Shrimp Scampi
It’s no secret that we love pasta here. And just because it’s spring doesn’t mean we have to let go of our favorite comfort food! There are so many ways to make pasta in a bright, fresh form that it can still hit that spot in your soul.
I don’t know if it’s just me, but I get into a chicken rut quite often. Sometimes that’s all I cook in a week! Chicken thighs, chicken sausage, chicken burgers blah blah blah. I have to change it up! I’ve been trying to stick to variety and commit to making one vegetarian meal and one seafood meal per week. It doesn’t always happen, but I do try.
When I was grocery shopping I saw a large bag of wild caught peeled and deveined shrimp in the frozen section and was immediately sold. I’ve made it for a few meals and it has been so good! Shrimp often frustrates me because it can get overcooked quite easily, but this one I have had success every time. So maybe it’s just the shrimp quality.
If you can buy fresh shrimp, even better! Using the shells to add flavor to the broth is really top notch for shrimp scampi. However, many times I just make shrimp scampi because I have the shrimp in the freezer and I want pasta! This is really so tasty either way though. My trick for frozen shrimp is adding some better than bullion broth paste. It adds a little more robust flavor to the broth that it often needs.
This is such an easy recipe for a weeknight. I go pretty heavy on the broth because I want all that buttery goodness, so keep that in mind. This recipe is enough for 2-4 servings, so double it if you have more at the table! I usually love leftovers but this one doesn’t reheat as well as some, so I try to make as much as we’ll eat.
We made some sautéed asparagus to eat alongside this. Crusty bread would be perfect to scoop up the rest of that tasty broth on your plate as well!
Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients
- 1 shallot
- 6-8 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup parsley
- half lemon zested and juiced
- 4 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 cup white wine
- salt/pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp better than bullion chicken broth
- 1/2 lb linguini pasta
- 1/2 cup pasta water reserved
- 12 oz shrimp fresh or frozen
Instructions
- Start pot of water for pasta- don't forget salt!
- Prepare your shrimp. If you're using frozen, make sure it is thawed and ready! If you're using fresh just clean them and prepare as normal.
- Mince garlic and finely chop shallot. Set aside
- Finely chop parsley and zest/juice the lemon half. Set aside as well
- Heat large pan and add olive oil. Once it's hot, add shallots and saute on medium heat until softened, about five minutes
- Add the butter and garlic and continue to saute for a few more minutes
- Turn up the heat and add salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper
- Add the wine and stir well. Use about 1/2 cup of pasta water and add that into the pan as well. If using the better than bullion for additional flavor, mix that in too. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10-20 minutes to reduce the liquid to about half.
- Add in the parsley, lemon juice and zest.
- Quickly add the shrimp and saute for 2-3 minutes, just until shrimp turns pink. Be careful not to overcook it!
- Toss with linguini or pasta of choice and serve immediately.
Notes
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