Shrimp Scampi Without Wine is quick and easy to make and comes together in only 20 minutes. Fresh lemon, butter, and shrimp make this recipe a great summer dish. Simple enough for a weeknight, tasty enough for a date night!
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Shrimp lovers, try my Whole30 Dynamite Shrimp, Cauliflower Fried Rice with Shrimp, and Shrimp Salad Stuffed Avocados.
This classic recipe makes a simple garlic and butter sauce that goes well with a pile of pasta or a hunk of crusty bread. We decided to make shrimp scampi without wine and use lots of fresh lemon and broth instead.
However you make the dish, 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 long enough that they are overcooked and rubbery.
We like to serve our shrimp scampi with linguine pasta. You can also keep it low-carb and serve it over zucchini noodles or with steamed cauliflower!
Looking for more pasta recipes? Our Zucchini Pasta with Fennel and Sausage is a great summertime recipe.
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⭐️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Enjoy for lunch or dinner, but you can remove the pasta, and you've got yourself a delicious appetizer.
- Your kids will love this recipe, and you'll have peace of mind knowing it's alcohol-free.
- Make this elegant dinner in only 20 minutes!
- The combination of garlic, butter, and lemon zest will leave your kitchen smelling amazing!
📝 Key Ingredients
Here is a visual overview of the shrimp scampi ingredients in this recipe. Scroll to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Shrimp - I like to use 16/20 large shrimp. Meaning, there are 16-20 shrimp in one pound. Using frozen shrimp works well, but for the best flavor, opt for shrimp with the peel still on. The peel helps maintain the shrimp's texture and adds flavor during cooking.
- Scampi Sauce - The sauce is made with butter, olive oil, chicken stock, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, red chili flakes, and parsley. Traditionally, shrimp scampi is made with white wine, but we left it out for a kid-friendly version.
See the recipe card for quantities.
🥘 Substitutions + Variations
- Pasta - Linguine is popular because it holds the sauce well. Other options include Orzo, Penne, Angel Hair, and Spaghetti pasta.
- Vegetarian - Enjoy scampi sauce with vegetables, tofu, and vegan shrimp.
- Without Pasta - Zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, rice, and spaghetti squash are great gluten-free ways to enjoy shrimp scampi.
- Grilled Shrimp Scampi - Marinate shrimp with garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice and grill. While shrimp are grilling, make a shrimp scampi sauce on the stove. This method adds a smoky flavor, delicious in shrimp scampi.
🔪 Step-By-Instructions
You might be wondering why you should make shrimp scampi without wine. We found that removing the wine enhances the garlicky lemon flavor, making the sauce more accessible to everyone!
Step 1.In a large pan, combine olive oil, butter, garlic, and chili flakes. The oil prevents the butter from burning. Cook for 1-2 minutes over medium heat to slightly cook the garlic, but not burn it.
Step 2. Pour in the chicken stock to prevent the garlic and chili flakes from burning. Bring the stock to a simmer and cook for 1 minute.
Step 3. Arrange shrimp into the pan and cook just until the shrimp changes to a pink color. If you overcook the shrimp they will have a rubbery texture.
Step 4. Add in lemon juice, lemon zest, and one more tablespoon of butter to finish off the scampi sauce. Turn off the heat so the shrimp stops cooking.
Step 5. Sprinkle fresh parsley over the top to give it that classic shrimp scampi look.
Step 6. Serve with your favorite pasta. We chose linguine but any pasta will do. Toss the cooked pasta in the scampi sauce to absorb all that flavor!
👨🏻🍳 Chef Tips
- The combination of oil and butter prevents the butter from burning. Oil has a higher smoking point than butter does.
- To make this recipe kid-friendly, leave out the red chili flakes.
- Burnt garlic will make your scampi sauce taste bitter. Cooking garlic over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes will prevent this.
- Shrimp cooks very fast and will become rubbery if overcooked. Only cook shrimp until it turns pink.
- Toss the cooked pasta in the scampi sauce for the creamiest shrimp scampi.
🫙 Storage + Reheating
Storing Shrimp Scampi:
- Cool Down: Allow the shrimp scampi to cool to room temperature.
- Airtight Container: Transfer the scampi to an airtight container.
- Refrigeration: Store it in the refrigerator. It will keep well for up to 2-3 days.
- Freezing: If you need to store it longer, you can freeze it. Place the scampi in a freezer-safe container or a resealable freezer bag. It will last for up to 2-3 months in the freezer.
Reheating Shrimp Scampi:
- Thawing (if frozen): If the scampi is frozen, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.
- Stovetop Reheating:
- Heat a skillet over medium heat.
- Add a small amount of butter or olive oil to the skillet.
- Add the shrimp scampi and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. This should take about 5-7 minutes.
- Microwave Reheating:
- Place the shrimp scampi in a microwave-safe dish.
- Cover the dish with a damp paper towel.
- Heat on 70% power for 3 minutes, or until the scampi is hot. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp, as they can become rubbery.
- Oven Reheating:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Place the shrimp scampi in an oven-safe dish and cover with foil.
- Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.
❓Recipe FAQ's
We use chicken stock to add volume to the sauce, while lemon juice and zest provide the acidity. With these substitutions, you won't even miss the white wine in this dish.
Traditionally, lobster-like crustaceans called scampi were used, also known as Dublin Bay Prawns or Norway Lobsters, to make this dish. Now, it is more commonly made with shrimp--hence the name "shrimp scampi."
Shrimp scampi is made with a simple sauce of garlic, butter, and white wine. For me, I like to leave the white wine out and replace it with chicken stock and lemon juice.
The best pasta to serve with shrimp scampi is a long, thin noodle that can hold the sauce well. Linguine, spaghetti, and angel hair pasta are all excellent options.
More traditional serving suggestions include over pasta, with crusty bread, or with rice.
Some more creative options are over zucchini noodles, with polenta, or with cooked quinoa.
Garnish your shrimp scampi with parsley, lemon, parmesan cheese, or a side of steamed vegetables.
🍽 Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Shrimp Scampi without Wine
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 4 -5 cloves of garlic minced
- 1¼ pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
- ⅓ cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 lemon zested
- salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 1 pound linguine pasta cooked
Instructions
- In a large pan, combine olive oil, butter, garlic, and chili flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes over medium heat to slightly cook the garlic, but not burn it.
- Pour in the chicken stock, bring to a simmer, and cook for 1 minute. Arrange shrimp into the pan and cook just until the shrimp turns a pink color.
- Add in lemon juice, lemon zest, and one more tablespoon of butter to finish the scampi sauce. Turn off the heat so the shrimp stops cooking.
- Cook pasta using the boxed instructions. Toss cooked pasta, shrimp, and scampi sauce together. Garnish with parsley and lemon slices.
Notes
- I recommend using a large 16/20 shrimp for this recipe.
- Chicken stock adds volume to the sauce without overpowering it with too much flavor.
- Adding ½ cup of pasta water to the sauce will make it creamy.
- This recipe is a non-alcoholic version of a traditional shrimp scampi, making it kid-friendly.
Nutrition
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