20-Minute Brown Butter Shrimp Scampi

Go ahead and file this one under “Dinner in a Hurry,” because you’d be hard-pressed to find a faster, more to-the-point recipe than a good shrimp scampi. This one however, my Brown Butter Shrimp Scampi, turns the volume up just a little bit – toasting and amplifying the flavor of the butter in the simple pan sauce – and this classic dish is all the better for it.

My daughter’s favorite food is shrimp, which I kind of love about her, and she’s goes crazy for this recipe. Because let’s be real – if you pair shrimp with a tangle of butter and garlic-slicked linguine noodles, it’s game over. A total dinnertime win.

She’s not the only one in my family who loves this, though. I kid you not, I found Lucas at the sink last night, just lowering tong-fulls of the noodles straight down into his mouth. I teased him for it, of course, but he was like make fun of me all you want, these noodles are SO GOOD.

What Exactly is Shrimp Scampi?

“Scampi,” also knows as langoustines, Dublin Bay Prawns, or Norway Lobsters, are tiny crustaceans. Italian Americans evolved the term a bit, trading shrimp for scampi, and keeping both names.

Simple, and time-tested, Shrimp Scampi is a classic preparation, where the shrimp are cooked in a garlicky lemon-butter sauce. There are, however, plenty of variations of the concept and sometimes you’ll see recipes for baked shrimp scampi or maybe broiled. Some recipes will ask you to marinate your shrimp prior to cooking, a step that yields wonderful flavor indeed. BUT …

This is meant to be a 20-minute meal, and adding in a marinade to the process would make it a longer thing altogether. So, my recipe today really ramps up the flavor of the entire dish by taking an extra minute or two to just brown the butter. This adds deeper, toasted notes to the sauce that, while subtle, will absolutely elevate the flavor of the whole thing.

How is Shrimp Scampi Served?

Here, we’re going for the classic shrimp + pasta combination, using long, beautifully tangled linguine noodles as our bed. You could, however, leave the pasta out entirely, toss the shrimp in the sauce, and serve it with crusty bread for dining and dredging.

However you serve it, this is a tough-to-beat recipe that is a home cook’s best friend when you want something delicious and you want it NOW.

Ahem.

What Ingredients Do You Need to Make Shrimp Scampi?

Here’s our lineup:

1 lb. linguine noodles

Salt and pepper, as needed

5 TBSP unsalted butter

24 oz. large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails on or off; you can use less shrimp if you like)

5 cloves garlic, minced or grated

2 TBSP olive oil, plus more to keep the noodles from sticking

Juice + zest of 1 lemon

½ cup white wine

⅓ cup finely chopped parsley (optional)

How Do You Make 20-Minute Shrimp Scampi? The Breakdown:

In heavily salted water (like the ocean), cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot temporarily. Drizzle a little olive oil into the noodles to keep them from sticking and give them a little toss.

Meanwhile, add the butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Allow it to melt fully and then keep cooking it until it begins to brown and smells nutty; about 2 to 3 minutes after it has fully melted. As soon as this happens, pour the brown butter into a small dish and set aside for now. No need to wipe out the pan!

Add 1 TBSP olive oil to the pan and, with the heat set to medium, add the shrimp in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, just until they’re pink and have curled into tight C’s. No longer! Transfer the shrimp to a tray or plate for now. Don’t wipe out the pan.

Add the remaining TBSP olive oil to the pan and lower the heat a little, to med-low. Add the garlic, lemon zest and juice, and the wine. Simmer for a couple of minutes, to cook the garlic and reduce the wine. Add the reserved brown butter into the sauce, along with the chopped parsley (if using).

Add the pasta right into the pan with the brown butter lemon sauce, followed by the shrimp and toss toss toss (tongs are good for this), ensuring the shrimp and noodles pick up that flavor. Serve right away. 

If you like the looks of this 20-Minute Shrimp Scampi, then you might want to check out:

Cheesy Pastas with Breadcrumbs & Whipped Brown Butter Vinaigrette

Sticky Balsamic Pasta with Tangled Carrots

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