Weeknight Shrimp Scampi
Garlic-butter shrimp and spaghetti in a lemony white wine sauce, on the table in 25 minutes. The restaurant version drowns in butter; this one gets the same glossy sauce from one measured knob, olive oil, wine, and starchy pasta water, and lands at 40 grams of protein.
Method
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Cook the spaghetti in well-salted water until just shy of al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
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Sear the shrimp in half the oil over medium-high, 1 to 2 minutes a side until just pink. Remove.
💡 Tip: They finish in the sauce later. Fully cooked now means rubber later. -
Add the remaining oil, butter, garlic, and chili flakes to the pan for 30 seconds until fragrant.
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Pour in the wine and broth and simmer 2 to 3 minutes to reduce by half.
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Add the pasta, lemon zest and juice, and a splash of pasta water, tossing until the sauce goes glossy and clings.
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Return the shrimp for a final minute, then finish with parmesan and parsley.
Notes
Big shrimp, properly dried, so they sear instead of steam.
The reserved pasta water is the secret to a sauce that clings. Do not tip it down the sink.
Garlic burns fast in oil. Thirty seconds, fragrant, then wine in.
The wine cooks down and mostly cooks off; stock plus extra lemon works if you would rather skip it.
Nutrition Information
| Calories | 470kcal |
| Total Fat | 11g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 49g |
| Protein | 40g |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where do the calories go versus restaurant scampi?
Restaurant scampi is a butter delivery system — often half a stick per portion before the bread arrives. Here one 15g knob shares the job with olive oil, wine, and starchy pasta water, which emulsify into the same glossy coating for a fraction of the fat.
Can I use frozen shrimp?
Absolutely, and for most people frozen is the fresher product. Thaw fully, then dry them aggressively — wet shrimp will never sear.
What if I do not cook with wine?
Use all broth and add an extra squeeze of lemon at the end. You lose a little of the classic aroma but the dish still works completely.
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