Guys, honestly I haven't had such a simple and good dish in a long time. This easy shrimp scampi recipe uses only a few ingredients but packs a punch Therefore So much taste! And it's made in just 20 minutes, making it perfect when you want a quick weeknight dinner. This is a light and easy dinner that sounds fancy but is made in the comfort of your own home. I seriously had to stop myself from eating more than one serving – yes, it's that good!
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What is Shrimp Scampi?
Shrimp scampi is an Italian dish of shrimp traditionally cooked in a savory sauce made from garlic, butter, white wine, and lemon juice. However, we try to keep costs down here at Budget Bites, so I've tweaked the ingredients in my recipe slightly to make it more affordable without sacrificing flavor. I substitute white wine for the chicken broth and use frozen shrimp instead of fresh, which helps keep the cost down…yet this recipe still packs a punch. exactly Better than shrimp at your favorite seafood restaurant (Red Lobster, I'm looking at you) 😉
Here's what you'll need to make this Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi recipe:
- Prawns: Pre-peeled and prepared shrimp for convenience. I always use peeled, deveined, tail-off frozen shrimp (which thaw quickly before I use them) because it's prepped and ready to go! You can use any size shrimp you like, but please remember that smaller shrimp will cook much faster than larger ones.
- Olive Oil and Butter: These are the base of our sauces and give the dish a rich flavor. I use both olive oil and butter because the oil stops the butter from browning too quickly in the pan and adds flavor well.
- Garlic: This recipe just wouldn't be the same without fresh garlic! It imparts a delicious flavor to the oil and butter and gives the dish a “scampy” flavor. Finely chop your garlic so it cooks quickly and evenly in the pan.
- Chicken Broth: Use good quality chicken broth for best flavor. I used Better than bouillon. I tested the recipe with both chicken broth and white wine, and I found it better to use that broth. But feel free to substitute the broth for white wine if you prefer.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: I recommend using fresh lemon juice, so save the bottled stuff for another recipe. You'll need two tablespoons in total, which is about a medium-sized lemon.
- Seasoning: As with any recipe, seasoning is key! I add salt, black pepper, chili flakes (optional), chopped fresh parsley, and Creole seasoning. Adding a little Creole seasoning makes this recipe really Stand out! It adds a lot of flavor to the shrimp and sauce. And I highly recommend using it Tony Chachere's Creole SpicesBut you can also substitute with any Cajun or Creole seasoning salt mix.
Cooking Shrimp on a Budget
Shrimp is one of those foods that I used to avoid because they can be very expensive at the store. But when I discovered that frozen shrimp can be just as delicious and often more economical, I haven't looked back! Buying frozen shrimp is less expensive than fresh. And You can keep it on hand without worrying about it spoiling too quickly. So, go to your freezer section when shopping for shrimp. And as always, keep an eye out for sales!
- Thaw your shrimp until they are soft and pliable. You can either leave them overnight in the refrigerator to thaw or do as per the recipe below and pour cold water over them. It took about 5 minutes to melt the mine using this method. This means you don't need to prep ahead of time and you can still make this meal on a busy weeknight!
- Don't overcook your shrimp! Prawns cook really fast and only take about 2 minutes per side depending on the size of your prawns. I cook mine on each side until they are pink and opaque.
- Prepare everything you need before cooking. Following on from the last point, I always prepare all my ingredients before cooking. This means I've measured my spices, chopped parsley, and pre-cooked any side dishes. This is my number 1 tip for anyone cooking shrimp for the first time! As with any shrimp recipe, like ours Shrimp and White Bean StewOnce the shrimp hit the pan you have to move very quickly and getting everything ready will definitely help.
- Looking to add more visual appeal to your dishes? Feel free to buy shrimp with the tail on. Leaving the tail on your shrimp looks amazing, but it can take extra work when eating it. So, I always opt for the tail-off option when making this shrimp scampi recipe.
giving instructions
My family loves this dish with extra parsley, lemon wedges and pasta like linguine or spaghetti. A sprinkling of Parmesan cheese on top is also great! And since the garlic butter sauce is at the bottom of the pot, I usually serve some Garlic bread Or French bread on the side. But A A simple side salad or something Roasted vegetables Here are my favorite ways to add extra greens to our plates. I usually have whatever is in season and on offer, but Fried Brussels Sprouts Or Fried Asparagus Do I have my go-to veggies to serve with garlic shrimp scampi at this point!
How does it store?
It's really easy to overcook shrimp when reheating, so I recommend making as much shrimp scampi as you'd like to eat fresh. However, if you have leftovers, let them cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, place them in a pan with any remaining sauce and cook over medium heat until heated through.
Shrimp Scampi Recipe
This easy shrimp scampi recipe is made in just 20 minutes with just a few simple ingredients. And it's packed with a ton of flavor!
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- 1 lb Prawns, peeled and prepared* ($8.99)
- ½ teaspoon Salt, divided ($0.03)
- ½ teaspoon Freshly cracked black pepper, divided ($0.03)
- 2 tbsp olive oil ($0.24)
- 2 tbsp butter ($0.28)
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced ($0.32)
- ¼ teaspoon Tony's Chachere's Creole Spice ($0.03)
- ½ Cup Chicken Broth ($0.08)
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley ($0.20)
- 2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice ($0.79)
- ⅛ teaspoon Chili flakes (optional) ($0.02)
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If your shrimp are frozen, start by thawing the shrimp first. I chose frozen, peeled, prepared and tail-off shrimp. Place the shrimp in a colander and run cold water over them for two minutes or until thawed. Mine took 5 minutes to melt.
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Place shrimp on a cutting board and pat dry on both sides with paper towels. Season the shrimp with ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Keep the prawns aside.
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In a large 12-inch skillet, add olive oil and butter and heat over medium heat. Once the kadai is hot, add chopped garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
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Next add ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, Creole seasoning and chicken broth. Whisk everything together and simmer the sauce for 2-3 minutes, so that it reduces by half.
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Now add the prawns to the pan. Cook the shrimp until they are pink and opaque, about 2 minutes on the first side. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp.
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Flip the prawns and cook on the other side. Mix chopped parsley, lemon juice and chili flakes (optional). Cook for about 2 minutes on the other side, until pink and opaque.
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Remove the kadai from the heat. Serve the shrimp with the sauce and over a bed of pasta with extra fresh parsley and lemon. Enjoy!
Let's see how Calculate the cost of the recipe here.
*I purchased frozen raw shrimp that were already peeled, deveined, tails off.
Serving: 1servingCalories: 218kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 23gFat: 13gSodium: 583mgFiber: 0.3g
Read our full Nutrition disclaimer here.
How to make shrimp scampi – step by step photos
If your 1 pound of shrimp is frozen, start by thawing the shrimp first. I chose frozen, peeled, deveined and de-tailed shrimp. Place the shrimp in a colander and run cold water over them for two minutes or until thawed. Mine took 5 minutes to melt.
Place shrimp on a cutting board and pat dry on both sides with paper towels.
Season the shrimp with ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Keep the prawns aside.
In a large 12-inch skillet, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter and heat over medium heat. Once the kadai is hot, add 4 cloves of chopped garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
Next add ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon Creole seasoning, and ½ cup chicken broth. Whisk everything together and simmer the sauce for 2-3 minutes, so that it reduces by half.
Now add the prawns to the pan. Cook the shrimp until they are pink and opaque, about 2 minutes on the first side. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp.
Flip the prawns and cook on the other side. Mix 2 teaspoons chopped parsley, 2 teaspoons lemon juice and ⅛ teaspoon chili flakes (optional). Cook for about 2 minutes on the other side, until pink and opaque.
Remove the kadai from the heat. Serve the shrimp with the sauce and over a bed of pasta with extra fresh parsley and lemon. Enjoy!
