Copycat Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi is a quick skillet seafood dinner with garlic, white wine, lemon, butter, herbs, and Parmesan. The key is cooking the shrimp briefly, building the sauce separately, then returning the shrimp to the pan only long enough to warm through.
Why This Shrimp Scampi Works
- Restaurant-style flavor: garlic, wine, lemon, butter, and Parmesan create a rich sauce without a long cook time.
- Better shrimp texture: removing the shrimp before reducing the sauce helps prevent overcooking.
- Flexible serving: serve it with crusty bread or spoon it over pasta.
- One skillet: the shrimp and sauce are built in the same pan.
Ingredient Notes
Medium shrimp cook quickly, so have the rest of the ingredients ready before they hit the skillet. Garlic should soften without browning because burnt garlic can make the sauce bitter.
White wine and lemon juice bring acidity to balance the butter. The wine is reduced before the butter is added, which concentrates the sauce. Parmesan and parsley go in at the end for a salty, fresh finish.
Tips for the Best Scampi
- Pat the shrimp dry before cooking so they sear instead of steaming.
- Remove the shrimp as soon as they turn opaque.
- Keep the garlic pale and fragrant rather than browned.
- Reduce the wine before adding the butter.
- Lower the heat before stirring in softened butter so the sauce stays smooth instead of separating.
What to Serve with Shrimp Scampi
Crusty bread is useful for soaking up the garlic-butter sauce, but linguine or another simple pasta also works well. For a different scampi-style dinner, try Cajun Shrimp Scampi. You can also browse more Seafood recipes.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container. Reheat gently over low heat just until the shrimp are warm. High heat can make both the shrimp tough and the butter sauce separate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why remove the shrimp before making the sauce?
The wine needs time to reduce. Leaving the shrimp in the skillet for that entire step would make them more likely to overcook.
Can I serve this over pasta?
Yes. The buttery garlic sauce works especially well with linguine, spaghetti, or angel hair pasta.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon pure olive oil
- 2 tablespoons garlic, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups white wine, such as Chardonnay
- Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
How To Make Copycat Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi
- Heat a cast-iron skillet and add the olive oil.
- Add the shrimp and cook until tender and no longer translucent. Remove the shrimp and set aside.
- Add the garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes without letting it brown.
- Add the white wine and lemon juice.
- Cook until the wine has reduced by half, then add the Italian seasoning.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the butter. Keep the pan from getting too hot so the butter does not separate.
- Return the shrimp to the sauce, add parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Finish with grated Parmesan cheese and serve warm.