This vibrant shrimp scampi recipe brings a restaurant-quality meal to your table in under twenty minutes. By utilizing a blend of dried herbs and high-quality butter, you create a rich, silky sauce that clings perfectly to every strand of tender pasta. It is an ideal weeknight dinner for anyone craving a sophisticated seafood dish that requires minimal cleanup and straightforward preparation.
List of ingredients
- 4 oz linguine or angel hair pasta
- ½ pack of Italian seasoning
- 1 cup shrimp, small size, cleaned & deveined
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- ¼ cup chicken stock
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
- ½ tsp oregano, dried
- 3 tbsp butter
- ½ tsp thyme, dried
- ½ tsp rosemary, dried
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley
- ½ tsp basil, dried
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ cup parmesan, grated or powdered
- salt to taste
step-by-step instructions
- Step: Cook the pasta or linguine according to package directions, drain, and set aside.
- Step: In a skillet, add olive oil and garlic and sauté for several seconds.
- Step: Add the shrimp, black pepper powder, Italian seasoning mix, and salt. Sauté for a couple of minutes until shrimp is pink.
- Step: Add the chicken stock and let it simmer for a few minutes. Add butter and cook until melted.
- Step: Add the cooked pasta, reduce the heat, and stir in lemon juice and fresh parsley.
- Step: Adjust salt, toss well, and serve immediately topped with grated parmesan.
Refining Your Technique
Achieving the Perfect Sear
When cooking shrimp, high heat is your best friend, but timing is critical to avoid a rubbery texture. Ensure the skillet is hot enough before adding the shrimp so they develop a slight color quickly without overcooking through. You know they are ready when they curl into a loose ‘C’ shape and have turned opaque throughout.
Balancing the Sauce Consistency
The chicken stock and butter emulsion relies on the starch remaining on your pasta. If you find your sauce is too thin, try not to rinse the pasta after draining, as the surface starch helps bind the fat to the noodles. Adding the pasta directly from the colander while it is still steaming ensures the sauce adheres perfectly.
Substitutions and Adjustments
Vegetable Stock Alternatives
If you prefer to keep the flavor profile strictly focused on vegetables, you can swap the chicken stock for a high-quality vegetable broth. If you choose this route, look for a low-sodium version so that you can control the salt levels of your dish. Mushroom-based vegetable stock is particularly effective for mimicking the umami richness of a meat-based stock.
Selecting the Best Pasta Variety
While linguine and angel hair are the standard choices, you can use any long-strand noodle like spaghetti or fettuccine. If you only have short pasta on hand, such as penne or fusilli, they will still work, though the sauce distribution will differ. These shapes are actually quite efficient at trapping the chopped garlic and herbs within their hollows or ridges.
Serving Suggestions for a Complete Meal
Vegetable Pairings
This dish is fairly rich, so pairing it with crisp vegetables balances the palate nicely. A side of lightly steamed asparagus tossed with lemon zest or a fresh arugula salad dressed with a simple vinaigrette provides a nice textural contrast. These additions help cleanse the tongue between bites of the buttery, garlicky pasta.
Bread Options
Since the sauce is the highlight of this recipe, serving it with a crusty loaf of toasted garlic bread is highly recommended. The bread is useful for soaking up any excess herb-infused butter left at the bottom of the bowl after the noodles are gone. Opt for a sourdough or ciabatta base for the best structural integrity.
Storage and Reheating Guidelines
Managing Leftovers
Shrimp scampi is best eaten fresh, but if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for no more than one day. Because the shrimp can become tough upon reheating, keep the portion size small. Ensure the container is sealed tightly to prevent the garlic and parsley odors from permeating other items in your fridge.
Proper Reheating Methods
When reheating, avoid the microwave if possible, as it will likely turn the shrimp rubbery and break the sauce emulsion. Instead, place the pasta in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water or a tiny bit more chicken stock. Stir gently until the pasta is warmed through and the sauce regains its glossy, liquid consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen shrimp for this recipe?
Yes, you can use frozen shrimp, but you must ensure they are fully thawed and patted extremely dry before adding them to the skillet. Excess moisture from icy shrimp will steam them rather than sear them and will water down your delicate butter sauce. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight or in a bowl of cold water for twenty minutes before preparation.
Is there a way to make this dish without parmesan?
If you prefer to skip the cheese, you can increase the amount of fresh herbs or add a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat to maintain the flavor complexity. The parmesan is primarily used for its savory, salty finish and as a thickening agent. Without it, the sauce will be lighter and more focused on the lemon and butter profiles.
How do I prevent the garlic from burning?
Garlic has a tendency to burn rapidly, turning bitter and ruining the flavor of the entire dish. To prevent this, never add the garlic to a cold pan, and always keep it moving once it hits the hot oil. If you are worried, you can add a teaspoon of water to the pan just as the garlic turns golden to stop the cooking process instantly.
Can I prepare the ingredients ahead of time?
Yes, this recipe is perfect for ‘mise en place’ preparation, meaning you should have everything chopped and measured before you turn on the stove. Since the actual cooking time is under ten minutes, having your garlic chopped, butter measured, and spices mixed in a small bowl will ensure the process goes smoothly. You can prepare the pasta a few hours early, but it is best if tossed in the sauce immediately after cooking.
Print
Classic Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
- Diet: Pescatarian
Description
Shrimp Scampi is an easy and fast dish with creamy delicious shrimp. Made with butter, olive oil, parmesan, and Italian seasoning, this pasta dish is absolutely delicious.
Ingredients
- 4 oz linguine or angel hair pasta
- ½ pack of Italian seasoning
- 1 cup shrimp, small size, cleaned & deveined
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- ¼ cup chicken stock
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
- ½ tsp oregano, dried
- 3 tbsp butter
- ½ tsp thyme, dried
- ½ tsp rosemary, dried
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley
- ½ tsp basil, dried
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ cup parmesan, grated or powdered
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Step: Cook the pasta or linguine according to package directions, drain, and set aside.
- Step: In a skillet, add olive oil and garlic and sauté for several seconds.
- Step: Add the shrimp, black pepper powder, Italian seasoning mix, and salt. Sauté for a couple of minutes until shrimp is pink.
- Step: Add the chicken stock and let it simmer for a few minutes. Add butter and cook until melted.
- Step: Add the cooked pasta, reduce the heat, and stir in lemon juice and fresh parsley.
- Step: Adjust salt, toss well, and serve immediately topped with grated parmesan.
Notes
Ensure all ingredients are prepped before starting, as this recipe cooks very quickly.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 426 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg