Description
This Famous Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi is a flavorful and quick seafood pasta dish featuring large shrimp sautéed in garlic butter, white wine, and lemon sauce, served over linguine or angel hair pasta. Perfect for a restaurant-quality meal at home in just 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Shrimp and Sauce
- 1 lb large shrimp (peeled and deveined, tails on)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (or chicken broth)
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Pasta and Garnish
- 8 oz linguine or angel hair pasta
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine or angel hair pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- Cook the Shrimp: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, season with salt and black pepper, and cook for 1-2 minutes per side until they turn pink and opaque. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté Garlic in Butter: In the same skillet, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Make the Sauce: Pour in the dry white wine (or chicken broth), lemon juice, and red pepper flakes if using. Let the mixture simmer for 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly and develop flavor.
- Combine Shrimp with Sauce: Return the cooked shrimp to the skillet and toss to coat evenly in the garlic butter sauce.
- Add Pasta: Add the drained pasta to the skillet and gently toss everything together. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen and create a silky consistency.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the pasta. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- You can substitute chicken broth for white wine if preferred or to make it non-alcoholic.
- Keep shrimp tails on for ease of handling and extra flavor, or remove if desired.
- The red pepper flakes are optional, but add a nice subtle heat to balance the lemon and garlic.
- Use fresh parsley for best flavor and color; dried parsley will not have the same impact.
- Reserving pasta water helps to achieve the perfect sauce consistency that clings to the pasta.
