This shrimp scampi recipe is easier than you think, made with wine or without will be the highlight of your dinner table. Elegant, garlicky, and buttery, serve as an appetizer, in pasta, over rice.
And this classic recipe requires little effort and a couple of basic steps to follow. Making a delicious shrimp scampi sauce has never been easier!
Shrimp Scampi Without Wine
Over time I've shared a few of my favorite shrimp recipes we love to make.
From my One Pot creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta, Shrimp Tacos to Shrimp Fajitas, this Shrimp Scampi is sure to become your favorite too.
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Scampi Video
Why It's Yummy
- It is easier than you think - it may look like shrimp scampi is a fancy dish, but it is way easier to make than you think. It is nothing but gathering the right ingredients, sauteing garlic in butter, and adding shrimp. That's it! Anyone can do this!
- Versatile - Serve as an appetizer or add to pasta, or rice for a wholesome meal. This garlic butter shrimp will be ready in less than 30 minutes.
If you like seafood recipes, especially salmon be sure to try my refreshing salmon salad, every time perfect for not only breakfast salmon avocado eggs, and readers' beloved baked trout.
Ingredients
- I love using large, frozen raw shrimp. Tails on or off, peeled or unpeeled, it’s up to you! Larger shrimp are more flavorful and satisfying, but smaller ones cook faster. Precooked shrimp also works; just adjust the cooking time.
- A touch of red pepper flakes won’t make this dish spicy but adds just the right hint of peppery flavor to bring everything together.
- And let’s talk garlic—it’s the heart and soul of this dish. Freshly minced garlic gives the shrimp an unbeatable flavor. Trust me, the jarred stuff or garlic powder just isn’t the same. Don’t skimp on it; you’ll thank me later!
How To Make Shrimp Scampi Without Wine
Melt butter(3 tablespoons) and add oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Stir constantly until butter melts. Don't let it burn!
Once melted, add garlic and saute just until fragrant (30 seconds).
Add shrimp in a single layer and cook until they start to turn light pink. (Shrimp cooks very fast!). Season with salt and pepper.
Add broth and red pepper flakes, and turn heat to medium-low. Simmer until the liquid is reduced in half.
Finally, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, squeeze in fresh lemon juice, and stir in chopped parsley.
My favorite way to serve the shrimp is with some lemon zest and parmesan cheese on top. Or turn it int creamy shrimp pasta!
Serve immediately with favorite side dishes and crusty bread.
Serving Suggestions
A good side for this main dish of garlic butter shrimp would be:
- Risotto
- This shrimp scampi is a great addition to your favorite pasta dish. Think spaghetti, rice noodles or egg noodles)
- Simple green salad such as Garden salad
- Mashed potatoes or cauliflower rice
- Plain cooked Rice
- This is also a great dish to serve simply as an appetizer with Mango Habanero Salsa on the side.
- Garlic Butter sauce is delicious on it's own to serve over plain rice, pasta and zucchini noodles!
- zucchini casserole
Or simple salads:
Tips
- Depending on which broth you are using (high or low sodium) don’t add too much salt when seasoning the shrimps. Although it is important to add enough salt to prawns for better flavor. If not sure, wait until the last step and season with salt and pepper right in the end.
- The liquid should reduce rather quickly, and it is very important not to overcook the shrimp. The flavor and texture will be rubbery and not soft and juicy what they should be.
- Once you add the shrimp to the pan, don’t cook the shrimp until they are all pink. The broth should be added once you see that the shrimp is just turning pink.
- Shimp shells -if you got the shrimps with shells on that's even better. Thaw frozen shrimp in cold water until you can peel of the shells (this will be quick). Reserve the shells (in a sealed bag refrigerated or frozen) and cook a seafood broth to use in other recipes.
- You can definitely add even more than 1 tablespoon of butter in the end to make this dish extra ''saucy''! This shrimp scampi without wine has plenty of butter in it already, but still, in case serving it with pasta, I would add more. And in reverse, if serving simply as an appetizer, you can add half less of the butter BUT not recommended simply because the flavor is better with enough butter.
- For added flavor, add some crumbled feta or grated parmesan cheese on top the shrimp.
- Most important thing is to keep an eye on that shrimp. It will take only a couple of minutes for it to turn pink.
- Top this scampi generously with crumbled feta.
- My favorite date night meal - want to wow your date? Serve this garlic butter shrimp over steamed spinach, cooked gluten free pasta and a glass of crisp french white wine. Get ready for the best meal you have ever had! For a quick fancy appetizer, make these Crostini With Strawberry Salsa and/or Strawberry Mousse For Dessert as well!
- And of course, traditionally, this Italian recipe pairs very VERY well with risotto (simple risotto is better but any other flavor such as Mushroom Risotto or Butternut Squash Risotto will also work great!). Another date night classic! Always a winner!
🦐 Related Recipe: Mango Shrimp Salad
Storing and Freezing Instruction
- Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days.
- Freeze the shrimp scampi in a freezer-friendly container for up to 2-3 months.
- Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in a skillet with some butter. Just enough to warm through.
More Easy Shrimp Recipes
- Grilled Shrimp Tacos
- Sheet Pan Shrimp Dinner
- Cajun Shrimp Pasta With Sausage
- Shrimp Salsa
- Shrimp Fajitas
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Recipe Card
Shrimp Scampi (Without Wine)
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INGREDIENTS
- 1 ¼ pounds raw large size shrimp, prawns, peeled with or without tails on
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoons of butter
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- ½ cup vegetable seafood broth, or bouillon cube dissolved in water (or use white wine)
- Salt to taste
- fresh black pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ⅓ cup parsley chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
- Melt 3 tablespoons of butter and add olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Stir constantly for butter not to get brown.
- Once melted, add garlic and saute just until fragrant (30 seconds). Add prawns and cook until they start to turn light pink. (This will happen very fast!). Season with salt and pepper.
- Add broth and red pepper flakes, turn heat to medium-low. Simmer until the liquid is reduced in half.
- Finally, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, squeeze in lemon juice, and stir in parsley. Serve immediately.
VIDEO
NOTES
- Shrimp - frozen raw larger shrimp with tails or tails off (peeled or unpeeled). But a precooked shrimp will also work. Just need to adjust the cooking time. Also, shrimp in shells will have more flavor (but a bit messy to eat) and are in fact cheaper. This recipe makes very delicious scallops too!
- The liquid should reduce rather quickly, and it is very important not to overcook the shrimp. The flavor and texture will be rubbery and not soft and juicy what they should be.
- You can definitely add even more than 1 tablespoon of butter in the end to make this dish extra ''saucy''! This shrimp scampi without wine has plenty of butter in it already, but still, in case serving it with pasta, I would add more. And in reverse, if serving simply as an appetizer, you can add half less of the butter BUT not recommended simply because the flavor is better with enough butter.
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
NUTRITION
Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
Shrimp Scampi: FAQs
If you have overcooked your shrimp it will be rubbery and chewy. It cooks very quickly and it only takes about a minute or less for each side to sear the shrimp on high heat. Once the shrimp are turning pink it is ready.
You can also buy shrimp with shell on and cook it this way and peel later. Shells give great taste to the shrimp but it will take some time to peel them later.
Julia
Shrimp scampi without wine or with wine is the best date night dinner idea! Always a winner!