Shrimp Scampi Pasta Recipe Dinner
There are some dishes that just feel special, the kind you’d happily order at a lovely Italian bistro on a summer evening. This Shrimp Scampi Pasta Recipe brings that exact feeling right into your own kitchen, but without any of the fuss. It’s a dish built on a few beautiful, simple ingredients: plump, juicy prawns, a generous amount of garlic, a splash of crisp white wine, and a bright squeeze of lemon, all tossed together with perfectly cooked pasta. The sauce isn’t heavy or creamy; instead, it’s a light, flavourful coating that clings to every single strand of linguine.
This is my go-to recipe when I need something that comes together in under 30 minutes but still feels wonderfully impressive. It’s the marriage of garlic-infused butter and zesty citrus that really makes it sing. We’re not just boiling prawns here; we’re creating layers of flavour that build into something truly satisfying. The gentle heat from the red pepper flakes provides a subtle background warmth, while a scattering of fresh parsley at the end lifts everything with its clean, vibrant taste.
This shrimp pasta is ideal for those evenings when you want a delicious meal without spending hours by the stove. It works beautifully for a quiet dinner for two but can easily be scaled up to feed the whole family. It always gets compliments, and the best part is seeing everyone dive in, twirling their forks to get that perfect bite of pasta, prawn, and sauce.
Recipe Overview
This Shrimp Scampi Pasta Recipe is all about creating a bright, aromatic, and deeply savoury sauce to accompany tender prawns and al dente pasta. It’s an Italian-American classic, and our version focuses on getting the balance of garlic, lemon, and white wine just right. I used to struggle with getting a silky sauce until I mastered the art of using starchy pasta water to bring it all together. Expect a dish that’s light yet satisfying, with a wonderful depth of flavour that comes from simple, well-handled ingredients.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Servings: 4 people
- Difficulty: Easy
Why You’ll Love This Shrimp Scampi Pasta Recipe
- Genuine Flavour: We build a sauce that’s rich from the butter, aromatic from the slowly sizzled garlic, sharp and complex from the white wine, and finished with a bright, zesty lift from fresh lemon juice and parsley.
- Ready in Under 30 Minutes: From the moment you start chopping the garlic to plating up, this entire dish is ready in about 25 minutes, making it brilliant for busy weeknights.
- Flexible Recipe: Feel free to toss in a handful of baby spinach at the end until it wilts, or add some halved cherry tomatoes along with the garlic for a touch of sweetness. If you’re looking for another pasta dish that’s great for sharing, check out this Big Batch Pasta Salad For Crowds.
- Great for Date Night: This shrimp scampi feels elegant and thoughtful, making it a wonderful main course for a special evening at home. It has all the hallmarks of a restaurant-quality dish.
- Family Tested: My kids absolutely adore this shrimp pasta. They love hunting for the prawns, and because the sauce isn’t overpowering, it’s a meal that everyone at the table seems to enjoy.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For a dish with so few components, the quality of each one really matters. I always try to use a decent dry white wine like a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc – one that you’d happily drink a glass of! It makes a noticeable difference to the final sauce. Here’s what we’ll need:
- 400g linguine or spaghetti
- 450g raw king prawns, peeled and deveined
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 6-8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
- 120ml dry white wine (like Pinot Grigio)
- Juice of 1 large lemon (about 60ml)
- 50g fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 50g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus extra for serving
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Kira’s Tip: Don’t be shy with the garlic! Slicing it thinly rather than mincing it helps it to release its flavour into the butter and oil without burning too quickly, giving you a sweeter, more mellow garlic base for your sauce.
How to Make Shrimp Scampi Pasta Recipe
The process for this shrimp pasta is straightforward. We cook the pasta while simultaneously making the quick scampi sauce. The key is to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start, as things move quite quickly once the pan is hot.
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the linguine and cook according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, reserve about 250ml (a cupful) of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta in a colander.
- Prepare the Prawns: While the pasta is cooking, pat the raw prawns completely dry with a paper towel. This is crucial for getting a good sear. Season them generously with salt and pepper.
- Start the Sauce: In a large frying pan or sauté pan, melt the butter with the olive oil over a medium-low heat. Add the thinly sliced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook gently for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant and softened but not browned. We want to infuse the fat with flavour.
- Cook the Prawns: Turn the heat up to medium-high. Add the seasoned prawns to the pan in a single layer. Cook for 1-2 minutes per side, just until they turn pink and opaque. Don’t overcook them! Once cooked, use tongs to remove the prawns from the pan and set them aside on a plate.
- Deglaze the Pan: Pour the white wine and lemon juice into the hot pan. Let it bubble and simmer for about 2 minutes, scraping up any tasty browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. This is where so much flavour lives.
- Bring It All Together: Reduce the heat to low. Return the cooked prawns to the pan. Add the drained pasta, the chopped parsley, and the grated Parmesan cheese. What works best for me is to then add about 120ml of the reserved pasta water to start.
- Emulsify the Sauce: Using tongs, toss everything together vigorously for 1-2 minutes. The starch in the pasta water will help the buttery sauce cling to the linguine, creating a silky, not watery, consistency. Add another splash of pasta water if it looks too dry. The sauce should beautifully coat every strand.
- Serve Immediately: Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon if needed. Serve immediately in warm bowls, garnished with a little extra fresh parsley and a generous grating of Parmesan cheese.
Tips From My Kitchen
- Temperature Control is Key: When you first add the garlic to the pan, keep the heat on medium-low. If the heat is too high, the garlic will burn and become bitter, which will spoil the delicate flavour of the sauce. Gentle heat allows it to soften and perfume the butter and oil perfectly.
- The Secret to Juicy Prawns: I learned that the biggest mistake you can make is overcooking the prawns. They cook incredibly quickly. By removing them from the pan as soon as they turn pink and adding them back at the very end, you ensure they stay tender and succulent rather than becoming tough and rubbery.
- Prep in Advance: This dish comes together fast, so mise en place is your best friend. Have your garlic sliced, parsley chopped, lemon juiced, and cheese grated before you even think about turning on the hob. This makes the cooking process smooth and stress-free.
- Storing Leftovers: Leftover shrimp scampi can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, add a splash of water or chicken broth to a pan over low heat and gently warm the pasta, tossing until heated through. The microwave can make the prawns rubbery, so the hob is best.
Equipment You’ll Need
You don’t need any highly specialised equipment for this fantastic shrimp pasta dish, just a few kitchen essentials.
- Large pot for boiling pasta
- Colander
- Large, heavy-bottomed frying pan or sauté pan
- Tongs or a pasta fork for tossing
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Sharp knife and cutting board
Delicious Variations to Try
While this classic shrimp scampi pasta recipe is wonderful as it is, it’s also a great base for customisation. Here are a few ideas we’ve enjoyed:
- A Touch of Spice: If you like more heat, add a finely chopped fresh red chilli along with the garlic, or simply increase the amount of red pepper flakes.
- Creamy Scampi: For a richer sauce, stir in 60-80ml of double cream at the very end, just after you’ve tossed the pasta with the sauce. Heat it through gently without letting it boil.
- Add Some Veggies: Wilt a large handful of fresh spinach or rocket into the sauce just before serving. Blanched asparagus tips or tenderstem broccoli also work wonderfully. For other hearty dinner ideas, why not try this Meatloaf With Stove Top Stuffing Recipe?
What to Serve With Shrimp Scampi Pasta
This shrimp pasta is a fantastic standalone meal, but a couple of simple sides can round it out beautifully. Here are my favourite pairings:
- Crusty Garlic Bread: It’s almost essential for mopping up every last bit of that delicious, buttery garlic and wine sauce from the bottom of the bowl.
- A Simple Green Salad: A fresh, crisp salad of rocket and mixed leaves with a sharp lemon vinaigrette cuts through the richness of the pasta and provides a lovely, fresh contrast.
- Wine Pairing: Stick with the wine you used in the recipe! A crisp, dry white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc or the same Pinot Grigio is the ideal partner for this dish.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Shrimp Scampi Pasta
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the linguine and cook according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, reserve about 250ml (a cupful) of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta in a colander.
- Prepare the Prawns: While the pasta is cooking, pat the raw prawns completely dry with a paper towel. This is crucial for getting a good sear. Season them generously with salt and pepper.
- Start the Sauce: In a large frying pan or sauté pan, melt the butter with the olive oil over a medium-low heat. Add the thinly sliced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook gently for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant and softened but not browned. We want to infuse the fat with flavour.
- Cook the Prawns: Turn the heat up to medium-high. Add the seasoned prawns to the pan in a single layer. Cook for 1-2 minutes per side, just until they turn pink and opaque. Don't overcook them! Once cooked, use tongs to remove the prawns from the pan and set them aside on a plate.
- Deglaze the Pan: Pour the white wine and lemon juice into the hot pan. Let it bubble and simmer for about 2 minutes, scraping up any tasty browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. This is where so much flavour lives.
- Bring It All Together: Reduce the heat to low. Return the cooked prawns to the pan. Add the drained pasta, the chopped parsley, and the grated Parmesan cheese. What works best for me is to then add about 120ml of the reserved pasta water to start.
- Emulsify the Sauce: Using tongs, toss everything together vigorously for 1-2 minutes. The starch in the pasta water will help the buttery sauce cling to the linguine, creating a silky, not watery, consistency. Add another splash of pasta water if it looks too dry. The sauce should beautifully coat every strand.
- Serve Immediately: Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon if needed. Serve immediately in warm bowls, garnished with a little extra fresh parsley and a generous grating of Parmesan cheese.
Notes
I really hope you give this Shrimp Scampi Pasta Recipe a try. It’s one of those dishes that delivers so much flavour and satisfaction for very little effort, and it never fails to make a regular weeknight feel a bit more special. If you’re looking for another quick but impressive meal, these Steak Bites With Garlic Butter are also a huge hit in my house. Let me know how you get on in the comments below – I love hearing about your kitchen adventures! Happy cooking!
– Kira
