This 25 minute Shrimp Scampi Pasta recipe is so easy and bursting with flavor. Fresh shrimp are coated in a rich, creamy lemon sauce. Paired with pasta, it’s hearty and filling, but still light!
Bathing in milk has been a popular beauty regimen among women for thousands of years. But what about bathing in a pool of butter, olive oil, white wine, garlic, and lemon juice? Now we’re talking! Those are some of the sauce ingredients in this Shrimp Scampi recipe. Added creme fraiche makes it creamy and even more luscious.
What is Shrimp Scampi?
Scampi and shrimp are actually two different types of crustaceans. The dish that we call shrimp scampi used to be a dish made with scampi in Italy. Americans adapted it using shrimp instead of scampi, but for some reason we kept both name.
Shrimp Scampi Recipe
Ingredients you’ll need to make it:
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements)
- Angel hair pasta: Really any type of pasta can be used, but we love the delicate nature of angel hair for this dish (plus it cooks up so fast!)
- Shrimp: We like to use medium sized shrimp for this recipe, but you can certainly swap it out for larger ones. Just adjust the cooking time, as needed.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Use a good quality olive oil.
- Butter: Butter is critical in making an awesome sauce for shrimp scampi. Unsalted is our choice.
- Onion: Sweet onions are cooked down until soft and provide great flavor.
- Garlic: Provides the best aromatics. Fresh is a must.
- White wine: This cooks down in the sauce and provides amazing depth of flavor. Use a dry white wine that you would enjoy drinking on its own. (See note below if you don’t cook with alcohol.)
- Lemons: You’ll need fresh lemons, since lemon juice and lemon zest are needed.
- Creme fraiche: This is our little secret ingredient. It makes the sauce tangy, creamy, and luscious!
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne. (The cayenne is optional, but it does provide a slight kick, which we think adds to the overall dish.)
- Fresh Parsley: This is used as a garnish for a pop of color, but also adds additional flavor.
Shrimp Scampi Sauce – Recipe Substitutions
- Substitution for wine: Wine in cooking is used to enhance the flavor and aroma of food. The alcohol content completely burns off in this shrimp scampi pasta recipe, leaving nothing but additional great flavor. But if you are 100% against using it, you can substitute it with chicken broth. Just know that the recipe won’t be optimal or as it was intended.
- Substitution for Crème fraîche: Crème fraîche does not contain any added thickeners like sour cream does, and in terms of flavor, crème fraîche has a richer and tangier flavor, so I do prefer it for this recipe. You can use sour cream, but because it has less fat and more protein than crème fraîche, simmering or boiling it will result in curdling, so you’ll need to stir it into the sauce once it’s off the heat.
What to Serve with Shrimp Scampi
Shrimp scampi is traditionally served over pasta noodles, but you can also serve the shrimp with its amazing sauce with just a side of garlic bread and a side salad.
How to Make Shrimp Scampi
Got 25 minutes? Then put this shrimp scampi pasta recipe on your weekly menu. I could curl up with this dish! To make it, follow the steps below included in the printable recipe card. Make sure to refer back to the article for all the helpful tips.
Other Shrimp Recipes We Love!
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Shrimp Scampi Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ounces angel hair pasta
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small sweet onion , diced small
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 1 pound medium shrimp , peeled and deveined (thawed, if frozen)
- lemon zest and juice from 1 large lemon
- salt and pepper , to taste
- pinch of cayenne pepper , optional
- 1/3 cup creme fraiche
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions, about 4-5 minutes.
- In the meantime, warm butter and olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high. Saute onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add in the wine and cook until reduced, about 1 minute.
- Add in the shrimp and cook until pink, about 2 minutes.
- Toss in the lemon zest and season with salt and pepper.
- Add in the creme fraiche and stir until smooth.
- Remove from heat and stir in the parsley and lemon juice.
- Place some pasta on individual plates and top with some of the shrimp and pan sauce. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Other Notes
This recipe is a big hit in our house and gets requested often . I have not found creme fraiche so I sub equally with heavy creme.
I made this recipe for dinner tonight. It was my third time in the last 5 or 6 months. Tonight’s effort was at least a 9. 3 on a zero to ten scale. The pasta could have been a bit more al dente, the garlic could have had a bit more punch. I used 21-25 count shrimp, but I had real good results with 36-40 count shrimp the last time I made it. I used more than 1/3 cup creme fraiche, but not quite a half cup. The first time I made it I used too much lemon and/or didn’t reduce it properly. The second time was better, but I was still using a metal pan. This time I used an All Clad Non Stick saute pan. I’m ready to have Ina Garten, Martha Stewart, aand Jacques Pepin drop by. It is that good!
Instead of creme fraiche, how about plain yougurt ?
I paired this with smoked salmon, some tossed in, some on the side, and some didn’t have the salmon at all…since theres allergies to shrimp. Delicious.
Would this recipe work with chicken?
This recipe was fantastic, simple but very flavorful. As a Florida native shrimp dishes are very dear to my heart and this is a winner.
What is Creme Fraiche?
it’s a type of soured cream, found in the dairy or deli section of your grocery store.
Oooooooh! Yes, please!
We made this last week and enjoyed it a lot!
Honestly, how can you go wrong with pasta, wine, and onions? Am I right?! I absolutely LOVE this dish! I bet the creme fraiche makes it super creamy without making it heavy, which I really really like. Can’t wait to try this one!
Absolutely delicious!!!
Oh MY. This looks gorgeous and I can practically smell that lemon cream through my screen. This recipe is truly right up my alley!
An OMG this tasted so good I can’t stop thinking about it. Period.
I feel like this is still fairly soft, so I suspect your mouth will be fine! Love that you added cream to the lemony scampi sauce. Genius move.
We have finally gotten back into the double digits here in Phoenix, just in the nick of time I might add! ;) I haven’t had shrimp scampi in ages even though it’s one of my favorite dishes and was so excited to make this. It was just as wonderful as I’d remembered. Thanks for sharing this lovely recipe!
Very good
So unbelievably gorgeous Amy! Definitely giving this a try soon!
SO delicious! I love that even though it’s creamy, it’s not heavy at all. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
AMAZING!
Four cloves or garlic. Oh, I can smell and taste this now. YUM.