Shrimp Scampi Pasta — Indulge your taste buds with this elegant yet simple Italian-inspired dish! Made with succulent shrimp, zesty lemon, savory parmesan cheese, and al dente cooked pasta, this EASY restaurant-worthy recipe is ready in 15 minutes! PERFECT when you want to impress your guests but don’t want to spend all day cooking! Save this one for not only an easy weeknight family dinner, but also for special occasions including holiday dinners, birthdays, anniversaries, or a date-night-in.
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Easy Shrimp Scampi Pasta Recipe
This shrimp scampi pasta recipe is a spinoff from my Easy 10-Minute Shrimp Scampi recipe. I added onions, Parmesan cheese, and perfectly cooked pasta to today’s version.
What results is a restaurant-quality meal, made at home very easily and in just 15 minutes! It’s a testament to the joy of combining simple, fresh ingredients to create a dish that bursts with flavor.
This easy garlic shrimp pasta recipe strikes a delightful balance between the sweetness of juicy shrimp, citrusy lemon, tender linguine (or the pasta of your choice), and the richness of butter.
It’s an ideal choice for both a weeknight meal idea and noteworthy celebrations. If you’re wondering what to serve guests at your next dinner party, or for holiday entertaining such as Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas dinner, New Year’s Eve dinner, Valentine’s Day, or any Friday during Lent, this is an awesome recipe to hang onto.
With almost no prep time and a total time of 15 minutes, this is a quick and easy recipe that promises big flavor results that will leave your friends and family craving more and asking you for the recipe!
Ingredients in Shrimp Scampi with Pasta
To make this easy recipe for shrimp linguine pasta, you’ll only need a handful of common, easy-to-find ingredients which include:
- Dry linguine pasta (angel hair pasta, spaghetti, or long-strand pasta may be substituted)
- Unsalted butter
- Olive Oil
- Garlic cloves
- Finely chopped yellow onion
- Shrimp
- Salt
- Black pepper
- White Wine
- Lemon juice
- Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley, optional
- Red pepper flakes, optional
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
What’s the Best Shrimp for Shrimp Scampi?
I highly recommend using fresh, raw medium-large to large shrimp for this easy shrimp scampi linguine recipe. For me, that means 12 to 15-count shrimp, or 12 to 15 shrimp per pound.
Smaller shrimp just don’t have the same flavor for me, and they will also cook much faster.
Large shrimp like I used really only need a few minutes to cook. Before adding the lemon juice and wine, I cook them for two minutes, then another two minutes after adding the liquids. Small shrimp can cook uncontrollably fast and then become tough and rubbery which you don’t want.
I always use fresh shrimp when shrimp is the star of the recipe as opposed to frozen shrimp.
I kept the tails on in this recipe but it’s a cosmetically-motivated decision since in classic shrimp scampi recipes, the tails are on. However, for easier consumption and less mess when you’re eating, you can take the tails off. Your choice.
If you’re using frozen shrimp, make sure you know whether they’re been previously cooked (and all you need to do is thaw and warm them) or if they were frozen raw (and you’ll need to thaw and then cook them) and act accordingly.
Cooked properly, these fresh shrimp are tender, juicy, succulent, and the flavorful sauce coats the pasta perfectly!
Do I Have to Use Wine in Shrimp Scampi?
I highly recommend using dry white wine in the shrimp scampi sauce.
Anyone who’s concerned about using wine, I don’t believe in the 1/4 cup of wine that you’re using for this entire recipe that feeds 4 people, that there is any tangible alcohol content that remains, but of course do as you feel is best.
You’ll be able to smell the alcohol cooking off from the wine in the first minute or so of simmering this white wine sauce with the lemon juice and garlic.
However, if you’re not using wine, I recommend using (in this order): a touch more lemon juice; chicken broth or vegetable broth; finally, cooking sherry. Note that some sherry can taste cheap and could overpower the shrimp so use what you’re familiar with and really just use wine if at all possible!
How To Make Garlic Shrimp Scampi and Pasta
Follow these basic and straightforward instructions and you’ll be enjoying this restaurant-quality meal in minutes!
Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve a bit of pasta water.
Step 2: Peel and devein the shrimp if they are not already. It’s easier to do this over a colander in the sink.
Don’t Want To Clean Your Own Shrimp?
Most well-stocked butcher counter areas (or combination butcher + seafood counter), have a selection of already cleaned shrimp. If so, buy these! Frankly, even if they’re a bit more expensive, this is where a few dollars extra is well worth it in my opinion.
But if there are no shrimp already cleaned, this is where you should take advantage of your butcher and make him do it!
I have found that this ‘service’ is included in the price-per-pound of shrimp you’re buying, so you may as well take full advantage!
If you know you’re going to the store for the shrimp, first go to the butcher counter, tell him what you want, ask that they are cleaned and deveined, carry on with the rest of your shopping, and return to the butcher counter right before you’re ready to pay, and your shrimp should be ready.
Step 3: Add the butter and olive oil to large skillet, and melt the butter over medium-high heat before adding the chopped onions and saute until golden.
Step 4: Next add the minced garlic and stir until fragrant.
Step 5: Add the shrimp in a single layer, season with salt and black pepper, add the lemon juice (plus a teaspoon of lemon zest if you want a bolder lemon flavor), and white wine and cook until the shrimp are done – they should be pale pink and opaque, and no longer grey.
Step 6: Turn off the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese to combine.
Step 7: Add some of the pasta water with the cooked pasta to the skillet with the shrimp scampi and stir everything together, before serving warm with extra shaved Parmesan, and tossing with fresh parsley, red pepper flakes, and lemon wedges or as desired!
Don’t forget a side of lemon wedgest and garlic herb rolls or garlic bread to mop up all of that saucy goodness!
Tips for the Best Shrimp Scampi Pasta
Fresh Ingredients: Because the recipe comes together with so few ingredients, it’s important that you use the best ones you can get your hands on. Fresh shrimp, freshly squeezed lemon juice rather than the bottled kind, use freshly grated Parmesan cheese and nothing out of a green can!
Al Dente Pasta: You can use whatever long-strand pasta you’d like from angel hair to linguine, but make sure to cook it to al dente, as directed on the packaging. Don’t overcook it.
Save Some Pasta Water: Reserving ¼- ⅓ cup of pasta cooking water helps the final result of the dish because it allows the pasta to have a bit more liquid to absorb (which pasta loves to do) without getting dry.
Recipe FAQs
I recommend pairing linguine with shrimp scampi. However, another long-strand pasta will work such as spaghetti, farfalle, pappardelle, angel hair, or your favorite. I have a recipe for Lemon Butter Garlic Shrimp with Angel Hair Pasta which is a decade-long reader favorite!
Other small-shapes will also work but I feel like longer pasta lends more of an elegant look, than say ziti or penne does, but it’s up to you. You could probably experiment with zucchini noodles although you’d have to see how they hold up.
Use a dry white wine that you’d happily drink. Sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio are my favorites. Chardonnay also works but I am not personally a chardonnay fan for the oakiness of it. Use what you enjoy – just make sure it’s not a sweet wine!
Also see above ‘Do I Have To Use Wine’ for more info.
Are you throwing a big dinner party or feeding a lot of people? You can easily make double the amount of this recipe. Just increase all the ingredients, making sure to keep the ratios the same.
You might need a bigger pan to fit more shrimp, so use a larger one if you have it. The important thing is to give it a taste to see if you need to add any extra lemon, garlic, cheese, or seasonings.
The recipe serves about 4 as written but if you need dinner for two, then you can easily halve the recipe. Just halve the quantities of all ingredients.
Unfortunately shrimp, and pasta to a lesser degree, are both items that don’t really hold well. Since this is a fast and easy recipe, I suggest making this just before you plan to serve it.
I mention in the recipe to add 1/4 to 1/3 cup pasta water when you’re tossing the lemon butter garlic shrimp together with the pasta. Perhaps your pasta could have used a bit more water. Alll pasta does vary so if it’s seeming a bit on the dry side when you’re tossing it, don’t be afraid to add a few more tablespoons of pasta water.
If your shrimp are rubbery, tough, or chewy, it’s likely because the shrimp cooked for too long. Shrimp can go from being raw to overcooked quite quickly – in just a minute or two! Keep an eye on them while cooking, as they only need about two minutes to be done.
You won’t have Shrimp Scampi Pasta, but if you want to make scallops like I do in my Garlic Butter Scallops recipe, and use them in place of the shrimp, it’s another option protein packed option with a similar flavor profile.
What to Serve with Shrimp Scampi Pasta
I recommend keeping your sides and accoutrements for this elegant shrimp scampi linguine recipe on the simpler side. You really want the accompanying dishes to accentuate, not distract, from it.
Therefore, I would serve the following:
- Classic House Salad
- Garlic Herb Dinner Rolls
- Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
- Parmesan Balsamic Roasted Broccoli
- Cheesy Roasted Asparagus
- Herb-Roasted Tri-Colored Carrots
- Classic Lemon Drop Martini
- White Sangria
Storage Instructions
In the Refrigerator: This recipe will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. However, this dish is best hot and fresh so aim to make and eat it all at one sitting. Want to halve the recipe? Yes you sure can. See the FAQs.
In the Freezer: Technically this recipe will keep airtight in the freezer for up to 3 months. However, it’s best eaten warm and fresh, never frozen.
To Reheat: I use my microwave for quickness and ease and reheat my leftovers for about 30-60 seconds on high, or as needed. Take care not to overcook the shrimp or the pasta.
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Shrimp Scampi Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry linguine pasta, angel hair pasta, spaghetti, pappardelle, farfalle, or long-strand pasta may be substituted
- ¼ to ⅓ cup pasta water, reserved from cooking the pasta
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 to 5 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
- 1 to to 1.25 pounds large fresh raw shrimp, cleaned and deveined, with tails on or off as desired*
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- ¼ cup white wine, optional but recommended (sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio are my favorites, chardonnay is fine)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, optional but recommended for garnishing
- Red pepper flakes, optional but recommended for garnishing
Instructions
- Pasta – Cook the pasta to al dente as directed on the packaging, drain, and set aside until it's needed. Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water. While the pasta is boiling, begin cooking the shrimp.
- Shrimp – To a large, high-sided skillet, add 2 tablespoons butter, the olive oil, and heat over medium-high heat to melt the butter.
- Add the onions and cook for about 3-4 minutes, or until becoming soft and translucent; stir frequently.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir nearly constantly.
- Add the shrimp* (see Notes), evenly season with the salt and pepper, cook for 1 minute on the first side, flip, and cook for 1 minute on the second side until shrimp are turning pink and are opaque; they should be about 90% cooked at this point. It's okay if they are not cooked completely because they will be simmering a couple minutes longer.
- Add the white wine, lemon juice, remaining butter, and allow the mixture to simmer for about 2 minutes, or until the shrimp are completely cooked through and the liquid volume has reduced a bit and smells aromatic. Please see Notes below re cooking with wine if you're concerned.
- Add the Parmesan and stir to combine.
- Add the cooked pasta to the shrimp, 1/4 to 1/3 cup pasta water, and toss very well to combine. Tips – If your skillet is large enough, you can do this in your skillet, otherwise do it in a large bowl. Depending on how saucy or dry your pasta looks, add a touch more pasta water, if needed.
- Optionally and to taste add the parsley, red pepper flakes, and toss to combine.
- Serve immediately. Recipe is best served warm and fresh and while leftovers will keep airight in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, it's a dish best enjoyed right after making it. You technically can freeze it for up to 3 months, but again, fresh is truly best. Reheat leftovers in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, or as needed, taking care not to overheat them.
- Adapted from my Easy 10-Minute Shrimp Scampi
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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