Description
Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi is a quick and flavorful seafood dish featuring succulent shrimp sautéed in a rich garlic butter sauce with a hint of white wine and fresh lemon juice. Ready in just 10 minutes, this classic Italian-American recipe makes for an elegant appetizer or a light main course served over pasta, rice, or steamed vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
Shrimp and Seasonings
- 1 1/4 pounds shrimp (large prawns, shelled, tails on or off)
- 1 pinch salt (to taste)
- 1 pinch cracked pepper (to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (crushed, optional)
Garlic Butter Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter (divided)
- 4-5 cloves garlic (large, minced, or 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic)
- 1/4 cup dry white wine (or broth)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Heat oil and butter: In a large pan or skillet, warm the olive oil together with 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat to create the base for your sauce.
- Sauté garlic: Add the minced garlic to the hot pan and sauté for 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn.
- Cook shrimp: Add the shrimp to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes on one side until they begin to turn pink. Then flip the shrimp to cook the other side.
- Add wine and simmer: Pour in the dry white wine or broth, sprinkle in the red pepper flakes if using, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the wine reduces by about half and the shrimp are cooked through. Avoid overcooking to keep shrimp tender.
- Finish sauce: Stir in the remaining butter, fresh lemon juice, and chopped parsley to enrich the sauce. Remove the pan from heat immediately to prevent the butter from separating.
- Serve: Serve the garlic butter shrimp scampi over your choice of rice, pasta, garlic bread, or steamed vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, or zucchini noodles for a low-carb option.
Notes
- This dish comes together in under 10 minutes, making it perfect for a quick weeknight meal or an elegant appetizer.
- For a low-carb or gluten-free option, serve with zucchini noodles or steamed cauliflower instead of pasta or bread.
- You can omit the white wine and substitute with broth if preferred or to keep it alcohol-free.
- To enhance flavor, use fresh garlic and freshly squeezed lemon juice rather than bottled varieties.
- Do not overcook the shrimp; they cook very quickly and will become rubbery if left too long in the pan.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 303 kcal
- Sugar: 0.4 g
- Sodium: 276 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Cholesterol: 258 mg
