Easy Shrimp Scampi | Seafood Penne
This easy shrimp scampi recipe is made with a garlic and butter sauce that melts right in your mouth. Serve it over your pasta of choice and enjoy!
What do I love about this shrimp scampi? Everything.
It has succulent shrimp, chunky veggies and a glorious flavorful sauce draped over penne pasta. I know that most shrimp scampi is made with long noodles like linguini, fettuccini, or spaghetti but I prefer my pasta with some bite to it. And this pasta, has such a lovely texture and makes for a mouthful of deliciousness.
Need an easy weeknight dinner? Then this easy shrimp scampi recipe is the way to go!
Do I have to use penne to make this recipe?
No. You can still make it with linguini or fettuccine, but I beg you, please make it with penne, rigatoni or ziti just to experience the difference. I guarantee you will be happy with the results.
Can I use precooked shrimp in this easy shrimp scampi recipe?
You sure can, but why would you? Shrimp is super easy to cook. In fact, it only takes 5 minutes to sauté large shrimp and these plump, freshly cooked shrimp tastes better than precooked shrimp. Try it and see.
Helpful tips
- Start boiling the salted water at least 10 minutes before you start making this meal. Once it comes to a boil, add the pasta and start on the vegetables.
- Chunk the vegetables instead of dicing, for a heartier dish.
- Butter is key so don’t skimp and use the full stick. It really makes the best scampi sauce.
- Use raw shrimp, not precooked as it is so easy to make.
- Here’s how – stand at the sauté pan as you cook the shrimp as it only takes five minutes and is easy to overcook. Once the shrimp is opaque, it is done.
- Experiment and use a pasta with some bite like penne.
- If you prefer more traditional shrimp scampi, use either linguini, spaghetti, fettuccini, or angel hair pasta.
- Sometimes I add a dry white wine like pinot Grigio or Sauvignon blanc. But I chose not to with this recipe. If you want to add some, 1/4 cup is a perfect amount. My advice is not to use chardonnay as I think it’s to sweet.
- People also tend to add fresh lemon juice in their scampi recipe, but truthfully, I don’t like it in this dish. But if you can’t live without it, add 2 – 3 tablespoons of the fresh juice.
- Serving this for guests? Add some fresh parsley to each plate to add to such a colorful dish.
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How to cook easy shrimp scampi
Pre-step
Pre-boil salted water and add the pasta to boiling water at the same time you start cooking the vegetables so they will be done at roughly the same time.
Step one
Gather the ingredients – raw, shelled and deveined shrimp, onion, red bell pepper, and baby portobello mushrooms.
Step two
Chop the onions, bell peppers, and portobello mushrooms in chunky pieces.
Step two
Heat a sauté pan, large skillet, or wok on medium. Add two tablespoons of olive oil and once that heats up (it should shimmer), add the onion and red pepper and sauté them for 10 minutes.
Step four
Add the sliced mushrooms, garlic paste (or 3 garlic cloves – minced), salt, black pepper and sauté it all for 5 minutes. (A)
Step five
Add stick of butter. (B)
Step six
Add de-veined, shelled shrimp, toss it with the vegetables and cook for 5 minutes. Once it is opaque and plump, they are done.
Step seven
Drain pasta and add to wok with the shrimp and veggies and toss to combine.
Plate the shrimp scampi.
And serve.
I hope you enjoyed this easy shrimp scampi recipe. I certainly enjoyed making it and eating it, as did Christopher. 🙂
Leave me a comment to tell me what pasta you prefer to have in your scampi!
Other popular shrimp recipes
And as always, may all your dishes be delish!
If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog, I’d love the hear what you thought about it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!
Easy Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onions medium, chopped in chunks
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 10 ounces portabella mushrooms sliced
- 4 teaspoons garlic paste or 4 cloves, minced
- 1 stick butter
- 1 pound pasta I used penne
- 1 pound shrimp shelled and de-veined
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/16 teaspoon Pepper or to taste
- 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Boil the salted water before you start the recipe. Add the pasta once you start sautéeing the vegetables so they will be done at the same time
- Heat a heavy sauté pan or wok on medium heat and add oil
- Add onions and bell pepper and sauté for 10 minutes
- Add mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper and sauté for 5 minutes
- Add butter and allow to melt
- Add shrimp to vegetable mixture and stand there stirring every few minutes until shrimp becomes pink and opaque (5 minutes)
- Add drained pasta to shrimp and vegetable mixture. Stir to mix, add a few tablespoons of parmesan cheese
- Plate
- Eat
- Enjoy
See all my favorite tools and gift ideas at my Amazon Store page!Check out Elaine’s Amazon Store!Notes
- Start boiling the salted water at least 10 minutes before you start making this meal. Once it comes to a boil, add the pasta and start on the vegetables.
- Chunk the vegetables instead of dicing, for a heartier dish.
- Butter is key so don’t skimp and use the full stick. It really makes the best scampi sauce.
- Use raw shrimp, not precooked as it is so easy to make.
- Here’s how – stand at the sauté pan as you cook the shrimp as it only takes five minutes and is easy to overcook. Once the shrimp is opaque, it is done.
- Experiment and use a pasta with some bite like penne.
- If you prefer more traditional shrimp scampi, use either linguini, spaghetti, fettuccini, or angel hair pasta.
- Sometimes I add a dry white wine like pinot Grigio or Sauvignon blanc. But I chose not to with this recipe. If you want to add some, 1/4 cup is a perfect amount. My advice is not to use chardonnay as I think it’s to sweet.
- People also tend to add fresh lemon juice in their scampi recipe, but truthfully, I don’t like it in this dish. But if you can’t live without it, add 2 – 3 tablespoons of the fresh juice.
- Serving this for guests? Add some fresh parsley to each plate to add to such a colorful dish.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in August, 2016
From lighting up stages with her BA in theater to crafting delightful dishes and cocktails, Elaine Benoit's journey is a testament to passion's transformative power. As the CEO of Dishes Delish, she offers a blend of healthy, comforting recipes and exquisitely crafted cocktails. Beyond the kitchen, Elaine voiced her culinary adventures on her podcast, "Dishing," and co-owns Food Blogger Help, extending her expertise to guide budding food bloggers to success. Whether it's for a heartwarming dish or insights into food blogging, Elaine's diverse experiences make her a beacon in the culinary digital landscape.
I like everything about this – EASY and SHRIMP SCAMPI. One of my favorite dishes.
I love a good scampi its never good out in restaurants like this must be I cant wait to try your recipe looks marvelous!
Thank you Claudia!! I agree about the restaurants 🙂
Hehe. Thanks Linda! It’s one of mine too!
This was my favorite restaurant meal when I was younger. It’s so nice to have the recipe to make at home.
Thank you Ginny! I appreciate it!
I would like a plate of this for dinner! Thanks to those beautiful photos, I am now craving shrimp scampi.
Aww, thanks Anne! I appreciate it! It’s so delicious!! One of my favorites!
This is one of those flavorful, quick dishes I wish they would work just with olive oil – without the butter. But I hear you Elaine and will follow your instructions by using the full stick of butter for best of yumminess.
It is do-able without the butter, Gabi, but the silkiness of the butter makes my knees weak! 😉
I’d never get tired of shrimp scampi. I love that you added mushrooms to this one. It makes this recipe far heartier than other recipes.
Thank you Leslie! I put mushrooms in just about everything! 🙂
Well, you can never go wrong pairing shrimp and pasta. This is the perfect dish for easy entertaining on the weekend. Add some wine, and a no-bake dessert…your guests will be so happy. They will want to be invited back…who needs to go out to restaurants when you can eat like this at home.
I agree Gloria! So fun to have people over and they like the dish better than a restaurant! Thank you for your kind and thoughtful comment!
I haven’t made a good shrimp scampi in ages. Now I’m craving it so bad. Sunday dinner here we come!
Thank you Lorie! I love shrimp scampi and could eat it weekly! I hope you enjoy the recipe!
I have been craving for some good pasta recently and this is increasing my cravings! Love a good shrimp scampi anytime.
Me too Prasanna! Thank you.
Shrimp and pasta make a perfect combination and this is an easy enough meal you can throw together any night of the week. Making this kind of meal at home surely beats eating out!!
Thanks Marisa! And yes! I love the combination and prefer eating this dish at home!
That’s a good shrimp scampi. It looks absolutely delicious! Your photos are simply gorgeous!
Thank you Jo!
I really like the texture of penne rigate and use it in lots of recipes, too – great idea to swap it into this recipe! Especially with the hearty chunks of (healthy!) vegetables, the character of this recipe really begs for a more texturally interesting pasta that can stand up to the other wonderful textures around it! Yum!
What an awesome way to put it Shelley! I do agree wholeheartedly! Thank you Shelley!
Shrimp scampi is one of John’s favorites! We actually never make it because we can’t get good shrimp. In the event that we do, this will be a recipe that make! It looks amazing. I love your process shot, too. Those are so helpful.
Thanks so much Kim! I appreciate it! I hope you can get good seafood soon!
I’m with you on not using precooked shrimp – it’s just so easy to do, and I’m so particular about how mine is made!
Thank you Leslie! 🙂
Your pasta dish looks so simple and easy to prepare, love how you also have detailed instructions.
Thank you Michelle! I appreciate it!
This looks so good I wish I could eat shrimp! I’ll pass it along to my husband so I can live vicariously through his shrimp eating abilities. 😉
Hehe Claire! Thank you. I am so glad I can eat shrimp. I hope hubby enjoys it!
This is one of those dishes that tastes like CANDY to me! It’s so good. Remember making it in Maine?? I love this recipe.
I do Christopher! 🙂