Shrimp Scampi Recipe

This shrimp scampi recipe makes one of the easiest and quickest meals ever. The recipe is so straightforward that even an amateur cook could make it with ease.

Although it takes just a few minutes to prepare, it will make you feel like you're eating out.

Now get all the ingredients ready, put on your apron — it's time to make this to-die-for shrimp scampi!

What is Shrimp Scampi?

The term "scampi" means a type of edible lobster found in the North-Eastern Atlantic Ocean. In bygone days, this type of lobster was favored by the Italians.

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Since butter and wine are crucial parts of their cuisine, the dish "scampi" was born. It's a remarkable dish made by cooking the lobster with butter, white wine, and aromatic garlic.

Unfortunately, when the Italians first moved to America, they realized that their favorite lobster was hard to find. As a solution, they tried to cook regular shrimp in the same way, and the result was just as satisfying.

Thus, the name of the dish changed to "shrimp scampi".

Now "shrimp scampi" isn't only famous for the scampi itself. It’s widely known as regular shrimp cooked and coated in a rich, delicate sauce of garlic, butter, and white wine.

We made this dish over the stovetop, but you can also make it using the Instant Pot with this Instant Pot Shrimp Scampi Recipe.

Is This Recipe Healthy?

First off, our shrimp scampi recipe has a nutritional profile that fits the healthy eating guidelines given by the USDA:

• Calories: the dish yields around 441 calories each serving. According to our guidelines, men (18-45) should consume 2700 calories per day and women of the same age should consume 2100.
• Saturated fat: as a controversial type of fat, saturated fat should be moderately consumed. Each serving of our dish has 5 grams of saturated fat, within what we recommend per meal— 4-11 grams.
• Sodium: the USDA recommends individuals (18-45) should consume less than 2300 milligrams of sodium per day. This recipe only has 522 milligrams of sodium each serving, less than 30% the recommended amount.

Apart from that, shrimp is also among the healthy foods:

• As delicious as they are, that fluffy white, pinkish meat is 24% protein in mass, richer than typical ground meats. Only 4 ounces of cooked shrimps can give you 48% of your daily protein needs.
• Shrimp often gets a bad rap for its cholesterol content. However, its cholesterol content has been found to have only a small impact on your cholesterol levels.
• Similar to fish, shrimp contains a fair amount of omega 3. Only found in marine creatures and a few other plants, omega 3 helps promote heart health.

We have a lot of other healthy shrimp recipes for you to check out too, including shrimp salad. It’s vitamin-packed with creamy avocados, crisp lettuce, cucumber, and tomatoes.

Calories

Our shrimp scampi recipe gives 441 calories per serving. To turn it into a full meal, you’ll need around another 300 calories.

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Check out our pairing recommendation below. Hint: it’s a French side and a refreshing glass of juice.

Tips for Making

1. Can You Use Frozen Shrimp?

Frozen shrimp are no doubt convenient and probably the only option there is for most people. It’s fine to use frozen shrimp in this recipe.

However, using fresh ingredients is the best way to have good food. Try fresh shrimp if you have the chance, and you’ll see the indescribable difference.

2. Thickening the Sauce

Most shrimp scampi recipes don't call for a thickening agent. This is because white wine evaporates pretty quickly, and usually, what's left is thick enough to coat the shrimp.

However, if you're using chicken stock, the sauce can get kind of watery. To fix this, you could try using corn starch.

Mix one tablespoon of cold water and one teaspoon of cornstarch, then dump it into your cooking shrimp. Stir it for a bit on low heat, and the buttery sauce will thicken.

There's also another option, but only if you're cooking pasta. Save some of the pasta water, and put one teaspoon of it into your shrimp to get a similar effect.

3. Should I Cook Shrimp Scampi Recipe with Wine?

Seafood, in general, is preferably cooked with white wine. The alcoholic beverage not only eliminates the strong odor of seafood, but it also adds an exceptional flavor.

If you want to make a child-friendly version of shrimp scampi, using chicken stock instead is also a great option. Although not as fragrant as white wine, chicken stock can add depth of flavor to your shrimp.

Some recipes we found call for apple cider vinegar as a substitute for white wine. Technically, vinegar can also remove the shrimp’s strong smell and add a mildly sweet aroma.

Just remember it’s strong in flavor, so don’t add too much.

Still, we decided to keep things traditional because we prefer white wine or chicken stock.

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4. Can I Freeze It?

Yes, you can. Cooked shrimp can be frozen for up to 3 months in a clean, air-tight container.

If you’re following our shrimp scampi recipe, skip step 1 and proceed to cook the shrimp with wine. Then, pour the shrimp and the sauce into a container, leave to cool, seal, and place in the freezer.

5. How to Reheat?

You can reheat the frozen shrimp scampi in a microwave. Or, allow the container to thaw enough to get the shrimp and sauce out, then reheat everything in a skillet.

Remember to turn the heat to low, or the liquid will evaporate off and your dish will burn. Also, keep an eye on the skillet.

After reheating the shrimp, proceed to cook sliced garlic in it and add cooked pasta in, along with other ingredients.

What to Serve with

The 441 calories alone won’t keep your stomach full for long. We thought a salad and drink were the best companions for this shrimp scampi recipe.

1. Nicoise Salad Recipe

This salad incorporates fresh, organic produce grown around the Nice area in the South of France, hence the name. Specifically, it has crisp green beans, cucumber, tender boiled eggs, and umami tuna, all tossed in a pungent, tangy vinaigrette.

What’s also good about this salad is, you can also make it ahead of time.

2. Watermelon Cucumber Juice Recipe

A glass of fresh juice to cleanse your palate is never extra. With just two ingredients, plus lemon juice and spearmint for fragrance, the juice tastes extremely fresh and pleasing.

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Want More Shrimp Recipes? Check Out These Ones!

• Sweet and Sour Shrimp Recipe
• Shrimp Alfredo Recipe
• Shrimp Creole Recipe
• Pesto Shrimp Pasta Recipe

Healthy Shrimp Scampi Recipe

5 from 2 votes

This healthy shrimp scampi recipe makes one of the most delicious Italian dishes that are fantastic for any time of the year. Not just because it's quick and easy to make, but it's also absolutely delicious.

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• cook TIME 20 mins
• prep TIME 10 mins
• total TIME 30 mins

• COURSE Main Course
• CUISINE American, Italian
• SERVINGS
  4

  servings
• CALORIES 441 kcal

INGREDIENTS

1x2x3x

• 1 lb raw shrimp (6.7 oz shrimp with shells removed)
• 8 oz fettuccine pasta (uncooked)
• 4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp salt (divided)
• 2 tbsp garlic (half minced, half sliced)
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper (divided)
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tbsp lemon peel (grated)
• 1/2 tbsp parsley (minced)

INSTRUCTIONS

1

Boil 8 oz pasta, following the instruction on the package. Ours says 10 minutes.

2

While it’s cooking, remove the shrimp shells and butterfly them if you're using fresh shrimp. If you use shelled shrimp, marinate 6.7 oz shrimp with 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1/4 tsp kosher salt and 1/8 tsp ground black pepper (half the kosher salt and black pepper mixture) for 10 minutes.

3

Preheat the pan on medium heat. Add 2 tbsp butter and when it’s melted, sear the shrimp, 3 minutes on the first side. Flip the shrimps and add 1/2 cup wine. Cook for another 3 minutes and take the shrimps out with a tong.

4

Don’t clean the pan! Add 1 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp sliced garlic and fry on low heat for 2 minutes (or until the garlic is slightly golden).

5

Add pasta, the rest of the salt and pepper (1/4 tsp kosher salt and 1/8 tsp ground black pepper), give it a mix.

6

Add shrimps, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/2 tbsp lemon peel, 1/2 tbsp parsley, 4 tbsp parmesan and mix. Turn off the stove.

7

Serve.

NUTRITION

Nutrition Facts

Healthy Shrimp Scampi Recipe

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 441Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g

18%

Saturated Fat 5.2g

33%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1.1g

Monounsaturated Fat 4.8g

Cholesterol 201.2mg

67%

Sodium 515.7mg

22%

Potassium 463.1mg

13%

Carbohydrate 45.1g

15%

Fiber 2.1g

9%

Sugar 1.8g

2%

Protein 32.5g

65%

Vitamin A 356.1IU

7%

Vitamin C 4.6mg

6%

Calcium 159.4mg

16%

Iron 2.7mg

15%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keywords: easy shrimp scampi, scampi, scampi sauce, shrimp scampi, shrimp scampi recipe