Aaahh, shrimp scampi.  One of my favorite go-to simple meals.  There are many reasons why I love it so much.  First, it tastes delicious – I think this goes without saying.  It’s a minimalist shrimp pasta dish with a lemony, garlicky light butter/olive oil sauce.  Yum!  But almost just as importantly, it is a very nice meal that can be thrown together in next to no time, with mostly ingredients I tend to have on hand.  Whenever I want a meal that requires little effort, this is where I turn.  Occasionally I add a splash of white wine to the sauce if I happen to be drinking some while making dinner.

Just a couple comments regarding the recipe.  I usually tend to omit the lemon slices but if you are a lemon enthusiast then by all means, add them!  You may want to increase the amount of butter and/or olive oil slightly if using a full pound of pasta, rather than the 12 ounces called for, just to make sure there is enough sauce to adequately coat everything.  If you were looking for a quick and tasty Friday night meal, here it is.  Enjoy!

  • Yield about 6-8 servings

Ingredients

3/4 lb. linguine
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves minced garlic
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. pepper
3-4 tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley
Zest of ½ a lemon
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ lemon, sliced thinly into half-rounds
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

Directions

  • 01

    Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

  • 02

    Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet or sauté pan, melt the butter and olive oil together over medium heat.  Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, just until golden and fragrant.  Add the shrimp to the pan in an even layer and season with the salt and pepper.  As soon as the down-facing side of the shrimp turns pink, flip with tongs to cook the second side evenly.  As soon as the shrimp is pink and opaque, remove the pan from the heat.  Stir in the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices and red pepper flakes.

  • 03

    As soon as the pasta is cooked and drained, return to the pot.  Add the sauce to the pot, and toss to combine.  Serve immediately in warmed bowls.

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