Here’s how I’d tell a friend about my easy shrimp scampi — a seafood classic that feels like something you’d order by the coast but comes together in the time it takes to set the table and pour a glass of wine. This dish always reminds me that you don’t need much to cook something that brings people running to the kitchen. Just shrimp, a bit of garlic, some pasta, and the promise of a good meal shared with someone who appreciates the simple things.

Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

The cast is small, but each part does its work; seafood sings with very little extra. Open the fridge or pantry and you’ll find most of these just waiting:

  • 450 grams peeled, deveined shrimp — big, plump ones are best
  • 250 grams long pasta, spaghetti or linguine, something you can swirl
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 fat garlic cloves, thin-sliced or crushed
  • 60 milliliters dry white wine (broth works fine if wine isn’t your thing)
  • One lemon, for both zest and juice
  • Red pepper flakes, just a dash
  • Salt and fresh ground pepper
  • Chopped parsley for a little color
  • Parmesan, not required but always welcome

Instructions

Preparation

Shrimp need a towel—blot them dry so they sear. Put water on for pasta; a good handful of salt in the pot makes all the difference. Chop garlic, slice lemon, get the parsley ready, measure out your bits and pieces. With seafood, things move at a quick clip, so don’t start getting distracted.

Cooking

Drop the pasta in the water. While that softens, warm half the butter and all the olive oil in a wide skillet. In goes the garlic and the tiniest bit of pepper flakes — just enough for a little bite. That aroma? Completely addictive. When garlic softens, toss in the shrimp, season well, and don’t crowd the pan.

Let the shrimp take on some color. Flip as soon as they blush pink and curl up; don’t wander off, they’re quick. Out go the shrimp — rest them on a plate. Splash wine into the pan, scrape everything up, watch it bubble and reduce for a minute. Add lemon zest and juice, let the sauce come together, then melt in the rest of the butter. Shrimp goes back in, along with the drained pasta. Mix so every strand glistens.

Serving

Heap this seafood tangle into shallow bowls. A handful of parsley, a dusting of parmesan, and an extra squeeze of lemon. The pan sauce is gold — use bread if you like, but most people just chase it around with their fork.

Nutritional Value Per One Serving

Nutrition Facts
Calories: 460
Total Fat: 15g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Cholesterol: 200mg
Sodium: 780mg
Total Carbohydrates: 44g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 2g
Protein: 33g

Tips and Variations

Seafood loves a little improvisation. Try these twists if you’re feeling bold:

  • Swap in scallops or a seafood blend, see what you like
  • Go with whole wheat or gluten-free pasta if you want to shake up the texture
  • Throw in a handful of baby spinach or split cherry tomatoes just before finishing
  • Keep your eyes on the pan — shrimp don’t wait for anyone
  • Taste and adjust — extra lemon, more pepper, a pinch more salt if you need it
  • Save a bit of pasta water to thin the sauce if it starts to look sticky

Conclusion

This is the kind of meal that never lingers long on the table. A hot plate of pasta, buttery seafood, and bright hits of lemon — it all goes together so well you’ll wonder why you didn’t make it sooner. Call it comfort, call it quick dinner, call it whatever you like, but I’ll always just call it a favorite.