Shrimp Scampi With Linguine

The smell of garlic sizzling in butter still pulls me straight back to a cramped apartment kitchen where counter space was a luxury. I was trying to impress someone who claimed they didn't like shrimp, which felt like a personal challenge. The wine was cheap, the parsley came from a wilting bunch in the fridge, and somehow it all came together in under half an hour. That night taught me that some of the best meals happen when you're too hungry to overthink them.

I made this for my sister the week she moved into her first house, both of us exhausted from unpacking boxes all day. We ate it straight from the skillet because we couldn't find the plates yet, twirling linguine with mismatched forks and laughing at how fancy we felt sitting on the floor. That's when I realized this dish doesn't need much to shine, just good shrimp and someone hungry enough to appreciate it.

Ingredients

• Large shrimp (1 pound, peeled and deveined): Look for shrimp that smell like the ocean, not fishy or ammonia-like, and pat them completely dry so they get a nice sear instead of steaming in the pan.
• Linguine (12 ounces): The flat shape holds onto that buttery sauce better than round pasta, and cooking it just shy of al dente means it finishes perfectly when tossed with the shrimp.
• Unsalted butter (4 tablespoons): Using unsalted gives you control over the seasoning, and adding it in stages builds layers of richness without making the sauce greasy.
• Extra-virgin olive oil (3 tablespoons): This keeps the butter from burning and adds a fruity backbone that rounds out the garlic beautifully.
• Garlic (5 cloves, finely minced): Mince it by hand if you can, the texture is better than jarred, and watch it like a hawk because burnt garlic turns the whole dish bitter.
• Red pepper flakes (1/4 teaspoon, optional): Just a pinch wakes everything up without making it spicy, though you can skip it entirely if heat isn't your thing.
• Lemon (zest of 1, plus 2 tablespoons juice): Fresh lemon is non-negotiable here, the bottled stuff tastes flat and won't give you that bright, clean finish.
• Fresh parsley (1/4 cup, chopped): The flat-leaf kind has more flavor than curly, and adding it at the end keeps it vibrant and grassy instead of sad and wilted.
• Dry white wine (1/2 cup): Use something you'd actually drink, not cooking wine, because that metallic taste will come through in the sauce.
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper: Season in layers as you go, tasting the sauce before the final toss so you don't end up with something too salty.

Instructions

Perfect for simmering soups, baking casseroles, and serving cozy one-pot meals straight from oven to table.

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Boil the pasta:

Get a large pot of water boiling with enough salt that it tastes like the sea, then cook the linguine until it still has a tiny bite in the center. Scoop out half a cup of that starchy pasta water before you drain, it's liquid gold for bringing the sauce together.

Prep the shrimp:

Use paper towels to press the shrimp completely dry, any moisture will make them steam instead of getting that golden edge. A light sprinkle of salt and pepper is all they need at this stage.

Start the aromatics:

Melt half the butter with most of the olive oil over medium heat, then add the garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring constantly for about a minute. You want it fragrant and just starting to turn golden, not brown.

Sear the shrimp:

Lay the shrimp in a single layer without crowding, let them sit undisturbed for a minute or two until the bottom turns pink, then flip and cook the other side. Pull them out while they're still barely opaque in the center, they'll finish cooking later.

Deglaze the pan:

Pour in the wine and lemon juice, scraping up all those stuck-on bits from the bottom, then let it bubble and reduce for a few minutes. The alcohol cooks off and leaves behind this rich, tangy base.

Finish the sauce:

Stir in the rest of the butter and the remaining olive oil, swirling until it melts into a glossy, unified sauce. This is where it goes from good to restaurant-quality.

Bring it together:

Add the shrimp back in along with any juices that collected on the plate, then toss in the lemon zest and half the parsley. Everything should smell incredible at this point.

Toss the pasta:

Add the drained linguine and toss it all together with tongs, adding splashes of pasta water until the sauce clings to every strand. Taste a piece and adjust the salt if needed.

Serve hot:

Plate it up right away, topped with the remaining parsley and lemon wedges on the side. This dish waits for no one.

Save

One summer evening, I made this for a small dinner party on a friend's back porch, the kind where everyone lingers at the table long after the plates are empty. Someone asked for the recipe and I realized I'd stopped measuring anything months ago, just cooking by feel and taste. That's when a recipe stops being instructions and starts being muscle memory.

Choosing Your Shrimp

Frozen shrimp is honestly easier to work with than fresh unless you live near the coast, just thaw them in the fridge overnight or run cold water over them for a few minutes. Look for shrimp labeled wild-caught if you can, they tend to have better flavor and firmer texture than farmed. The size matters less than you'd think, but anywhere from 16 to 20 count per pound gives you a nice meaty bite without being unwieldy on a fork.

Wine for Cooking and Pairing

A crisp, unoaked white like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc works perfectly in the sauce and also happens to be what you should pour in your glass. Avoid anything too sweet or heavily oaked, those flavors will dominate instead of support. If you don't drink wine, a splash of chicken or vegetable broth with an extra squeeze of lemon will work in a pinch, though you'll miss a little of that depth.

Making It Your Own

This recipe is forgiving enough to handle all kinds of tweaks depending on what's in your fridge or what sounds good. Halved cherry tomatoes added with the garlic bring a pop of sweetness and color, or a handful of baby spinach wilted in at the end adds something green without much effort. Sometimes I'll toss in a few capers for a briny kick, or swap the parsley for fresh basil if that's what I have.

• Use spaghetti or fettuccine if linguine isn't available, the sauce doesn't discriminate.
• For a dairy-free version, replace all the butter with more olive oil and add a pinch of nutritional yeast for depth.
• Gluten-free pasta works beautifully here, just watch the cooking time since it can go from perfect to mushy fast.

Create smooth frozen drinks, slushies, and frappés for desserts and parties using juices, coffee, or wine.

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Save

This dish has a way of turning a regular Tuesday into something worth remembering, no special occasion required. Keep the ingredients on hand and you'll always be thirty minutes away from something that feels like a small celebration.

Recipe Questions & Answers

→ Can I use frozen shrimp for this dish?

Yes, frozen shrimp work perfectly. Thaw them completely in the refrigerator overnight or under cold running water, then pat thoroughly dry with paper towels before cooking to ensure proper searing.

→ What type of white wine should I use?

Choose a dry white wine you'd enjoy drinking, such as Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or Chardonnay. Avoid sweet wines as they'll alter the savory balance of the sauce.

→ How do I prevent the garlic from burning?

Cook garlic over medium heat for only about 1 minute until fragrant. Add it after the butter and oil are heated, and immediately proceed to the next step to prevent browning, which creates bitterness.

→ Can I make this ahead of time?

This dish is best served immediately for optimal texture. However, you can prep ingredients in advance—peel shrimp, mince garlic, and chop parsley—then cook everything just before serving.

→ What can I substitute for linguine?

Spaghetti, fettuccine, angel hair, or even penne work well. For a lighter option, try zucchini noodles, though cooking time will be significantly reduced.

→ Why reserve pasta water?

Starchy pasta water helps emulsify the sauce, creating a silky coating that clings to the pasta and shrimp. Add it gradually until you achieve your desired consistency.