Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp scampi is always a showstopper. It looks beautiful, and it is so quick and easy to make. Shrimp scampi is a perfect dish year-round, and it’s great for entertaining and impressing guests at a dinner party. You can either serve the shrimp by themselves as an appetizer or over pasta for a light meal. There are many different ways to make scampi, but I prefer mine breaded and broiled. The breading absorbs all the delish flavors that we are adding, and it also adds a nice crunch. When you keep the flavors classic and simple, you will always have lots of happy mouths and tummies (and no one will know that it only took you 15-20 minutes).

Ingredients: (serves 4)

  • 1 pound of large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (~4-5 shrimp/person)
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/3 cup white wine (I always use wine that I would drink especially since there’s plenty left in the bottle and white wine will only last about 3-5 days opened in the fridge)
  • 1 Tablespoon mince garlic (~2 cloves)
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon (1 tablespoon zest, 2 tablespoons juice)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ cup or more Panko (Japanese bread crumbs-can be found in any grocery store next to bread crumbs)
  • 4 Tablespoons butter diced
  • Grated or sliced Parmesan and chopped parsley for garnish
  • Pasta *optional* (orzo, linguine, etc.)

Directions:

If you’re using pasta, boil a large pot of water on the stove and cook according to package directions.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Arrange the shrimp on the baking dish so they are all flat on the dish (crowding is okay, just don’t layer). Coat the shrimp in the olive oil, wine, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper (sometimes I like to add 1/8 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes too). Toss the shrimp so that your shrimp is coated with all the flavors. With clean hands, sprinkle the Panko over both sides of the shrimp. Add the little pieces of butter all over the shrimp. Place in your oven, turn on the broiler, and broil for 5-8 minutes or until the shrimp is cooked through. Before serving, sprinkle parsley and Parmesan over top. Voila!