Welcome, Seafoodies!
Do you ever find yourself confidently ordering “shrimp scampi” at a restaurant while secretly wondering if you’re being redundant? You’re not alone! It’s one of those culinary terms we all use but few of us can define—like asking for “chai tea” (which word-for-word means “tea tea”) or saying “with au jus” (which means “with with juice”).
What you may or may not know is that scampi isn’t just a cooking style—it’s also a creature! In Italian, scampi are tiny, lobster-like crustaceans (known as langoustines) that live in the Mediterranean and North Atlantic. When Italian immigrants arrived in America, they kept their scampi preparation style—but swapped in locally available shrimp since langoustines were hard to find. Thus, “shrimp scampi” was born, literally meaning “shrimp langoustines.”
When you order shrimp scampi, you’re technically saying “shrimp cooked like langoustines,” though nowadays it’s become synonymous with that heavenly combination of butter, garlic, white wine and herbs!
Now that you know the story behind this beloved dish, you’re probably dreaming of twirling your way through a plate of your own. Well, you’re in luck! We’ve perfected this classic with our own garlic shrimp scampi recipe that’s both straightforward and stunning.
The beauty of this lost-in-translation dish lies in its simplicity. As your pasta water boils, you’ll sauté shrimp with plenty of garlic and seasonings, add a splash of white wine (or chicken broth) and finish with fresh lemon and shaved parmesan. Twenty minutes later, you’re serving up a dish that’s part Italian, part American and wholly delicious.
This seafood dish (like many others) proves that frequently the best recipes come from mashups, experimentation and happy accidents. So next time someone asks you what scampi means, you can confidently explain—right before diving into your own plate of this garlic-butter goodness!
Godere!
Print
Garlicky Shrimp Scampi
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 12 oz. whole-wheat linguini (for gluten-free version, opt for gluten-free or zucchini noodles)
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 3 tsp. olive oil, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
- ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup dry white wine (can substitute chicken broth)
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. lemon zest
- Chopped parsley, to taste
- Freshly shaved Parmesan cheese, to taste (optional)
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook noodles according to instructions. (While noodles are cooking, see step 2, below, for preparing shrimp in garlic sauce.) After draining pasta, quickly return it to pot and stir in spinach and 1 tsp. olive oil, allowing hot pasta to wilt spinach.
- While pasta is cooking, heat 1 tsp. olive oil in large skillet on medium-high. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Then add shrimp, red pepper flakes and a dash of salt and pepper. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until shrimp is pink on both sides. Add white wine or chicken broth, plus lemon juice and zest. Cook for another minute or two, then remove from heat.
- Add shrimp mixture to pasta in pot. Stir in parsley and remaining 1 tsp. olive oil; toss to mix. Serve garnished with Parmesan, if desired.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 15
No Comments