Description
This Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi is a quick and flavorful dish featuring succulent shrimp sautéed in a rich garlic butter sauce with a hint of white wine and fresh lemon. Perfect for a light meal or dinner, it combines simplicity and elegance in under 10 minutes. Serve it over pasta, rice, garlic bread, or low-carb options like zucchini noodles or steamed vegetables for a delicious and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Shrimp and Seasoning
- 1 1/4 pounds large shrimp (prawns), shelled with tails on or off
- 1 pinch salt, to taste
- 1 pinch cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (crushed, optional)
Sauce and Cooking
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter (divided)
- 4-5 cloves garlic, 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 the oil and butter: In a large pan or skillet, warm 2 tablespoons of butter along with 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat to prepare the base for cooking the shrimp and developing the garlic flavor.
- Sauté the garlic: Add minced garlic to the hot oil and butter mixture and sauté for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant but not browned, infusing the oil with garlic aroma.
- Cook the shrimp: Add the shrimp to the pan, seasoning with salt and cracked pepper to taste. Sauté the shrimp for 1-2 minutes on one side until they just start turning pink, then flip them to cook the other side.
- Add wine and spices: Pour in the dry white wine (or broth as an alternative), add red pepper flakes if using, and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the liquid reduces by about half and the shrimp are fully cooked through, being careful not to overcook.
- Finish the sauce: Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, lemon juice, and chopped parsley to enrich the sauce and add a fresh, bright flavor. Remove the pan from heat immediately to prevent overcooking.
- Serve: Serve the shrimp scampi hot over your choice of base such as rice, pasta, garlic bread, or for a low-carb option, steamed vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, or zucchini noodles.
Notes
- Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi comes together quickly—perfect for a fast yet impressive meal in under 10 minutes.
- The combination of garlic, butter, white wine, and lemon juice creates a rich and balanced sauce with bold flavors.
- Serve as an appetizer or a light meal, or pair with pasta for a hearty dinner.
- To keep it low carb, replace pasta with zucchini noodles or steamed cauliflower.
- Do not overcook the shrimp as they become tough; cook until just pink and opaque.
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
