
- Meanwhile, prep the shrimp, clean and peel, if needed. Place the shrimp on a paper towel and blot dry. Then, season with salt and pepper.
- Cook the shrimp in batches. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the shrimp quickly to the skillet, placing it in a single layer. Cook for about 3 minutes, on high heat, just until it’s pink and starting to turn golden.
- Don’t overcook the shrimp. The second side cooks even faster. The shrimp will continue cooking in the sauce, so don’t worry about it being undercooked. You’ll need to cook the shrimp in 2 or even 3 batches, if using a smaller pan.
- When the last batch of shrimp is cooked, clear off a space in the center and add the pat of butter and then fresh garlic, the dry herbs and the red pepper flakes, letting them cook in the butter until the garlic is fragrant and cooked through, about 30 seconds – 1 minute.
- Use high heat when cooking the shrimp and lower the heat when cooking the garlic. Don’t overcook the garlic. If it burns, it will have an unpleasant flavor and will be bitter.
- Lastly, pour in the wine and whisk until you get all the delicious, yummy bits off the bottom of the pan. Add all the cooked shrimp to the pan as well. The wine will deglaze the pan and add so much flavor to the sauce. Reduce the wine on high heat for about 3-5 minutes.
- Off the heat, add the fresh herbs. Mix to combine.
- Combine the pasta with the shrimp. Once your pasta is cooked, remember to save a little bit of that pasta water before draining. When you combine your shrimp with the pasta, add a splash of that reserved pasta water to bring everything together.