Shrimp Scampi Pasta
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Try our quick and addictive Shrimp Scampi Pasta! In 30 minutes or less, you can enjoy the perfect combination of succulent shrimp, comforting pasta, and an Italian-inspired lemon garlic butter sauce that will knock your socks off.
Like our Baked Chicken Parmesan and Parmesan Broiled Tilapia, this meal is a quick weeknight favorite in our house.
Why Make This Shrimp Pasta Recipe
- Tastes as good or better and is much cheaper than what you’ll get at Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Cheesecake Factory, or even a fine dining restaurant. Consider this your own bistro shrimp pasta recipe!
- Comes together in 30 minutes or less, which makes it perfect for a weeknight.
- A nourishing, hearty one-pot wonder of a meal that all ages love.
Ingredients
This dish uses all real food ingredients that combine to make a luscious lemon butter sauce that coats the pasta and shrimp.
If you like this flavor combo, you’ll also enjoy our Lemon Garlic Chicken marinade.
A few notes on specific ingredients:
- Pasta – Some great options are linguine, spaghetti, fettuccini, angel hair, or even penne pasta. You can use gluten-free pasta if desired. I like Banza brand. Be sure to save about 1 cup of pasta water before draining (to loosen up the sauce later).
- Raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, & tails off – I used 31-40 count, which is the ideal size for one bite. Make sure to thaw if frozen.
- Dry white wine – I recommend using a crisp Pinot Grigio. If you want to avoid alcohol, use no-salt chicken broth and a little extra lemon juice to replace the wine.
- Lemon juice – Freshly squeezed lemon juice is a must!
- Italian seasoning – This is a dried herb mix found in most grocery stores. If you can’t find it, an easy substitute is half-dried oregano and half-dried basil.
- Parmesan cheese – Freshly grated is best, but the shelf-stable kind will work.
- Fresh parsley – This adds beautiful color and some freshness. When you chop parsley, remove the stems as much as possible. Fresh basil or chives would also work well.
Variations of This Recipe
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- Gluten-Free Version: Use gluten-free pasta. My favorite is chickpea angel hair pasta or linguine from Banza brand.
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- Dairy-Free Version: Use a plant-based butter and omit the Parmesan cheese.
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- Replace the shrimp with diced chicken breasts or thighs. Saute until cooked through (no more pink in the middle).
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- Try other fresh herbs in place of the parsley, such as basil or chives.
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- Saute some chopped asparagus or cherry tomatoes along with the shrimp to add in some produce. Delicious!
How to Make Shrimp Scampi Pasta
Here’s a quick overview of how this recipe works. A full, printable recipe with all the exact ingredient amounts is at the bottom of this blog post.
Boil Pasta
Cook the pasta in lightly salted water according to package directions. Before draining, be sure to save about 1 cup of pasta water for later. Drain and set aside. (While it cooks, finish the recipe.)
Prep Shrimp
Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. This will prevent the sauce from becoming watered down.
Cook Shrimp
In a large skillet, heat a combination of butter and oil over medium-high heat until it’s bubbly. (Adding the olive oil prevents the butter from browning.) Add in garlic, shrimp, salt, and red pepper flakes. Stir continuously until the shrimp just turns pink, 2-3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the shrimp to a plate and set aside.
Make Sauce
Place the skillet back over the heat. Pour in white wine, lemon juice, and Italian seasoning and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce reduces slightly. You may have to crank up the heat a little bit to bring it to a low simmer. Then, remove from the heat and swirl in the remaining butter.
Combine & Serve
Add the shrimp (and any juices from the plate) and cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to combine. Top with Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley.
Add a little pasta water to help the dish all come together and look glossy (I use about 1/3-1/2 cup but you can use more to preference). Taste and season with more salt, if needed. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.
Recipe FAQs
Store leftovers of this recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Enjoy leftovers cold or microwave them until warm. Add a squeeze of lemon over the top to add moisture and flavor.
Yes, but you need to thaw, drain it, and pat it dry first. Thawing shrimp is fast. Place it in a colander under cold running water and it will thaw in just a few minutes.
I prefer serving shrimp scampi with angel hair pasta or spaghetti. It soaks up the sauce and is easy to twirl with some shrimp on your fork.
Definitely! I make this with Banza brand gluten-free angel hair pasta or linguine every time. It’s delicious.
This isn’t my preference because it’s easy to overcook pre-cooked shrimp. However, if that’s what you have on hand, then heat the shrimp in the sauce just until it’s warmed through and no longer than necessary.
Side Dish Ideas
Complete your quick and easy shrimp pasta recipe with a few of these tasty sides.
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Shrimp Scampi Pasta
Try our quick and addictive Shrimp Scampi Pasta! In about 30 minutes, you can enjoy the perfect combination of succulent shrimp, comforting pasta, and an Italian-inspired lemon garlic butter sauce that will knock your socks off.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces linguine, spaghetti, or angel hair pasta
- Salt
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 pound (16 ounces) raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, & tails off (see cooking notes)
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (I used Pinot Grigio; sub: chicken broth)
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (sub: half-dried oregano and half-dried basil)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
- Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
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Instructions
- Boil Pasta: Cook the pasta in lightly salted water according to package directions. Before draining, remove about a cup of the salted pasta water for later. Drain and set aside. (While it cooks, finish the recipe.)
- Prep Shrimp: While the pasta cooks, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.
- Cook Shrimp: In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat until it’s bubbly. Add in garlic and shrimp. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Stir continuously until the shrimp just turns pink, 2-3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the shrimp to a plate and set aside.
- Make Sauce: Place the skillet back over the heat. Pour in white wine, lemon juice, and Italian seasoning and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce reduces slightly. Remove from the heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
- Combine & Serve: Add the shrimp (and any juices from the plate) and cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to combine. Top with Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley and toss again. Add a little pasta water and toss to help the sauce adhere to the pasta and to give it a glossy look (I usually use about 1/3-1/2 cup, but it’s up to you. If you forgot to save pasta water, it will be ok! Do NOT just add regular water.). Taste and season with more salt, if needed. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.
Notes/Tips
- This recipe goes fast once you start, so be sure to have all your ingredients and equipment ready at hand.
- I often double this recipe because my family likes it so much. But you’ll need a very large pan!
- For the shrimp, I used 31-40 count because it’s the right size for a bite. Make sure to thaw if it’s frozen.
- Gluten-Free Version: Use gluten-free pasta. My favorite is chickpea angel hair pasta or linguine from Banza brand.
- Dairy-Free Version: Use a plant-based butter and omit the Parmesan cheese.
So delicious! Personally, I may try a little less lemon juice next time per my kiddos request but it was so tasty!
Appreciate the review and feedback, Shauna. Adapt away for your own family for sure!
Easy and delicious!
Yay! Love to hear these words describe our recipes. Thanks so much for leaving a review Paula!
So yummy and easy to make dairy free! My family loved this one!
Wonderful! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review Tricia. 🙂
This was excellent! The whole family loved it!
Great news! Thanks for sharing Martha. 🙂
We followed the serving suggestion and served with asparagus and tomatoes over Angel hair pasta. It was so good and my kids, but especially my 2yo, loved it too. A winner!
Yum! This is one of my favorites. Thanks for leaving a review Maria! Do glad your 2yo loved it. 🙂
Can you freeze the noodles with it as well?
Cooked pasta, especially when not in a casserole, gets pretty mushy in the freezer. I would suggest making the pasta fresh the day you cook the meal.
Martha,
Great question! What I typically do, actually, is broil the shrimp for 1-2 minutes on each side until pink. That’s it! So simple.
Hey Rachel! Have you always done this over a grill? Just wondering if there’s a way to make this without firing up the grill. Thanks!