10 Minute Garlic Lemon Shrimp Scampi is simple and so quick to cook! Loaded with shrimp, vegetables, and herbs this all-in-one pasta dish is a total crowd pleaser and a weeknight dinner lifesaver!
A delicious meal that feels decadent but is actually packed full of vitamins, minerals and omega 3 fatty acids!
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Quick, nutritious weeknight dinner
As a busy mom of three mealtimes are always difficult. The odds of finding a meal that everyone is excited to eat is right up there with winning the lottery.
With this Garlic Lemon Shrimp Scampi I’ve found the winning ticket. Nutritious, fast and everyone loves it!
Much like Salt and Pepper Pasta this Shrimp Scampi recipe relies only on a few simple pantry ingredients to whip up a flavorful, simple pasta sauce in minutes.
And this meal is not only fast, it’s a great DIY dinner option! Like DIY Chicken Tortilla Soup, DIY Pizzas and Burger Bars, this recipe is great to serve with everything separate so your crowd can customize their plates and top their pasta exactly the way they like it. Simply toss the pasta with butter or oil. And serve shrimp, parmesan, basil, and tomatoes. Gluten free pasta and fresh spinach also make great options to satisfy all tastes.
Plus shrimp are packed full of nutrition. Add in the benefits of onion, garlic, tomatoes, olive oil, lemon and herbs and you’ve got a plate full of deliciousness that you can really feel good about!
Ingredients
- Large Shrimp – one pound, raw, fresh or frozen
- Olive oil and butter – using olive oil and a few tablespoons butter for flavor.
- Shallot or onion – shallot has a nice mild flavor but white, red or yellow onions work just as well.
- Garlic cloves – as much as you’d like but make sure to include at least 1 tablespoon of minced garlic for the best flavor.
- Lemon – to get the most out of your lemon, make sure to zest it first, then cut in half and juice it, then slice it in rounds to add to the sauce while simmering.
- Pasta – traditional spaghetti, fettuccine or angel hair are all great with shrimp scampi. Or substitute any pasta you have on hand, gluten free pasta, fresh spinach leaves or rice.
- Red and black pepper and salt
- Parmesan cheese
- White wine – or chicken stock, water or lemon juice
Find Barilla Gluten Free pasta in the pasta aisle of your favorite Safeway – Albertson’s banner store.
And for a limited time, click here to save on your next Barilla Gluten Free pasta purchase!
Health benefits of shrimp
High in protein and virtually carbohydrate free, shrimp are also supercharged with vitamin B12 and selenium. They provide a fair amount of vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin B6, vitamin B3, iron, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, copper and a bit of vitamin C. (source) Plus, did you know that the same thing that gives shrimp it’s pink color can also protect your skin from premature aging?
How to buy frozen shrimp
The numbers indicate how many you can expect to get out of one pound. For example “21-25’s” are on average 21-25 shrimp per pawn, a nice large size compared to the more common “30-36′.
They are available with or without the shell, or with only the tail. Shell-on shrimp add a bit more flavor but are much more difficult and time consuming to eat. Tail on shrimp are the best of both worlds with a little added flavor from the shell, but also with more ease of eating.
Shrimp also come “vein-in” or “deveined” or in other words -cleaned. Always, always buy the deveined shrimp. Let me tell you from experience, deveining shrimp as a money saving tactic is never a good idea. Just buy it already cleaned.
How to make
This entire meal can be finished up and ready in the time it takes to boil pasta. Literally minutes. A few extra if your shrimp are frozen to account for the time it takes to defrost under running water. Perfect for late nights, quick midweek meals or just when you simply forget to pull something out of the freezer.
- Boil pasta (reserve a bit of water).
- Meanwhile, sear shrimp in single layer in a hot skillet.
- Reduce heat then start to build the sauce. Add shallots (or scallion/onion) and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, lemon juice and white wine, reduce.
- Whisk in the butter a bit of the reserved cooking water then return the shrimp.
- Remove from heat, mix in fresh herbs, lemon zest, and cooked pasta. Stir well, top with tomatoes and parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
- Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 16 ounces dried pasta spaghetti, fettuccine, angel hair, etc 1 box
- 1 pound shrimp raw, large (21-25 count), shelled and de-veined, (if you want, keep the tail on for an attractive presentation)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large shallot or 1/4 medium onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic chopped, about 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 large lemon (about 2 tablespoons lemon juice + 1 Tbsp zest)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 medium tomato diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil or parsley, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the pasta to a large pot of boiling salted water, stir to make sure it separates; cover. Return to boil and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving up to a cup of pasta cooking water.
- Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Once shimmering and hot, season the shrimp with salt and pepper and add to the hot pan in a single layer.
- Allow shrimp to sear and sit for about 1 minute before stirring then saute until just cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a plate and reserve.
- Reduce heat to medium then add shallots to the skillet and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes (if using). When garlic is fragrant, after about 1 minute, add the lemon juice and white wine and raise the heat to high. Let the liquid reduce for 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the butter a bit of the reserved cooking water then return the shrimp.
- Remove from heat, mix in fresh herbs, lemon zest, and cooked pasta. Stir well, top with tomatoes and parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
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Tammy lasseter
thinking of using alfredo sauce and also removing the shrimps tails…but won’t use the dry white wine…will attempt to let you know how it turns out
ONE armed MAMA
Ohhh, lemony shrimp alfredo sounds amazing! Please let me know how your creation turns out Tammy, i’d love to see it! Thanks!
Patsy Galbreath
Looks so good
ONE armed MAMA
Thanks Patsy! Super quick and easy too.
Mary Pedersen
Nice job, impressive