Shrimp Scampi Pasta Recipe (20 Minute Meal)
Updated Sep 25, 2025, Published Sep 13, 2022
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Shrimp Scampi Pasta Recipe comes together in just 20 minutes and delivers restaurant-quality flavor with every twirl of the fork! Juicy, plump shrimp are sautéed in a buttery garlic-lemon sauce with a hint of olive oil, then tossed with perfectly cooked pasta. It’s a simple yet elegant dish that’s calling your name for dinner tonight.
If you love seafood pasta recipes, try this lemon brown butter lobster ravioli sauce.
Quick Look at This Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Servings: 4-6 people
- Dietary Info: Pescatarian, can be made gluten-free with GF pasta
- Method: Stovetop, skillet dish
- Technique: Quick sautéing, pasta tossing
- Flavor & Texture: Bright, garlicky, buttery with a touch of citrus; tender shrimp and perfectly al dente pasta.
Why you’ll love this pasta favorite!
In Italy, especially in Southern Italy, and specifically Sardegna, where I am from, we eat A LOT of seafood and pasta. This shrimp scampi pasta recipe is one of my favorite ways to enjoy fresh shrimp.
This fettuccine with shrimp dish comes together easily because the shrimp requires little work, and the cooking time is short.
If you love shrimp and pasta, you want to try this shrimp and broccoli pasta recipe and trottole pasta recipe with tomato sauce and shrimp!
Made With Amore,
“We absolutely loved this easy, delicious recipe. Wonderful lemon flavor! It’s a keeper!!”
– Susan
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
This delicious shrimp scampi pasta recipe uses fresh and minimal ingredients, just like the seafood pasta dishes we make in Italy. Ingredient quality is key, just like in this simple pan seared shrimp.
- Shrimp: I recommend buying extra-large, tail-on, uncooked shrimp for this shrimp recipe. Once thawed, remove the shells. If you live in an area where you can buy fresh shrimp, lucky you! Do that! For everyone else, frozen shrimp works equally well. Try this shrimp orzo skillet too!
- Pasta: I prefer the wider ribbon-like strands of fettuccine pasta. They are the perfect thickness to complement the buttery sauce and robust shrimp flavor. Look for pasta made from durum wheat semolina. Remember that matching pasta shapes to sauces is key, and this dish works best with long pasta like angel hair pasta, linguine, tagliatelle, and spaghetti. If you want to go the extra mile, make fresh homemade pappardelle pasta.
- White wine: Choose a dry white wine like sauvignon blanc for the best results. It adds a bit of tanginess and acidity to the sauce.
- Lemon: Freshly squeezed juice is key here while some of the zest intensifies the lemon flavor without adding too much acidity.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Alcohol-Free: If you prefer to skip the wine, simply omit it and leave the rest of the recipe as is. It’s still delicious. You can also use chicken stock or chicken broth as a replacement for flavor and moisture, but it won’t taste the same.
- Cheese: In Italy, we typically do not mix cheese and seafood. With that said, I won’t tell anyone if you add freshly grated Parmigiano cheese to the sauce or even as a garnish. Your secret is safe with me!
- Vegetables: This shrimp scampi recipe with pasta tastes wonderful with sautéed asparagus and even blistered cherry tomatoes.
For another pasta with lemon, try this simple pasta al limone.
How to Make Shrimp Scampi Pasta
This shrimp scampi recipe is easier to make than you think. Instead of going to a fancy Italian restaurant, make this meal at home for your family and friends. It will soon become one of your favorite dinners.
To get started, gather all your ingredients, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and then cook the pasta to al dente using the package instructions. Before draining the pasta, remove some pasta water and set it aside.
- Dry the shrimp with a paper towel and then season with salt and pepper.
- Add the olive oil, butter, and chili flakes to a large skillet over medium heat. Then, add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Next, add the shrimp and sauté until pink with slightly golden brown edges, 2-4 minutes, depending on size. Do not overcook.
- Add the lemon juice and white wine to the skillet and simmer for 1 minute. Then, stir in the parsley.
- Add the pasta to the skillet and toss, cooking for 1 minute to combine the sauce and the pasta.
- Add the lemon zest and more parsley as a garnish. Serve hot.
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tip
- Quality Ingredients: In simple recipes like this one, it’s important to use quality ingredients.
- Save the Pasta Water: We will be adding it to the sauce to achieve the perfect consistency.
- Don’t Overcook the Pasta: You want to cook it just to al dente. For more tips, you can see my guide for how to cook pasta perfectly!
- Store: Your best shrimp scampi leftovers will keep in the fridge for about 3 days.
Shrimp Scampi Pasta Recipe FAQ
In pasta form, shrimp scampi is an Italian-American dish. The scampi dish from Italy is more about grilled langoustines with butter and garlic.
The safest way to defrost shrimp is to place the bag in the fridge 24 hours before cooking it. A rule to go by is that you’ll need about 24 hours of thawing for each pound of shrimp. If you need to thaw it quickly, the safest way is to pour the frozen shrimp into a colander in the sink and run cold water over the shrimp until it thaws. Don’t use hot or warm water, as it will start to cook the shrimp. Don’t thaw shrimp at room temperature.
Do not refreeze thawed and cooked shrimp. It will not taste good at all once thawed and reheated. Frozen pasta isn’t ideal, and neither is this sauce.
Return the pasta and shrimp to a skillet and reheat over low heat until heated through. Add some broth or butter and lemon juice if it needs a bit of moisture.
Serving Suggestions
In my opinion, you only need a goat cheese salad and homemade crusty bread or easy Italian focaccia to enjoy this beautiful shrimp scampi pasta meal.
If you want to add an easy appetizer, try my easy zucchini fritters or tomato basil bruschetta. Don’t forget dessert! Try a no-bake dessert like Italian Tiramisu!
Enjoy for a seafood feast with other Italian favorites like this stuffed calamari recipe and best baked cod.
More Seafood Pasta Recipes
💙 MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVED IT? 💙 Please leave a ⭐️STAR rating and COMMENT below- I love connecting with you! Tag me with your creations on Instagram and find me on Pinterest.
Shrimp Scampi with Pasta (Easy Skillet Meal)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds shrimp, peeled and devined
- 1 pound fettuccine pasta, or pasta of choice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup white wine, suggested: sauvignon blanc
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add desired pasta and cook to al dente package directions.
- To prepare the shrimp, dry them with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper.
- In a large skillet on medium-high heat add olive oil, butter, and chili flakes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant about 30 seconds. Add shrimp and sauté until pink and slightly golden brown edges, 2-4 minutes depending on size. Do not overcook.
- Add lemon juice, lemon zest, and white wine, simmer for 1 minute. Stir in parsley.
- Before draining pasta add reserved pasta water to sauce and stir to combine. Drain pasta and toss in pan for 1 minute to combine the sauce and the pasta. Add lemon zest. Add more parsley as garnish, if desired. Serve hot!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Really enjoyed this recipe. Quick, easy and had great flavor.
Happy you loved!
Absolutely loved this recipe. Easy and delicious.
Yay! Happy you loved it.
We absolutely loved this easy, delicious recipe. Wonderful lemon flavor! Itโs a keeper!!
Happy you loved the recipe!
Highly recommend this recipe. It is light and fresh compared to other shrimp and fettuccine pasta recipes.
I agree with the freshness of the recipe! Super simple and delicious to make any time you are feeling like a fancy dinner with little time.
Super easy and delcious! You make this meal in a jiffy too.