Easy Classic Shrimp Scampi (WW Friendly)

I’ve made shrimp all kinds of ways over the years — grilled, baked, in soups, in stir-fries — but somehow I had never made classic shrimp scampi until relatively recently. I’d always assumed it was more complicated than it looked. It is not. It’s one of the fastest weeknight dinners I know, and the combination of garlic, butter, white wine, and lemon is exactly as good as it sounds.

The inspiration came from watching Melissa Clark of the New York Times make it, which sent me straight to her Dinner in One (affiliate link) cookbook for more. I’ve adapted the recipe slightly — a touch less butter than the original — but the technique is hers and it works beautifully. The key is a very hot pan, a quick sear, and not overcooking the shrimp. Two to four minutes and they’re done.

It’s become my new favorite way to prepare shrimp, and I suspect it will be yours too.

Why I Love This Recipe

• 20 minutes start to finish — one of the fastest real dinners I know
• 297 calories and 4 WW Points per serving — and shrimp is a zero-point food on current WW, so the points come from the butter, oil, and wine
• Impressive enough for company — it looks and tastes like a restaurant dish
• Serves beautifully four ways — over pasta, zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, or just with bread for the sauce

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Butter — just 1 tablespoon, which gives the sauce its richness without dominating. Don’t skip it entirely — even a small amount makes a difference in flavor.
• Extra-virgin olive oil — 2 tablespoons, used with the butter. The combination gives you the flavor of butter and the higher smoke point of olive oil.
• Garlic — 4 cloves, minced. This is a garlic-forward dish; don’t reduce it. Fresh only.
• Dry white wine — ½ cup. A dry, drinkable white (Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc) gives the best flavor. Chicken broth works as a non-alcoholic substitute — the sauce will be less complex but still delicious. If you’re serving over pasta, increase this to 1 cup — the recipe as written doesn’t make a lot of sauce, and pasta needs more to coat.
• Kosher salt — ¾ teaspoon, or ½ teaspoon table salt. Adjust to taste; shrimp can vary in saltiness.
• Crushed red pepper flakes — ? teaspoon or to taste. Adds a gentle background warmth. Increase if you like heat.
• Shrimp — 1¾ pounds large or extra-large, peeled and deveined. Large or extra-large cook evenly and are easier to work with than smaller sizes. Fresh or properly thawed frozen both work well — see the FAQ for tips on thawing.
• Fresh parsley — ? cup chopped, stirred in at the very end. It wilts gently from the heat of the pan and adds freshness and color.
• Lemon juice — juice of half a lemon, added at the end. Fresh only.

Calories and Weight Watchers Points

According to my calculations, each serving has 297 calories and 4 WW Points.

To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)

How to Make Easy Classic Shrimp Scampi

Step 1: Gather and prep your ingredients

Step 2: In a large skillet (affiliate link) set over medium high, heat butter and olive oil until the butter is melted. Add the garlic and sauté until it is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine or broth, salt, crushed red pepper flakes and black pepper (1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon) Bring the mixture to a gently bubble. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2 minutes.

Step 3: Add the shrimp and sauté, stirring and turning often, until they just turn pink. This will take 2 to 4 minutes depending upon their size. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice and serve over pasta, rice, cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles. This is also delicious served on it’s own with a little crusty French bread.

Tips for Success

• Have everything prepped before you start. Garlic burns in seconds at medium-high heat and shrimp cook in minutes. This is not a recipe where you can chop as you go.
• Don’t overcrowd the pan. If the shrimp are piled on top of each other they’ll steam rather than sear. Use your largest skillet, or cook in two batches.
• Watch the shrimp, not the clock. The color tells you when they’re done — pink and opaque all the way through, with a slight curl into a C shape. A tight O shape means overcooked.
• Increase the wine for pasta. The recipe as written makes a light sauce that’s perfect for serving the shrimp on their own or over vegetables. If you’re adding pasta, increase the wine or broth to 1 cup for enough sauce to coat.
• Serve immediately. Shrimp scampi waits for no one — it’s at its best right out of the pan.

Serving Suggestions

This delicious classic shrimp scampi can be served in a variety of ways:

• Alongside a a medley of roasted vegetables
• On a bed of zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash
• Over a little tumble of pasta or mound of rice or cauliflower rice
• On their own with a little crusty bread for mopping up the sauce
• Atop sauteed spinach or salad greens.

Using Leftovers

Leftover shrimp scampi is delicious on toasted bread, tossed into a salad, or chopped and stirred into a grain bowl.

Storing

Shrimp scampi is really at its best fresh from the pan. Leftovers keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days — reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce. Avoid the microwave (affiliate link) if you can; it tends to make shrimp rubbery.

If you’ve made this Easy Classic Shrimp Scampi Recipe, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Recipe source: Slightly adapted from NYT Melissa Clark Classic Shrimp Scampi

Melissa Clark Prepares Classic Shrimp Scampi in this NYT Cooking Video

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen shrimp? Yes — frozen shrimp are often fresher than “fresh” shrimp at the counter since they’re frozen immediately after catching. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, or for a quicker thaw, place in a bowl of cold water for 15–20 minutes. Pat completely dry before cooking — excess moisture will prevent browning and dilute the sauce.

White wine or chicken broth? Both work. Wine gives the sauce more complexity and acidity; broth is milder but still good. If you’re serving over pasta, either works — just increase the amount to 1 cup.

How do I know when the shrimp are done? Color and shape are your best guides. Raw shrimp are gray and translucent. Cooked shrimp are pink and opaque. They also curl as they cook — a loose C shape means just right; a tight O shape means they’ve gone too far. Two to four minutes total is usually right for large shrimp; smaller shrimp cook even faster.

Can I use smaller shrimp? You can, but they cook so quickly that it’s easy to overcook them before the sauce comes together. Large or extra-large (16–20 count per pound) give you the best control.

Can I make this without butter? You can use all olive oil, but a small amount of butter makes a noticeable difference in the richness and flavor of the sauce. Even 1 tablespoon contributes a lot.More Light Healthy Shrimp Recipes for Weight Watchers

More Easy WW Friendly Shrimp Recipes

• Quick and Easy Spicy Garlic Shrimp
• Southern BBQ Shrimp
• Shrimp Creole
• Easy Oven Baked Shrimp Risotto
• Low Carb Mediterranean Garlic Shrimp