{"id":14381,"date":"2019-08-07T08:14:18","date_gmt":"2019-08-07T13:14:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bowlofdelicious.com\/?p=14381"},"modified":"2021-04-26T10:28:59","modified_gmt":"2021-04-26T14:28:59","slug":"shrimp-scampi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bowlofdelicious.com\/shrimp-scampi\/","title":{"rendered":"15-minute Classic Shrimp Scampi"},"content":{"rendered":"

This Classic Shrimp Scampi Recipe<\/strong> is so easy to make in only 15 minutes<\/strong>! It’s perfect served with crusty bread<\/a> or pasta to soak up all the luscious garlic butter sauce<\/strong> for an easy weeknight meal.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Shrimp scampi may sound fancy, but it’s such a ridiculously easy dinner to make on any weeknight! The thick sauce has four cloves of garlic and lots of butter, making it rich and luxurious.<\/p>\n

I like shrimp scampi served with pasta (my favorite is linguine)<\/em> or with crusty bread. You must have something with which to mop up all the amazing sauce- it would be a sin to let it go to waste!<\/p>\n

But it’s also easy to keep this shrimp scampi recipe low carb by serving it with zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice, and keep it gluten-free by serving it with cooked rice. Or just dive right into the skillet with a spoon. No judgement here!<\/p>\n

In this post, I’ll explain how to make shrimp scampi<\/strong>, how to defrost frozen shrimp<\/strong>, how to make sure the scampi sauce is super thick<\/strong>, and give you some more tips and tricks for the BEST and easiest shrimp scampi possible!<\/p>\n

\"Close-up<\/p>\n

How to make classic shrimp scampi<\/h2>\n

Before you start cooking this, make sure you have all your ingredients prepped beforehand. It moves quickly, so you want to be prepared! Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and mince the garlic, zest and juice a lemon, and chop up some fresh parsley.<\/p>\n

\"Raw<\/p>\n

Now it’s time to get cooking.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Heat up some olive oil and butter<\/strong> in a skillet.<\/li>\n
  2. Add minced garlic and crushed red pepper<\/strong> and cook over medium heat. Don’t brown it!<\/li>\n
  3. Add the shrimp<\/strong> in a single layer and cook for three minutes.<\/li>\n
  4. Flip the shrimp<\/strong> and cook for one more minute.<\/li>\n
  5. Remove the shrimp and add lemon juice, white wine, and lemon zest<\/strong> to the skillet. Heat on higher heat until it reduces by half.<\/li>\n
  6. Then, reduce the heat to low and melt more butter into the sauce<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  7. Add the shrimp back into the skillet along with the fresh parsley and stir to coat. All done!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \"How<\/p>\n

    What kind of skillet to use<\/h2>\n

    I recommend, hands down, a non-stick skillet for this. You can use other kinds, but since you need to cook this gently so the garlic doesn’t brown and the shrimp doesn’t overcook, I find a non-stick just makes things easier. Not to mention, the clean up is a breeze.<\/p>\n

    I used a 12-inch Calphalon Nonstick Skillet<\/a>. I have a whole set and LOVE them. They’re durable and oven-safe!<\/p>\n

    What kind of shrimp to buy<\/h2>\n

    I recommend buying frozen shrimp<\/strong>. It’s cheaper than the “fresh” shrimp at the fish counter in your grocery store. BUT, did you know… the shrimp they sell at the counter is almost always frozen and thawed? So you might as well buy it frozen and defrost it yourself to save some money!<\/p>\n

    I also recommend buying large, or jumbo, shrimp. They’re harder to overcook and the texture is much better, in my opinion. But to save some more money, you can use smaller size shrimp if you prefer. Just cook it for less time.<\/p>\n

    Finally, I recommend buying shrimp that’s already peeled and deveined<\/strong>. Tail on or off- whatever you prefer is fine! But peeling and deveining is such a pain, and it’s not much more expensive to get it all done for you.<\/p>\n

    How to thaw frozen shrimp<\/h2>\n

    There are three ways to defrost frozen shrimp.<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Let it sit in your refrigerator for 24-48 hours.<\/li>\n
    2. Run cold water over the frozen shrimp in a colander for 2-3 minutes or so.<\/li>\n
    3. My favorite way: <\/strong>soak the frozen shrimp in lightly salted ice water. This should only take about 5 minutes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      \"Close<\/p>\n

      Making the shrimp scampi sauce thick<\/h2>\n

      You don’t need any cornstarch or flour to thicken scampi sauce, despite what some sources may tell you! There are two tricks to thickening it.<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Make sure you simmer it once you add the wine and lemon juice so the liquid reduces. This will cause the water to evaporate and you’ll be left with a thicker, more concentrated flavor base.<\/li>\n
      2. Melt chilled butter into the sauce over low heat. This will ensure the melted butter acts as an emulsifier for the sauce, rather than separating out into its dairy and fat particles and resulting in a greasy, thin sauce.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        \"Overhead<\/p>\n

        Other easy shrimp recipes:<\/h2>\n