Shrimp Scampi with Pasta

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Shrimp scampi with pasta — fast, flavorful, and irresistibly garlicky. The perfect weeknight dinner for seafood lovers.

Succulent shrimp bathed in a garlicky, white wine and lemon-infused butter sauce — shrimp scampi makes an excellent sauce for pasta. However, in many recipes, the pasta is more of an afterthought, left in need of more flavor and sauce. In this version, both the pasta and the shrimp share the spotlight equally. While you could certainly use any long pasta — think spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine — my preference is for angel hair or capellini. The thin, delicate strands have a knack for soaking up the garlicky sauce, packing maximum flavor into every bite. Speaking of garlic, the recipe demands a generous six cloves, so if your garlic press has been gathering dust, now’s the time to break it out and put it to work! Making shrimp scampi with pasta is fairly simple, but it’s important to watch the shrimp’s cooking time. If you cook them for too long, they can become rubbery. The trick is to take them off the heat as soon as they turn opaque and pink.

What You’ll Need To Make Shrimp Scampi with Pasta

Pro Tip: When a recipe calls for wine, select a bottle that is inexpensive but still good enough to drink. If you don’t want to open a large bottle, look for mini bottles that are sold in four-packs and contain about ¾ cup (160ml) of wine per bottle; they are ideal for cooking. Always avoid “cooking wines,” as they contain salt and other additives.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook to al dente according to the package instructions.

Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain.

Pro Tip: Most pasta recipes suggest reserving some of the pasta water before draining. This cooking water serves an important purpose. When pasta is cooking, it releases some of its starch, and that starchy, salty water makes a great thickener for sauces. If you’re concerned you may forget to save the cooking water, put a measuring cup in your colander. That way, when you go to drain the pasta, you’ll have that visual reminder.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, for about 1 minute.

Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are pink and just cooked through, about 3 minutes.

Add the wine to the skillet and simmer until reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest, ½ cup of the reserved cooking water, and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir until the butter is melted.

Add the drained pasta and continue to cook, tossing, until the pasta is warmed through, adding more of the reserved cooking water as needed if the pasta seems dry. Return the shrimp and any juices from the plate to the skillet and toss with the pasta.

Stir in the parsley, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve with lemon wedges.

You may also like

• Linguine with Clams
• Grilled Shrimp with Pesto
• Oven-Steamed Mussels with Garlic and White Wine
• Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Tomato, Garlic & Herbs
• Cioppino (Fisherman’s Stew)

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