Quick and Easy Shrimp Scampi with Linguine (Pasta Con Scampi) is a pasta recipe that is ready in less than 20 minutes! The sauce cooks up while you make the pasta. With shrimp, olive oil, bright lemon flavors, garlic, and a touch of white wine, it is so flavorful!
If you like this recipe you might like my garlic butter shrimp or my pasta with linguine alle vongole
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This classic shrimp scampi with pasta is a quick and elegant dish made with butter, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, lemon, and a splash of white wine. It comes together in under 20 minutes, making it just as perfect for a weeknight dinner as it is for a special holiday meal.
When I was growing up, shrimp scampi was always on the table in my Italian-American home. I didn’t realize until later that it wasn’t a traditional Italian recipe—since my nonna made it often, I assumed it came straight from Italy! Whether it’s part of the Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve or just a cozy dinner with family, this pasta is always a hit.
Juicy shrimp are sautéed in garlic and butter, finished with fresh lemon juice and a pinch of red pepper flakes, then tossed with pasta like linguine or angel hair. A touch of pasta water helps the sauce coat every strand beautifully. And here’s a fun tidbit: in Italian, “scampi” actually means langoustines, so “shrimp scampi” literally translates to “shrimp shrimp.” Name aside, this buttery, garlicky pasta is pure comfort on a plate.
Ingredient Notes
- Shrimp - I used large uncooked frozen shrimp, or 31/40 size shrimp/pound. You could use smaller, or larger. Keep in mind, if you use smaller, they’ll cook up faster.
- Extra-virgin olive oil - the base of the velvety sauce. The better the quality oil, the better the flavor of your dish!
- Garlic - Fresh garlic is essential to this recipe. I wouldn’t substitute it with garlic powder.
- White wine - I recommend always using a wine you would actually drink. Cooking wine will not have the same flavor. A nice Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, or Sauvignon Blanc.
- Lemon juice - One large lemon is all you need. Use the rind and the juice. Freshly squeezed surpasses the store-bought bottled lemon juice.
- Sea salt – Elevates the overall flavor of the dish. Use kosher salt if that's what you have in your pantry.
- Freshly ground pepper - Adds a little bit of spice (leave out or add more, if you like the flavor).
- Parsley - Chopped fresh Italian parsley is essential to this recipe. I do not recommend dried parsley.
- Red pepper flakes - Totally optional, but even a pinch will add a layer of subtle warmth this this pasta recipe. You could totally omit if you do not like any spice at all. You could use freshly ground pepper, if you prefer.
- Pasta-Linguine is so nice for this recipe. Spaghetti also would work.
How to make an easy shrimp scampi pasta?
This is a quick review, and you can find full instructions on printable recipe below.
- Step 1: Once you gather all the ingredients, the first thing to do is defrost your shimp if you're using frozen shrimp.
- Step 2: Boil the pasta water and at same time, heat the skillet with the olive oil. As soon as it's heated, add in the shrimp. As soon as water boils, add the pasta and stir cooking until just before al dente.
- Step 3: Add shrimp to the heated oil.
- Step 4: Cook shrimp until just begins to turn pink.
- Step 5: Remove the shrimp and make the sauce.
- Step 6: Drain pasta (reserving some of the starchy pasta water)until it's just before al dente and add to the pan with the sauce. Add back in the shrimp and stir to combine. Add in some of the pasta water and check the seasoning. Season with some salt and freshly ground black pepper (or even hot pepper, if you like).
- Step 7: Serve immediately with some more chopped Italian parsley, grated lemon rind, and hot pepper flakes (if you like it hot!).
Look at how decadent this pasta dish is! And see how easy it is to make?
Purchasing shrimp what to know?
When purchasing shrimp, here are some key points to consider:
- Freshness: Look for shrimp that smell fresh and clean, similar to saltwater. Avoid any shrimp with a strong fishy or ammonia-like odor as it could be spoiled.
- Appearance: Fresh shrimp should have firm bodies with a shiny, translucent shell. Avoid shrimp that appear discolored or have black spots unless they are a part of the natural coloring.
- Size and Count: Shrimp are sold by size and the count per pound. Consider your recipe requirements—larger shrimp are great for grilling and roasting, while smaller sizes work well in pasta dishes and stir-fries.
- Tail-On or Tail-Off: Decide whether you want shrimp with the tails left on for a more decorative presentation or tails removed for ease of eating, especially in dishes like pasta or curry.
- Wild vs. Farmed: Wild shrimp often have a more pronounced flavor but can be more expensive and less available. Farmed shrimp are more abundant and budget-friendly, but it’s important to choose those farmed responsibly.
- Frozen vs. Fresh: Don't shy away from frozen shrimp, as they are often frozen shortly after being caught to preserve freshness. Thaw them properly by leaving them overnight in the refrigerator or under cold running water for quick thawing.
What to serve with shrimp scampi?
- Serve it with pasta like we do. I used linguine, but angel hair pasta is also typical with this recipe. Spaghetti would also work fine!
- Craving more carbs? Make our easy Ligurian focaccia bread with rosemary or these rosemary grissini.
- If you’re cutting back on carbs for low-carb or following paleo, or are gluten-free, some ideas are to serve with zucchini noodles, polenta, or a nice big salad.
Leftover and Storing
- To refrigerate: As soon as the pasta has cooled down, store it in an airtight container. According to the USDA, cooked seafood will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. I never eat any cooked seafood after 2 days.
- To freeze: I never freeze cooked shrimp. I find it to be too chewy when you reheat it after cooked and frozen.
Our Top Tips
- If you buy extra-large shrimp, and they’re not deveined, you’ll definitely have to devein them. Make a small cut on the back of the shrimp with a tip of the knife to remove the thin vein. I always buy deveined shrimp to make it easier.
- You could keep the shrimp tails on. It’s easy to pull them off when you’re eating. Or you could remove them right before cooking. It's optional to keep the tails on. They're easier to grab with tails on if you're going to be serving these as an appetizer. You can remove the tails, though.
- It doesn’t take but more than a couple minutes to overcook shrimp. As soon as they turn pink, they are ready. And the heat from combining it with the pasta will also cook the shrimp some more.
- I do not suggest using cooked shrimp for this recipe. Unless you like a chewy shrimp, because that is what you’ll end up with.
- The shrimp tails could stay on or off. It’s so easy to remove while you’re eating. I prefer to keep the tails on while cooking. It’s totally up to your preference.
FAQ'S
Yes, it could! Use your favorite gluten-free pasta brand.
You could use low sodium fish broth, a bottle of clam juice, or low sodium chicken broth instead of white wine.
We used linguine for our shrimp scampi recipe, but you could use angel hair pasta, spaghetti, or any other long pasta you have on hand.
Take the frozen shrimp out of their bag and submerge them in a bowl of cold water (do not use hot water!).
Leave the shrimp in the water for 10-15 minutes. Stir them around every 5 minute, breaking up any ice pieces.
As soon as they're totally thawed out, place them on a paper-towel lined dish to absorb the water.
You’ll get 31-40 shrimp per pound. That makes 8-9 shrimp per serving. Each shrimp weighs about about 0.33 oz.
If you prefer to use butter, go ahead and use butter! I would use 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter.
Some other recipes you'll love:
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📖 Recipe
📖 Recipe
Linguine with Shrimp Scampi (Pasta con Scampi)
Ingredients
- 1 lb linguine or angel hair pasta or spaghetti
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling on the pasta
- 1 lb peeled and deveined large shrimp raw; 20 to 25 per lb
- 4-6 large garlic cloves pressed or minced
- ½ teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes optional
- ½ cup dry white wine make sure it's a wine you would drink
- Zest of 1 whole lemon
- Freshly Squeezed Juice of 1 whole lemon
- 1-2 teaspoons sea salt plus salt for the pasta water
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper optional
- ½ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Instructions
- Thaw frozen shrimp: Add the shrimp to a bowl of cold water. Remove and discard the shell, devein, and leave the tails on. Rinse and drain the shrimps and transfer to a paper towel lined plate to absorb the water.
- If you're using fresh shrimp, remove shells, devein, and leave the tails on the shrimp. Set aside while you start the sauce.
- Boil pasta water: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once the water boils, salt it. Bring to another boil, and add in the pasta. Stir the pasta to separate (make sure none of it is sticking to bottom of the pot). Cook it to 1 minute less than al dente.
- Heat the oil: Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot, then add in the shrimp. Sauté shrimp, turning over once, until just cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. When it is just turning pink, use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp to a bowl.
- Add sauce ingredients to the oil: Add the garlic to the skillet and cook until fragrant (take care not to brown it) on medium heat. Turn up the heat to medium-high, add in the lemon juice, lemon rind, white wine and hot pepper flakes (if you're using). The sauce should come to a strong simmer for a few minutes.
- Season sauce: Sprinkle on your salt and some freshly ground pepper.
- Drain and combine pasta to sauce: Drain the pasta in a colander just before it's al dente, reserving ½ cup of the starchy pasta water. Raise the heat of the sauce a little. Immediately add the pasta to the pan with the sauce. Add in the shrimp and stir to combine.
- Add some reserved pasta water: Stir to combine and add a little bit of pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
- Check the seasoning: Test the pasta, and if needed, sprinkle on some sea salt, and you could even add in some freshly ground pepper (in place of the hot pepper, if you like).
- Plate up the pasta: Drizzle on the pasta a little extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkle on some chopped Italian parsley, some more grated lemon rind and hot pepper flakes (both are optional). ENJOY!
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Notes
Substitutions and variations for the best shrimp scampi:
- A splash of white wine is optional. You could use broth (seafood, chicken, or even vegetable broth), some bottled clam juice would work, as well.
- Red pepper flakes are for those that like a touch of spice. Leave them out if you prefer you pasta mild.
- Fresh Italian parsley is what we prefer. If you have curly parsley, use that instead. I do not recommend dried parsley, as I prefer the flavor of fresh parsley.
Olga says
I love pasta and shrimp, but I never tried to cook them at home. I`m glad I found your recipe. I gonna try shrimp scampi with linguini this Sunday.
Lora says
Hi Olga-I hope you make this shrimp scampi this weekend. It is really delicious!! Thank you for your kind comment 🙂
Annie says
Made this again last night and it is delicious! VERY easy to make.
LisaJohnson says
cant wait to make this!
Lora says
Hi Lisa-Great! Let me know how you like it!