This quick and easy shrimp scampi recipe features white wine, butter, and plenty of garlic, making it the perfect weeknight dinner that's ready in just about 15 minutes.
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About This Recipe
Shrimp scampi is the ultimate weeknight dinner that's ready in just about 15 minutes! The scampi sauce is packed with bold flavors from garlic, white wine, fresh lemon, and a hint of red pepper flakes, creating a simple yet flavorful dish that always satisfies.
Quick-cooking shrimp and fresh aromatics come together effortlessly. A good crisp white wine brightens the buttery sauce and the addition of Parmesan cheese adds a deliciously savory depth to the garlic white wine sauce.
If you enjoy quick and flavorful seafood recipes, check out my garlicky mussels marinara or classic sole meunière with lemon and capers. For another seafood recipe with an Italian spin, try my halibut piccata.
📋 Ingredients
- Olive Oil and Butter: Both olive oil and butter are used for flavor and temperature control, as butter has a tendency to burn quickly.
- Garlic: This is the time to use fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor.
- White Wine: Use a crisp white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or a wine that you enjoy drinking.
- Fresh Lemon: Both lemon zest and lemon juice are used in the scampi sauce. Use a microplane to grate the fresh lemon zest.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese: Look for Parmigiano Reggiano for the best flavor.
- Shrimp: Use 16-20 count shrimp, which means you’ll get 16-20 shrimp per pound, the ideal size for this dish. And make sure the shrimp are peeled and deveined for the best texture
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🍋 Substitutions and Variations
- Scampi without Wine: Substitute with a splash of seafood stock or vegetable stock for an alcohol-free option.
- Creamy Scampi: Stir in a splash of heavy cream for a richer, creamier sauce.
- Low Carb: Serve over zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, or spaghetti squash for a low-carb alternative.
- Vegetables: Toss in spinach, cherry tomatoes, or asparagus.
⏲️ Instructions
Saute Garlic. Saute chopped garlic in butter and olive oil for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Add Wine and Parmesan. Add white wine, lemon zest and juice and grated Parmesan and stir into the sauce.
Cook Shrimp. Add the shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until they just turn pink.
Add Cooked Pasta. Add the cooked pasta directly to the shrimp scampi and toss to combine. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Shrimp Scampi Recipe Tips
- Shrimp Size: 16-20 count are my preference, which are about medium sized shrimp and mean that there will be about 16-20 shrimps in a pound.
- Cooking Shrimp: 16-20 count are my preference, which are about medium sized shrimp and mean that there will be about 16-20 shrimps in a pound.
- Pasta Water: Save a cup of the starchy pasta water and add some to the scampi sauce to loosen. As the sauce cools, it will thicken.
What to Pair with Shrimp Scampi
Serve the shrimp scampi over cooked linguini, orzo or lemon couscous and a glass of white wine such as Pinot Grigio. And don't forget crusty garlic bread to sop up the delicious garlic butter sauce.
More Shrimp Recipes to Try
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Shrimp Scampi with White Wine and Parmesan
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Ingredients
- 1 pound medium sized shrimp shells removed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves chopped finely
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional, for heat
- ½ cup white wine such as Pinot Grigio
- 1 whole lemon zest and juice
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
- ½ pound Cooked pasta for serving
Instructions
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. Once butter melts, add the chopped garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for 1-2 minutes until garlic softens but doesn't brown.
- Pour in the white wine and reduce for a 1-2 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
- Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and grated Parmesan cheese and stir everything together. Season with salt.
- Add the shrimp and cook on the first side for 2-3 minutes until pink, then flip over and cook for another 2-3 minutes until shrimp just turn pink.
- One shrimp are done, taste the sauce for seasoning and adjust as needed. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve with cooked pasta (or your other favorite side).
Notes
- Shrimp Size: 16-20 count are my preference, which are about medium sized shrimp and mean that there will be about 16-20 shrimps in a pound.
- Cooking Shrimp: 16-20 count are my preference, which are about medium sized shrimp and mean that there will be about 16-20 shrimps in a pound.
- Pasta Water: Save a cup of the starchy pasta water and add some to the scampi sauce to loosen. As the sauce cools, it will thicken.
Tina Gates says
I haven’t tried it yet, but I know it’s perfect for me tonight. I really do like your site and appreciate your cooking.
Samantha Ferraro says
Thank you so much Tina. Have a wonderful week, Samantha.
BrightLemonyKitchen says
Wow, we tried your other shrimp recipe, the Spanish Garlic Shrimp. I thought the Paprika would be too much but it was wonderful. Not sure which shrimp recipe we like best. I guess we will need to try them BOTH Again.
Katie says
Great recipe, my family and I love it-even the little ones!
Samantha Ferraro says
Katie, Glad to hear it. This recipe has always been one of our favorites too. Samantha