With big shrimp swimming in a garlicky, lemony butter sauce, this shrimp scampi recipe makes simple look fancy. It can be served as an appetizer or as a main dish with pasta, zucchini noodles, or rice.
At first glance, this shrimp scampi dish looks downright decadent. But the truth is that it’s the epitome of ease, since making the best shrimp scampi from scratch only takes minutes. This shrimp scampi is elegant but easy to make, just like my pasta puttanesca, easy chicken piccata, and spaghetti alla carbonara. It’s a no-brainer for a quick and tasty dinner. This recipe is great because the ingredients can always be found in the pantry and freezer, so you can make it whenever you want. You can serve it as shrimp scampi pasta for a quick weeknight meal or as a fancy dish for company. Plus, you can serve it over rice, pasta, zucchini noodles, or just crusty bread, which is the best way to soak up all that delicious buttery garlic sauce.
Shrimp scampi is a classic Italian-American dish that combines succulent shrimp, pasta, and a savory garlic butter sauce. While the juicy shrimp are the star ingredient, it’s the luscious scampi sauce that really elevates this dish. So what gives shrimp scampi sauce its signature flavor?
The base of a stellar shrimp scampi sauce is actually quite simple. By understanding the core components and how to balance them, you can easily make restaurant-worthy shrimp scampi at home. Let’s go over what the sauce is made of and tips for executing it perfectly.
Butter – The Foundation
Butter provides the base richness and body for shrimp scampi sauce. A generous amount of butter is melted to cook the aromatics and shrimp. Standard salted butter works but high-quality European style butters can take the flavor up a notch. Clarified butter is sometimes used as it can withstand higher cooking temperatures. Whipped butter can also be used for quicker melting. The butter not only gives the sauce a velvety texture but also becomes infused with the garlic wine, and seasonings.
Garlic – The Star Player
No scampi sauce is complete without the pungent hit of garlic. Abundant amounts of minced, pressed, or finely chopped garlic are sautéed briefly in the melted butter. Two to six cloves per pound of shrimp is typical. The garlic becomes sweet, aromatic, and nutty as it cooks. Too much garlic can be overpowering, so adjust to your taste. Fresh garlic makes a difference over jarred versions. Include the pale green stem part for extra mild garlic notes.
White Wine – The Acid Component
A splash of white wine balances out the richness of the butter and cuts through the garlic’s bite. About 1/4 cup per pound of shrimp is used. Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and even cooking wines work well. The alcohol cooks off while the fruity acidity remains, brightening up the sauce. Lemon juice can provide acid too but wine’s flavor complexity is ideal. Omit wine for a kid-friendly sauce.
Shallots – The Aromatic
For extra depth, many shrimp scampi recipes call for shallots or onions. Finely diced shallots are gently cooked in the butter before the garlic. This adds a subtle sweet oniony note without overpowering the sauce Onions can substitute but have a stronger presence. Leave them out for a more streamlined sauce.
Seafood Stock – The Enhancer
Some recipes boost the sauce with a splash of seafood stock, clam juice or fish broth. This underscores the natural sweet brininess of the shrimp. However, it’s not essential as the shellfish release their juices. Chicken or vegetable broth can substitute. Or omit stock for a quicker sauce.
Herbs – The Finishing Touch
Fresh parsley, thyme, basil, or chives add a final punch of aroma and freshness. Italian parsley is most common. Chopped herbs are stirred in at the end so they retain their color and flavor. Dried herbs work in a pinch but lack vibrancy. Herbs balance the richness while letting the shrimp shine.
Lemon – The Brightener
A squirt of lemon at the end perks everything up. The bright acid prevents the garlic and butter from becoming heavy. Zest the lemon first to capture the oils before squeezing in juice. Bottled lemon juice works too. Start with a little and add more to taste.
Additional Flavorings
Light dashes of crushed red pepper, black pepper, paprika, oregano, chili flakes, or cayenne contribute extra dimensions. Just a pinch to let the other flavors still dominate.
Technique and Composition
Getting the timing and ratios of ingredients right is key to a perfectly balanced scampi sauce. Cook the garlic just until fragrant, add seafood next, then deglaze the pan with wine, and finish by enriching with butter. Letting any single component overcook ruins the effect. Use enough butter and aromatics to match the amount of shrimp. The ingredients should harmonize, not compete.
Now that you know the core elements of a stellar scampi sauce, you can easily whip one up. Adjust herbs, garlic, lemon, and butter to customize it exactly how you like. The basic formula ensures a rich, briny sauce that pairs heavenly with plump shrimp and pasta.
Here are some tips for nailing shrimp scampi sauce every time:
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Use fresh, high-quality ingredients – this makes a difference you can taste
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Prepare all ingredients before cooking – scampi sauce comes together quickly
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Use sufficient butter for richness and depth
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Add ample garlic but adjust amount to personal taste
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Sauté garlic briefly to mellow its bite but retain flavor
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Deglaze pan with white wine after cooking shrimp
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Finish sauce by swirling in cold butter to emulsify
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Brighten with a squeeze of lemon at the end
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Chop herbs right before adding to preserve freshness
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Follow recipe timing carefully to balance components
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Taste and adjust seasonings as needed before serving
Mastering the fundamentals of what goes into scampi sauce helps you improvise and make substitutions while still achieving an amazing end result. The richness of butter, punctuation of garlic, acidity of wine and lemon, aromatics of shallot and herbs — these work together in perfect harmony. A little technique helps balance and bloom the ingredients’ flavors.
While scampi sauce shines when paired with tender shrimp and pasta, it can also enhance vegetables, chicken, or fish. Drizzle it over steamed broccoli, baked potatoes, or grilled bread. Or use it as a dip for artichokes, asparagus, or crusty bread. It even transforms a baked potato or plain rice into something sensational.
Don’t reserve shrimp scampi just for special occasions — with a well-stocked pantry, you can enjoy this at home anytime. The sauce keeps for several days refrigerated and freezes well too. Adding a tangy, garlicky scampi sauce to your culinary repertoire allows you to elevatesimple ingredients into impressive yet easy meals.
Common Questions About Shrimp Scampi Sauce
What is scampi sauce made of?
The core ingredients in scampi sauce are butter, garlic, white wine, lemon juice, and parsley. Additional flavorings like shallots, seafood stock, crushed red pepper, and herbs are sometimes included.
Is scampi sauce the same as shrimp scampi?
Shrimp scampi refers to the Italian-American dish of shrimp served with a garlic butter wine sauce over pasta. The sauce itself is called scampi sauce or shrimp scampi sauce.
Can you make scampi sauce without wine?
Wine adds nice acidity and flavor complexity but can be omitted, especially when cooking for kids. Replace with lemon juice, vinegar, vermouth, broth, or water.
Does scampi sauce have cream?
Traditional scampi sauce is made without cream. However, some recipes add heavy cream or cream cheese for extra richness and body. Keep the ratio low so cream doesn’t dull the brighter flavors.
How thick should scampi sauce be?
Good scampi sauce has a silky, coat-the-back-of-a-spoon consistency. It should lightly cling to the shrimp and pasta without being too thick or gloppy. Allowing the sauce to reduce somewhat helps concentrate its flavor.
Scampi Sauce Variations
There are many ways to put your own spin on scampi sauce:
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Add a pinch of cayenne or crushed red pepper for a kick of heat
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Use lemon zest for extra citrus aroma
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Swap parsley for basil, oregano, chervil or dill
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Include a splash of white or red vermouth for complexity
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Whisk in a bit of Dijon mustard or capers
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Top with grated Parmesan, Pecorino Romano or Asiago cheese
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Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
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Use a blend of butter and olive oil for the base
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Make it dairy-free by using vegan butter
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Infuse the butter with fresh herbs before using
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Splash in some white wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar
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Mix in some chopped sun-dried tomatoes for depth
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Thicken the sauce slightly with a cornstarch slurry
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Add a touch of cream or cream cheese for luxe richness
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Spike with Cajun seasoning or Old Bay seasoning for a twist
Have fun playing with different flavor combos once you nail down the fundamentals. The possibilities are nearly endless.
Shrimp scampi sauce may seem decadent, but it’s actually relatively light and healthy, especially when tossed with a vegetable pasta. Be sure to use high-quality ingredients and techniques to let the food shine. Savor every garlicky, buttery bite of this seafood sauce sensation. Your taste buds will thank you!
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Make The Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce
Melt the butter and add the remaining garlic. Cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant then stir in the white wine and lemon juice. Cook for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens and reduces by half, stirring occasionally.
Whisking the cold butter into the warm sauce emulsifies the sauce and thickens it as the butter melts. It’s a French method similar to the classic beurre blanc that makes a garlic butter sauce that’s so smooth you’ll want to lick the spoon.
Toss it all together. Bring the shrimp back to the pan with any juices. Add the rest of the butter and some more salt, and mix it in. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, stir, and cook for 1 more minute. Serve warm with sourdough bread for dipping, or over pasta or rice.
What is Shrimp Scampi Sauce Made of
Even though a lot of people think of shrimp scampi as a fancy dish, it’s really easy to make and doesn’t take many ingredients.
Here’s what you’ll need to make this shrimp scampi:
- Frozen shrimp. For the best flavor, choose wild-caught shrimp when possible. The large 21/25 Key West pink shrimp tastes sweeter to me. Pick a frozen shrimp that still has its shell and tail on, and then shell and tail it yourself. You can keep the tail or remove it. Shrimp that is still in its shell tastes better and costs less. Ignore the ice rink of thawing shrimp at the seafood counter to get the freshest shrimp possible. The shrimp were frozen to begin with, so how long have they been sitting there? Instead, buy a bag of flash-frozen shrimp that you can thaw in a bowl of cool water for about 10 minutes.
- Garlic. Choose fresh garlic over the jarred stuff. I prefer to press mine instead of mincing.
- Red pepper flakes. Red pepper flakes deliver a balanced heat.
- Extra-virgin olive oil. A fruity extra virgin is my choice.
- White wine. Choose a dry wine that you can drink, like a sauvignon blanc or even a chardonnay.
- Butter. Salted or unsalted work equally fine and thicken the sauce.
- Lemon juice. Always use fresh lemon juice in this recipe.
- Kosher salt. Kosher salt isn’t as strong as table salt.
- Parsley. Use flat-leaf or regular parsley. Mince it fine for just the right bits of brightness.