Easy Shrimp Scampi

shrimp scampi

Garlicky shrimp. Slippery spaghetti. A silky sauce with olive oil, butter, and wine.

This Shrimp Scampi tastes so luxurious, and it’s also incredibly easy to make.

And these days, I’m all about easy.

easy shrimp scampi

Gone are the days when I would beat myself up for missing a week of posting content on this blog. I no longer re-do photo shoots obsessively (why didn’t I just add one more shrimp to that hero shot?) I don’t meal plan or meal prep with precision. I don’t wear stilettos just for the sake of wearing them. I don’t even attend bootcamp classes anymore, and instead I  just do what I’ve always loved to do: running and yoga.

I’m much more relaxed and happier than ever.

Now don’t get me wrong – your homegirl’s still obsessed with making lists, putting everything in a spreadsheet, and shopping for shoes. But I just… stress less.

easy shrimp scampi

This Easy Shrimp Scampi is one of those meals that you’ll never have to stress about it. It’s a no-brainer weeknight dinner (everything comes together in less than 30 minutes). It’s also great for entertaining and special occassions (I already mentioned oil, butter, and wine, right?) The only downside of this dish is that it doesn’t make for the best leftovers, but trust me, leftovers will be rare with something as delicious as this.

I thought about using my regular standard of whole wheat pasta, but decided to splurge with classic white spaghetti (I’ve had a love affair with spaghetti for as long as I can remember). I thought about eliminating the white wine, but laughed at myself at that joke.

one pot shrimp scampi

The entire dish is finished with a generous sprinkling of fresh parsley, ground pepper, chili pepper flakes, and lemon zest. They add the right amounts of freshness and spice. There’s plenty of shrimp and pasta for six servings.

Yield: serves 6

Easy Shrimp Scampi

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter
8 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper chili flakes
1 lb peeled and deveined uncooked shrimp
1/2 cup white wine
juice and zest of half a lemon
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. In a large pot, cook spaghetti according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. Rinse pasta with cool water; set aside.
  2. Using paper towels, pat the shrimp dry and season with salt and pepper.
  3. In the same large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add half of the butter (2 tablespoons), garlic, and half of the chili flakes (1/4 teaspoon). Saute until the garlic is soft and fragrant, about 1 minute.
  4. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute. Flip the shrimp, and add the wine, and cook until the shrimp is just opaque and the wine has reduced in half, about 2 minutes.
  5. Remove the pot from heat, and add the remaining butter, stirring until melted.
  6. Add the spaghetti and lemon juice, and toss. You may add some of the pasta cooking water, too (add one tablespoon at a time) so that the sauce coats everything nicely. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Transfer to a platter, top with parsley, more fresh ground pepper, the remaining chili flakes, and lemon zest. Serve immediately.

I like things spicy so I used a generous amount of chili pepper flakes. If you'd like a little less heat, I recommend cutting amount in half.

If you do not want to use wine, you can omit completely, and just add more pasta cooking water to the sauce, as necessary.

Recipe adapted from The Kitchn.

If you think you would love the taste of this Shrimp Scampi as much as I do, and if you have a little more time, then let me suggest a couple other favorite pasta dishes:

squid ink spaghetti with buttered crab and gremolata breadcrumbs

Squid Ink Spaghetti with Buttered Crab and Gremolata Breadcrumbs

moms pasta sauce

My Mom’s Pasta Sauce

easy one pot shrimp scampi

But if you’re looking for a mouth-watering pasta dish that’s a cinch to make and only requires one pot to clean, I highly recommend this decadent Easy Shrimp Scampi. Buon appetito!