This is the *best* shrimp scampi without wine, featuring perfectly cooked shrimp in a silky, garlicky lemon butter sauce. It's an easy recipe that comes together in just about 30 minutes! Pair it with some crusty bread or pasta, and you've got yourself a super special weeknight dinner.
I LOVE a good scampi! The combo of juicy shrimp in a flavorful sauce made from garlic, butter, and lemon is divine. Over the years, I've made many variations of this dish, and over time, I've started leaving wine out of the equation.
Though wine can be a nice addition, it's not something I always have on hand. And if you're cooking for someone who is abstaining (or you yourself are), this is my absolute favorite way to make this classic recipe!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Thanks to a few key tricks, you'll be on your way to a delicious dinner in no time.
- Cooking the shrimp shells* in water creates a flavorful liquid without using wine.
- My version uses fresh lemon juice, red pepper flakes, grated and thinly sliced garlic, and fresh herbs for a bold and punchy result.
- Unlike other recipes, this dish yields plenty of broth for dipping with lots of crusty bread. It is TRULY addicting!
* Thank you to the several blogs (Cooking Without Wine and Foolproof Living) who inspired this technique!
For more seafood recipes, try my crab stew, poached cod, shrimp oreganata, or roasted branzino.
Ingredient Notes
- Raw Shrimp: I recommend using extra large or jumbo shrimp. If you can, go for wild-caught shrimp! The prep is super easy if you find them already deveined with the shells because you will need them for the broth.
- Red Pepper Flakes: I like using ½ teaspoon for a bit more heat, but you can use less if you're sensitive to spice!
TIP: Not a fan of shrimp broth? You can sub with chicken broth, though the dish will be slightly less flavorful. You can also make homemade seafood stock!
For a full list of ingredients and their quantities, please refer to the recipe card.
Serving Suggestions
- Bread: We love this with a warm, crusty baguette (rub it with a clove of garlic for a makeshift garlic bread situation!), my burrata bruschetta, or some fluffy focaccia for dipping.
- Pasta: For a classic pairing, serve with 8 - 12 ounces spaghetti or linguine. While the shrimp cooks, cook the pasta until al dente and reserve some pasta water. Toss the pasta with the shrimp, adding some pasta water to loosen the sauce as needed.
- Salad: This is also great with a light side dish, like my kale Caesar salad or smashed fingerling potatoes with salsa verde.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Marinate the shrimp with the grated garlic and salt, and set aside.
Step 2: Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the shrimp shells and saute for a couple of minutes until they toast in the oil and turn pink.
Step 3: Add the water, scrape any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, and simmer for a few minutes until the sauce reduces.
Strain the liquid, discard the shells and set aside. Wipe the pan clean.
Step 4: Place the skillet back over medium heat, and add the butter.
Once the butter melts, stir in the lemon zest, chili flakes, and sliced garlic, and saute for 2-3 minutes until the garlic turns lightly golden brown. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer in the pan.
Step 5: Cook shrimp on each side for 1-2 minutes until nicely pink and cooked through. Stir in the broth, half of the parsley, and lemon juice to taste. Transfer to a serving dish, spooning any remaining butter sauce on top and garnishing with the remaining herbs. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Don't skip the broth: For the best flavor, don't skip the broth! It really does balance out the acidity from the lemon juice.
- Keep an eye on your shrimp: Depending on the size of your shrimp, the cooking time can vary significantly. Use visual cues to assess doneness - when cooked through, they will turn pink and opaque and firm up.
Recipe FAQs
This is all about your preference! Keeping the tails on will help keep the shape of the shrimp, but if you're serving it in a pasta dish, it can be very annoying to eat, so feel free to remove them before cooking.
You can make most of this recipe ahead of time! The broth can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for a day or so, and you can even make the garlic/chili butter. Just before serving, reheat the butter, cook the shrimp and finish with the broth.
Leftover shrimp scampi can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days, but personally, I recommend eating it within a day! Reheat with a splash of water over medium-low heat on the stove until warmed through.
The broth is an excellent method of rounding out the dish without using wine. That said, you can use a good quality chicken broth if you'd prefer!
Other recipes you might like:
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Shrimp Scampi Without Wine
Ingredients
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 lemon
- 1 pound extra-large shrimp, deveined, peeled with the tails on (if preferred), and shells reserved
- 1 teaspoon Diamond-Crystal Kosher Salt, or ½ teaspoon Morton Kosher Salt or sea salt
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or ¼ teaspoon for a milder version
- ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided
For serving:
- Crusty bread
Instructions
- Prep the aromatics: Finely grate 2 cloves garlic for the marinade and thinly slice the remaining 3 cloves for the sauce.Cut 1 lemon in half. Zest and juice one of the halves, and cut the remaining half into 4 wedges.
- Marinate the shrimp: In a medium bowl, combine 1 pound extra-large shrimp with 1 teaspoon Diamond-Crystal Kosher Salt and the grated garlic. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the dish.
- Make the shrimp broth: In a large skillet, set 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp shells, and saute for 2 - 3 minutes until they've toasted in the oil a bit and turn pink. Add 1 cup water, and simmer for 2 - 3 minutes until the liquid has reduced by half. Remove the pan from the heat, and strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing down on the shells to extract as much broth as possible. Discard the shells, and set the liquid aside. Wipe the pan clean.
- Cook the shrimp: Return the pan over medium heat and melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. Once melted, add ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, lemon zest, and the thinly sliced garlic.Cook for 1 - 2 minutes until the garlic is lightly golden brown and the butter is foaming. Add the shrimp in an even layer and cook, undisturbed, for 1 - 2 minutes until nicely pink. Flip the shrimp, stir in the reserved broth, and continue cooking until the shrimp are fully pink and cooked through.TIP: If the shrimp aren’t cooking evenly, cover the pan with a lid for the last minute to help steam and finish cooking.
- Immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir in half the lemon juice and ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley. Season to taste, adding the rest of the lemon juice or additional salt as needed.
- Transfer to a serving dish. Serve with lemon wedges and Crusty bread and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Owner's Rating: This is my dream shrimp scampi recipe. It's got enough sauce for dipping (or coating in pasta), and it's garlicky, butter, and lemony.