This Shrimp Scampi Recipe is quick and easy to make without wine. This dish is pan-seared and drizzled in a lemon, butter, and garlic sauce. Pair this with pasta or any of your favorite side dishes.
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What is Shrimp Scampi
It’s a dish made with sautéed shrimp cooked in a butter, garlic, and white wine sauce. It is often finished with an additional splash of white wine and lemon juice. You can also add red pepper flakes for a pop of flavor.
How to Substitute Wine
The best wine substitutes are broth, lemon, and/or white grape juice. I like to use a combination of broth and lemon. Any broth or stock will work for the recipe including chicken, vegetable, and of course seafood stock.
What Type of Shrimp to Use
This dish is considered a main dish so large shrimp are the best shrimp to use. The size of shrimp can vary depending on the species and where they are caught. Large and jumbo shrimp are considered to be those that are at least 21-25 count per pound. This means that there will be 21-25 or less shrimp per pound.
The common raw shrimp you will find in stores include tiger shrimp, jumbo shrimp, and wild-caught shrimp.
For taste, wild-caught shrimp are generally considered to be the best option as they have a more flavorful and firmer texture compared to farm-raised shrimp. Wild-caught shrimp are shrimp that are caught in their natural habitat in the ocean or other bodies of water, as opposed to being farmed or raised in captivity.
Farm-raised shrimp are raised in captivity on a shrimp farm. These farms can be located in ponds or in tanks on land. The shrimp are typically fed a diet of fishmeal, soy, and other ingredients, and are sometimes given antibiotics or other chemicals to prevent disease. Those chemicals are then passed into the food you eat.
I prefer wild-caught and large shrimp.
Do You Leave the Tails on the Shrimp?
This is completely up to you and is a matter of preference. Often the tails are left on for presentation purposes only. The shrimp simply looks nicer and will have a nice curve to it when the tails are left on.
How to Make Shrimp Scampi Without Wine
Full detailed instructions are below in the recipe card.
- Season the shrimp with the Old Bay Seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Heat a skillet on medium-high heat.
- Add the olive oil to the skillet with the shrimp.
- Cook both sides of the shrimp.
- Remove the shrimp from the skillet.
- Add the garlic to the skillet.
- Add the broth, fresh lemon juice, Italian Seasoning, and optional red pepper flakes.
- Add the butter to the skillet. Allow it to melt.
- Add the shrimp back to the pan with Parmesan cheese.
How to Tell When the Shrimp is Done/Finished Cooking
Cooked shrimp will turn pink and opaque. The shrimp will also become firm when you touch it. Perfectly cooked shrimp usually has a C-shape, as opposed to a tightly curled O shape.
You can also check out my guide on How to Tell if Shrimp is Cooked here.
How to Store Leftovers
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge tightly sealed for 3-4 days.
How to Reheat
The best way to reheat leftover shrimp is in a pan on medium heat with butter or oil. You can also reheat in the air fryer on 350 degrees until warm. Be careful, because the same rules regarding overcooking apply. If you heat it for too long it will be rubbery. I don’t use the microwave for this reason.
Freezer Tips
I wouldn’t freeze this dish and risk a rubbery taste to the dish.
Pair With These Recipes
Fried Potatoes and Onions
Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
Steakhouse Creamed Spinach
Southern Creamed Corn
More Shrimp Recipes
Shrimp Noodle Soup
Seafood Pasta Salad with Crab and Shrimp
Shrimp Egg Rolls
Shrimp Etouffee
Pan Seared Shrimp with Lemon Butter
Buffalo Shrimp
Easy BBQ Shrimp
Shrimp Taco Salad
Easy Shrimp Scampi Without Wine
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw shrimp Peeled and deveined.
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves Minced.
- 1 cup broth Chicken, vegetable, or seafood stock/broth will work.
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice For me, this was the juice of 1 large lemon.
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter Softened.
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional Optional
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Season the shrimp with the Old Bay Seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Heat a skillet on medium-high heat.
- Add the olive oil to the skillet with the shrimp.
- Cook both sides of the shrimp for a total of 3-4 minutes until the shrimp turns bright pink.
- Remove the shrimp from the skillet.
- Add the garlic to the skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the broth, fresh lemon juice, Italian Seasoning, and optional red pepper flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes. The sauce will start to bubble.
- Lower the heat and cook for 2 additional minutes
- Add the butter to the skillet. Allow it to melt.
- Add the shrimp back to the pan. Allow the dish to cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.