Easy Shrimp Scampi Recipe

Shrimp scampi on a plate with a gold fork. The plate is surrounded by a green glass, three lemons, and a blue and white striped napkin.

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: easy shrimp scampi recipe, shrimp scampi sauce recipe

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

marinating time: 30

Total Time: 45

Servings:

Calories: 286kcal

This easy shrimp scampi is lemony, buttery, and loaded with garlic! It's about as classic as it gets! Better than a restaurant and so quick—cooks in 10 minutes!

Print Recipe

US Customary - Metric

Equipment

Ingredients

1 pound peeled raw shrimp tails on or tails off, either is fine
3 tablespoons olive oil divided
1 teaspoon kosher salt plus a pinch for the sauce
5 cloves garlic divided
¾ cup white wine
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt to a non-reactive bowl. Use a microplane grater to grate one clove of the garlic and add it to the mixture. Whisk to combine.
Add the shrimp to the bowl and stir gently to ensure they are completely coated in the garlic oil mixture. Place in the refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes.
Use a microplane grater to zest the lemon, then juice it. Set both aside.
Use a good chef's knife and finely mince the remaining garlic. Give the parsley a rough chop. Set both aside. Gather and measure the remaining ingredients and have them ready. See note.
Add the remaining olive oil to a wide, deep skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the shrimp in one layer.
Cook the shrimp for 1-2 minutes until they are just barely pink on one side then flip them all over for another 1-2 minutes and cook on the other side until barely pink. Remove shrimp from the pan and transfer to a plate.
In the same pan, add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add the white wine to deglaze the pan and stir to combine with the garlic. Add the butter, crushed red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and stir until the butter is melted.
Add the shrimp back to the pan to cook through, about 1-2 minutes.
Turn off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and parsley. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately.

Notes

Be sure to have all of your ingredients measured and ready before you start cooking because this recipe goes quickly.
Shrimp cooks FAST! This is why we are removing it from the pan when we make the scampi sauce part of the recipe. Take care not to overcook it, or it will get tough and rubbery.
Shrimp cooking time may vary depending on the size of your shrimp.
Don't skip marinating the shrimp in the salt and grated garlic. Because they cook so fast, they need this time to absorb the flavor. If you wait until it's time to cook them, the salt will just be on top and you won't have the best flavor.
The amount of crushed red pepper will give you a kick of spice here and there, but it's not a lot of heat. Feel free to adjust the amount according to your taste.
Turn the heat off before adding the parsley and lemon juice to ensure that the parsley holds its bright green color and to keep the lemon juice from cooking and turning bitter.

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure policy here.

Nutrition