Lemon Garlic Shrimp Scampi is a fabulously quick 30-minute meal. The buttery lemon and garlic sauce over al dente linguine and mild shrimp make this Lemon Shrimp Scampi recipe to remember!
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One of the best things about this buttery, garlicky recipe is that it looks super fancy and expensive, but really, it's simple and relatively cheap, too!
In Italian, scampi usually refers to shrimp or prawns that are sautéed in butter and garlic. Some recipes call for white wine; however, in this recipe, I am using lemon juice. The lemon adds a citrusy acid note that pairs wonderfully with the shrimp. If you love white wine, you can add a splash of that, too.
Ingredients
Here is what you will need to make this lemon garlic shrimp scampi recipe:
- Fresh Lemons: The lemons will be both zested and squeezed for juice. It's easier to zest first.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic will give this dish the best flavor. A microplane comes in very handy in this recipe both for testing the lemon and for grating the garlic very finely.
- Butter: To better control the amount of salt, use unsalted butter.
- Olive Oil: I use regular olive oil instead of extra virgin olive oil because I want the other ingredients to shine.
- Shrimp: This recipe can use either fresh or frozen shrimp. Personally, I like to use frozen shrimp that are already peeled and deveined with the tail removed.
- Pasta: I used linguini, but you can use any long, thin pasta, such as angel hair, spaghetti, or vermicelli, for this dish.
- Fresh Herbs: Adding a bit of fresh parsley brings some herbaceousness to the dish. You could also use dill, basil, or rosemary, which all pair well with the flavors of lemon and garlic.
- Seasonings: Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper help to balance out the whole recipe.
Recipe Variations
While we have not tested these variations, here are a few ways to make this lemon shrimp scampi recipe your own:
- For a hint of spice, add a pinch or two of red pepper flake to your lemon garlic sauce just before tossing it with the pasta.
- Add ½ cup of dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc to the skillet with the lemon juice.
- Add 1 cup of cherry tomatoes cut in half when you are sautéing the garlic.
Ang's Tips
- Have all your ingredients ready to go because this is recipe comes together very quickly. I recommend starting the pasta water before anything else.
- You may find this tutorial for peeling and deveining shrimp helpful.
- Using the butter and olive oil together helps to create the perfect sauce. The butter doesn't cook as quickly when it is combined with the oil.
- Make sure when you zest the lemon you do not get any of the white part (pith) as that is bitter.
Related: Baked Tilapia
Serving Suggestions
A simple salad with our Lemon Vinaigrette is a great side to serve with any pasta dish. An easy vegetable dish like Oven Roasted Broccoli or Roasted Asparagus works well, too. Here are some other recipes you might also like to pair with it:
More Pasta Recipes
Next time, try one of these great pasta recipes:
You'll also enjoy our garlic butter shrimp. Love spicy food? Try our Sriracha Shrimp next time!
Lemon Garlic Shrimp Scampi
Lemon Shrimp Scampi
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Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce box linguine pasta
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 lb small shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 lemons juiced
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta to al dente, drain and set aside.1 16-ounce box linguine pasta
- Next, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and oil and cook the minced garlic for 1-2 minutes.¼ cup butter, ¼ cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon garlic
- After that, add the shrimp, juice, and zest from the lemons. Season with salt and pepper to taste.1 lb small shrimp, 2 lemons, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, salt and pepper to taste
- Cook until the shrimp are pink.
- Toss the hot linguine with the shrimp and lemon garlic sauce.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.fresh parsley
Equipment
- Knife
Nutrition
Meal Planning
Want to add this recipe to your meal plan? Download our free printable meal plan here.
This recipe is included in Meal Plan 39 along with:
... and more!
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