I’ve always loved shrimp scampi. I first had this seafood pasta as an Italian dinner at my favorite restaurant in town. It’s just a little hole-in-the-wall place, but those are usually the best kind, right? I used to always order the capellini pomodoro or lemon shrimp seafood pasta. But I was feeling a creative vibe that night, and decided to try something new.
So after I had it at the restaurant, I thought I’d try it at home. It seemed easy enough. But my shrimp turned out dry and shriveled up. I finally figured out it wasn’t really me, it just wasn’t one of the best spaghetti recipes out there. So I asked my cousin about it, she cooks a lot of seafood pasta. She had this recipe she found online with good reviews. It was the one!
My cousin did me a solid with that garlic butter shrimp recipe! When the garlic and butter hit the pan, my whole kitchen smelled like I’d just walked into a little restaurant in Italy.
The sauce coats every single noodle. Rich and buttery. Subtle white wine flavor underneath. And the shrimp gets a sear on it that really makes this truly the best shrimp scampi.
We cook this shrimp scampi for special occasions and when we have company. Or on a random Tuesday night when we just want a yummy dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This garlic butter pasta has become one of those meals I can count on, no matter what kind of week it’s been.
- Ready in about 30 minutes: From cold pan to dinner on the table while I go put my PJs on.
- Budget seafood pasta: A pound of shrimp, basic pantry stuff, linguine. Or spaghetti noodles, also fine. Pretty affordable for a special Italian dinner like this.
- Looks like you tried way harder than you did: Toss some fresh parsley on top, and people think you spent an hour cooking. My neighbor thought I ordered from a restaurant last time she was here.
- Great leftover situation: Reheats well for lunch the next day. I add a tiny bit of broth to loosen the pasta back up.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Nothing wild on this ingredient list. Here’s what to keep in mind, though.
- Shrimp: Peeled and deveined saves you so much time. Tails on or off, your call. I leave them on because my husband likes to pull them off himself. Weird, but whatever. You could swap in chicken strips if your family isn’t into seafood.
- White cooking wine: For some tangy depth. If you don’t keep wine around, or can’t use it for another reason, go with chicken broth and a squeeze of lemon.
- Linguine: Does a good job of holding on to the sauce. Spaghetti or angel hair is fine too. Gluten-free pasta, too. If you go with angel hair, be sure and not overcook it.
- Butter: Four tablespoons. Don’t be shy about it. This is a garlic BUTTER pasta, you know what I mean? No fake butter allowed!
- Fresh herbs: Parsley and basil both. Fresh makes a difference here that dried just can’t match. I grow basil on my windowsill specifically for recipes like this one.
Tips for Success
Okay, so. Couple things I’ve learned from making this more times than I can count.
- Don’t crowd your shrimp: If your skillet is small, do them in two batches. Crowded shrimp steam instead of sear, and you want that golden color on the outside.
- Garlic burns fast: Thirty seconds is plenty. The second you smell it, start moving to the next step. Burned garlic tastes bitter and there’s no saving it.
- Save that pasta water: If your sauce looks too thick or the pasta seems dry when you toss it all together, splash in some of that starchy water. Loosens everything up without watering down the flavor.
- Fresh herbs go in last: If you cook them too long they lose that bright taste. I toss extra parsley on top right before serving.
Storage and Reheating
Put leftovers in a container with a lid and stick it in the fridge. Good for about 3 days. The pasta soaks up sauce as it sits, which is normal.
Reheat in a skillet on medium low with a splash of chicken broth or butter to bring the sauce back to life. Microwave works too, just cover it so the shrimp don’t get rubbery.
I wouldn’t freeze this one. The shrimp get tough, and the pasta texture changes. Just make it fresh. It’s quick enough.
Serving Suggestions
Crusty bread on the side for sopping up that garlic butter sauce. You need it. My mom always puts out a loaf when she makes anything like this, and nobody complains.
A simple salad with lemon dressing works too. Or roasted asparagus if you want to be a little fancy about it.
FAQs
Can I use frozen shrimp?
Yep, that’s just what I do. Be sure to thaw them first, though. I thaw mine in a colander under cold running water, about ten minutes. Don’t even try to cook them frozen! It will be a huge fail.
Do I have to use wine?
Not really. It’s better with wine, but I’ve made it without and it was still the best shrimp scampi. Use some extra chicken broth plus a good squeeze of lemon juice.
Notes
My cousin still thinks her version of this pasta is better than mine. And you know what, she might have a point because she puts red pepper flakes in hers, and I keep forgetting to try that.
This has become my go-to when I need dinner to feel special, but I don’t have the energy to go all out. Twenty-some minutes and the whole family’s happy. Can’t beat that.
Garlic Butter Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 8 oz. Spaghetti
- 3 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil divided
- 5 tbsp. Unsalted butter divided
- 4 Cloves garlic finely minced
- ¼ tsp. Red pepper flakes
- ⅓ cup Dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 2 tbsp. Fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp. Lemon zest
- 3 tbsp. Fresh flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Pat the peeled and deveined shrimp completely dry on both sides with paper towels, which removes surface moisture to ensure a quick sear rather than steaming. Season the shrimp lightly with salt and black pepper.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of the unsalted butter with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the fat begins to shimmer, lay the shrimp in a single layer and sear undisturbed for 60 to 90 seconds per side just until they turn pink and opaque. Immediately transfer the shrimp to a clean plate; do not overcook them at this stage, as they will finish warming in the sauce later.
- Drop the spaghetti into the boiling water and cook it for exactly 2 minutes less than the package instructions indicate for al dente. This ensures the pasta remains firm enough to finish its final cooking stage directly inside the skillet sauce without becoming mushy.
- Reduce the skillet heat to medium and add 3 tablespoons of the butter along with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Drop in the minced garlic and red pepper flakes, sautéing for 60 seconds while stirring constantly until fragrant. Watch closely to prevent the garlic from taking on color or scorching, which creates a bitter taste.
- Pour the dry white wine into the skillet, using a wooden spoon to aggressively scrape up any caramelized savory bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Bring the liquid to a rapid simmer and let it reduce by half, cooking off the harsh alcohol vapors and concentrating the fruit acids.
- Right before draining the pasta, ladle out and reserve exactly ½ cup of the cloudy, boiling pasta water. Drain the spaghetti and add it directly to the simmering wine and garlic base.
- Pour in the lemon juice, lemon zest, the final 1 tablespoon of cold butter, and ¼ cup of the reserved starchy pasta water. Increase the skillet heat to medium-high and toss the pasta continuously with tongs for 2 minutes. As the starches from the water combine with the melting butter and oil under high heat, they form a glossy, unified cream-like emulsion.
- Slide the seared shrimp and any collected plate juices back into the bubbling skillet, tossing for 60 seconds until the seafood is heated through and completely coated in the silky garlic-butter sauce. Fold in the fresh chopped parsley, adjust with additional salt or pasta water if the sauce appears too thick, and serve immediately.
