Shrimp Scampi Pasta (VIDEO)

5 from 18 votes
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Shrimp Scampi Pasta is one of those comforting seafood pastas that are perfect for a quick and easy dinner! The shrimp are succulent and buttery combined with a bright, lemony sauce tossed with al dente pasta – a truly comforting meal!

Shrimp Scampi Pasta is a perfect dish to cook up on a weeknight or a special occasion to impress!

Close up of Shrimp Scampi pasta

Watch the Shrimp Scampi Pasta Recipe Video Below!

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Raw ingredients for shrimp scampi pasta

Ingredients for Shrimp Scampi Pasta

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for the best Shrimp Scampi Pasta!

  • shrimp U16-20 – I’m using U16-20 peeled and deveined shrimp for this recipe, which I find are the perfect size for this dish! You can also use tail on shrimp to give the sauce some extra flavor, but I personally like shrimp without the shells in this pasta.
  • garlic powder
  • Linguine pasta – I personally used linguine in this dish but you can substitute with any long pasta (for ex: fettuccine, spaghetti, bucatini, tagliatelle). You can use either fresh or dried pasta; my only recommendation is to use the highest quality stuff you can find! I like bronze-cut pasta because the surface of the pasta allows for more sauce to cling to it.
  • butter
  • olive oil
  • black pepper
  • garlic
  • red pepper flakes
  • white wine – I use a dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, but you can easily substitute this for chicken stock if you prefer to omit alcohol from this recipe.
  • lemon juice
  • lemon zest
  • freshly chopped parsley

For other pastas without a tomato sauce, try my wife’s favorite Carbonara, authentic Fettuccine Alfredo, a foolproof Cacio e Pepe, or a bright and lemony Pasta al Limone!

Shrimp Scampi Pasta: Recipe Instructions

Saute the Shrimp

Start by dropping your pasta into salted boiling water. We’re going to aim for 1-2 minutes before al dente to time the doneness of the pasta with the thickening of the sauce. Begin by peeling and de-veining your shrimp (if not already done so), and patting them dry with a paper towel. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Over medium high heat, melt butter along with olive oil and sautรฉ the shrimp for 2 minutes per side until bright pink and opaque. Remove the shrimp from the pan, leaving the leftover fond.

Cooking shrimp in a pan

Starting the Shrimp Scampi Pasta Sauce

In the same pan, fry minced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes for 30 seconds to infuse the butter and olive oil. The shrimp have left some beautiful fond in the pan and we’re going to take full advantage of it!

Deglaze the pan with white wine (or chicken stock if going sans alcohol) and lemon juice, making sure to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Season with black pepper, add some of the pasta water from the cooked pasta and let the sauce reduce by about 1/3.

Reduce the Shrimp Scampi Pasta sauce

Continue cooking your pasta to very al dente (1-2 minutes) under the al dente time, and add the pasta straight to the sauce along with some pasta water.

We are now left with a beautiful sauce that we want to reduce and evenly coat all the pasta (refer to the recipe video for the thickness I’m going for). Once you’re happy with the sauce, add back the shrimp and freshly chopped parsley and mix together thoroughly.

If the sauce is too thick, simply add a 1/4 cup of pasta water at a time and continue cooking until the right consistency is achieved.

Once the pasta is mixed with the shrimp and parsley and you’re happy with the consistency of the sauce, top with some freshly grated parmesan cheese and mix through. Your Shrimp Scampi pasta is done!

I like to garnish with more crushed red pepper, lemon zest and parmesan cheese! I hope you enjoy this Shrimp Scampi Pasta as much as I do!

shrimp scampi pasta plated in bowls

Recipe Tips for Shrimp Scampi Pasta

PASTA WATER

  • Salt your pasta water! This is the first step in ensuring your Shrimp Scampi Pasta is properly seasoned. The Italians believed in adding flavor in every step of the cooking process and salting your pasta water can be seen as your ‘foundation’. I like my pasta water to be as salty as the sea – briny but not so salty that it’s unbearable. I use kosher salt but you can use whatever salt you have on hand.
  • Save your pasta water! You may find the Shrimp Scampi Pasta sauce to be too thick, especially when mixed with the pasta, so save some of the pasta water to loosen as needed and create the creamy consistency you want.

UNDERCOOK THE PASTA

  • Account for the time that the Shrimp Scampi Pasta sauce will take to reduce and thicken (1-2 minutes) and undercook your pasta by the same amount of time. If the sauce has reduced too much before the pasta is done to your liking, you can always add additional pasta water to loosen the sauce back up and continue cooking the pasta.

If you’re looking for a pasta with a tomato sauce, try my classic Spaghetti and Meatballs! You can use the same sauce to make crispy Chicken Parmesan – it’s so good! A lighter option, especially during cherry tomato season, is Cherry Tomato Pasta. As a Roman pasta lover, I highly recommend trying my Bucatini all’Amatriciana!

If you tried this Shrimp Scampi Pasta or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ๐ŸŒŸ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!

5 from 18 votes

Shrimp Scampi Pasta

Servings: 4
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Close up of Shrimp Scampi pasta
Shrimp Scampi Pasta is one of those comforting seafood pastas that are perfect for a quick and easy dinner! The shrimp are succulent and buttery combined with a bright, lemony sauce tossed with al dente pasta – a truly comforting meal!

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Melt butter and olive oil in a pan over medium high heat. Season shrimp with salt, pepper, and garlic powder saute shrimp for 2 minutes per side and remove.
  • Cook pasta in salted water 1-2 minutes sooner than package directions for very al dente
  • In the same pan as the shrimp, sautรฉ garlic and chili flakes for 30 seconds,ย turn heat to high and add white wine and lemon juice, season with black pepper. Add 1/2 cup of pasta water and let reduce by about a third, then add the very al dente pasta directly to the pan.
  • Add a drizzle of olive oil and mix the pasta until the sauce has thicken and emulsified, and the pasta is done to your liking, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the shrimp and parsley to the pasta along with a knob of butter. Mix until coated and add more pasta water as needed.
  • Top with freshly parsley, lemon zest & grated parmesan. Serve with warm bread and enjoy.

Notes

I recommend using U16-20 peeled and deveined shrimp for this recipe, which I find are the perfect size for this dish! You can also use tail on shrimp to give the sauce some extra flavor, but I personally like shrimp without the shells in this pasta.
I used linguine in this dish but you can substitute with any long pasta (for ex: fettuccine, spaghetti, bucatini, tagliatelle). You can use either fresh or dried pasta; my only recommendation is to use the highest quality stuff you can find! I like bronze-cut pasta because the surface of the pasta allows for more sauce to cling to it.
Use a dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, but you can also easily substitute this for chicken stock if you prefer to omit alcohol from this recipe.
Salt your pasta water! This is the first step in ensuring your Shrimp Scampi Pasta is properly seasoned. The Italians believed in adding flavor in every step of the cooking process and salting your pasta water can be seen as your ‘foundation’. I like my pasta water to be as salty as the sea – briny but not so salty that it’s unbearable. I use kosher salt but you can use whatever salt you have on hand.
Save your pasta water! You may find the sauce to be too thick, especially when mixed with the pasta, so save some of the pasta water to loosen as needed and create the creamy consistency you want.
Account for the time that the Shrimp Scampi Pasta sauce will take to reduce and thicken (1-2 minutes) and undercook your pasta by the same amount of time. If the sauce has reduced too much before the pasta is done to your liking, you can always add additional pasta water to loosen the sauce back up and continue cooking the pasta.

Nutrition

Calories: 274kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 35gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 289mgSodium: 255mgPotassium: 504mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 0.5gVitamin A: 251IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 122mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @cj.eats_ or tag #cjeatsrecipes!

About CJ

Iโ€™m a third generation Chinese-American home cook who has always loved cooking & eating! Welcome to my food blog, where you can find trusted, tested, easy & approachable recipes for the everyday home cook that taste delicious! I am so glad you're here!

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5 from 18 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




8 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    great recipe, found it to be a little too lemony even though i love lemon. would add half the lemon juice next time and work up from there.

  2. 5 stars
    Easy and classic recipe. Pat dry your shrimp and do not overcrowd the pan, otherwise you boil the shrimp instead of giving it a good sear. I also garnished with capers for an extra tangy taste

  3. 5 stars
    Easy and delicious recipe. Pat dry your shrimp and do not overcrowd the pan, otherwise you boil the shrimp instead of giving it a good sear. I also garnished with capers for an extra tangy taste