Shrimp Scampi Pasta

What is Shrimp Scampi?

Aside from it being my grandmother’s favorite meal, shrimp scampi is pretty simple. The classic recipe includes: garlic, white wine and a butter sauce that is either accompanied with a pile of pasta or with a hunk of crusty bread.

I’ve taken a few liberties with this shrimp scampi pasta, but something tells me you won’t mind my switching things up a bit!

Shrimp Scampi Ingredients

(For the full recipe ingredients and measurements, scroll to the recipe card below.)

Here’s what you’ll need to make this Shrimp Scampi Alfredo Pasta:

• Noodles: I like using linguine, but angel hair or spaghetti will work too!
• Shallot: The flavor of a shallot elevates the taste of this pasta a bit. But if you don’t have one on hand, a white or yellow onion will work. (You’ll just want to use probably half of an onion as they’re much larger than shallots.)
• Minced garlic: One of the star ingredients of this delicious pasta!
• Lemon juice: I use the juice from 2 lemons which is usually 1/4-1/3 of a cup. As with most lemon dishes, using fresh lemon really makes the flavor pop!
• White wine: Use a dry, inexpensive white wine in this dish. I like Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay.
• Shrimp: I like to use pre-cooked, frozen shrimp to keep this dish super simple, but raw shrimp is fine too! You can use 31-40 shrimp or even smaller shrimp (91/110 size) with the tails and shell removed If using frozen shrimp, you’ll want to thaw it before adding it to the sauce. Simply rinse in a strainer with cool water until thawed.
• Store-bought Alfredo sauce: You can use any brand you like. We love Rao’s in my house!
• Toppings: fresh parsley parmesan cheese
• Other ingredients needed: olive oil, butter salt, pepper, red pepper flakes

How to Make Shrimp Scampi Pasta

The full directions are listed below in the recipe card. But I promise, this shrimp scampi pasta is SO easy to make. You’ll want to get the water boiling first, and use a separate sauté pan to make the sauce while the pasta cooks.

What’s the best pasta for shrimp scampi?

Linguine or angel hair are my favorites for this simple shrimp scampi pasta. You can also keep this meal low-carb and serve it with zucchini noodles or steamed cauliflower.

What’s the best wine for shrimp scampi?

Use a dry white wine. A cheap Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay works well.

Is there a white wine substitute I can use?

If you don’t have white wine on hand or prefer not to use it, you’re welcome to use chicken broth or water in its place.

Tips for Making Shrimp Scampi:

• Save some time and buy shrimp that is frozen (already cooked) and that has already been peeled with the tails off. Some people think leaving the tails on results in a prettier dish, but taking the tails off while eating can be such a hassle!
• Once the shrimp are added to the pan, the trick is to cook them just long enough that they turn pink all over, but not until their bodies curl into rounds with the texture of tires (yuck!).
• A swirl of this pasta and juicy shrimp is everything you want from shrimp scampi pasta — a buttery, lemony Alfredo sauce coats linguine and shrimp, and the bright bite of red pepper and parsley balances everything.
• Let me know what you think of the recipe by dropping a comment below!

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4.67 from 15 reviews

Shrimp Scampi Pasta

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 people

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A swirl of this pasta and juicy shrimp is everything you want from shrimp scampi pasta — a buttery, lemony Alfredo sauce coats linguine and shrimp, and the bright bite of red pepper and parsley balances the entire dish!

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 lb. linguini
• ▢ 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• ▢ 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter (divided )
• ▢ 1 small shallot, finely diced (about 1/3 cup)
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic, minced (minced)
• ▢ 1/2 tsp. salt
• ▢ 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• ▢ 1/2 tsp. red pepper chili flakes ((optional))
• ▢ 2 lemons, juiced ((about 1/4-1/3 cup lemon juice))
• ▢ 1/2 cup white wine*
• ▢ 16 oz. shrimp** 31-40 size
• ▢ 15 oz jar Alfredo sauce (we love Raos)
• ▢ 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ▢ 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

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Instructions 

• Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot and cook the pasta according to package directions. (Linguini usually takes around 9 minutes). Strain pasta in a colander, toss with a little olive oil if desired so pasta doesn't stick together. Set aside.
  1 lb. linguini, 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• Add 2 Tbsp. butter and the olive oil to a large frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the diced shallot. Let this cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  1 Tbsp. olive oil, 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 1 small shallot, finely diced (about 1/3 cup)
  
• Add in the garlic, salt, pepper, chili flakes and stir for ~30 seconds.
  2 cloves garlic, minced, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. black pepper, 1/2 tsp. red pepper chili flakes, 2 lemons, juiced, 1/2 cup white wine*
  
• Then add in the lemon juice and wine. Simmer for 2 minutes.
  
• If using frozen shrimp: Thaw the shrimp by placing them in a strainer and running cold water over them until fully thawed. Then add the thawed shrimp to the pan along with the remaining 2 Tbsp. butter and Alfredo sauce. Let this simmer again, but not too long so the shrimp doesn't become rubbery. If using uncooked (raw) shrimp: Add in the shrimp, remaining 2 Tbsp. butter, and Alfredo sauce and let simmer until the shrimp just begins to turn pink. (Small shrimp can cook in as little as 2 minutes!)
  16 oz. shrimp** 31-40 size
  
• Stir in the parsley and Parmesan.
  1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped, 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  
• Mix with cooked linguine and enjoy!
  

Equipment

Chefs Knife

Colander/Pasta Strainer

Citrus Juicer/Wooden Reamer

Video

Notes

*If needed, use water or chicken broth instead of white wine. The white wine really adds great flavor, but broth or water work fine in a pinch!

**Shrimp options:

• You can use fully-cooked frozen shrimp (pre-cooked, 91/110 size, tails and shell off)
• Or you can also use uncooked raw shrimp 31-40 size for this recipe. Just make sure to adjust the time you allow the sauce to simmer once you’ve added the shrimp because shrimp can get rubbery if it overcooks.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 592kcal (30%), Carbohydrates: 52g (17%), Protein: 38g (76%), Fat: 10g (15%), Saturated Fat: 14g (88%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 195mg (65%), Sodium: 1307mg (57%), Potassium: 644mg (18%), Fiber: 4g (17%), Sugar: 6g (7%), Vitamin A: 136IU (3%), Vitamin C: 1mg (1%), Calcium: 263mg (26%), Iron: 2mg (11%)

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

© Author: Tawnie Graham of Kroll’s Korner

Recipe originally posted in July 2020. Blog post updated in December 2024 with new photos by Sierra Ashleigh Photography.