I love incorporating shrimp into my recipes because it cooks super fast and is incredibly versatile, making it great for a weeknight dinner or a quick appetizer. If you’re looking to fire up the grill, you have to try my Shrimp Kabobs or these Marinated Shrimp Skewers. Or, throw together my Shrimp Orzo Pasta Salad for a light and satisfying meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This easy shrimp scampi recipe without wine requires only five main ingredients that you likely already have on hand or can pick up easily at the grocery store. We’re using classic ingredients like garlic, lemon, and butter to make a flavorful sauce, which is elevated even more by the addition of a stock made with shrimp shells.
You’ll need two sets of simple ingredients for this recipe:
- For the shrimp and shrimp stock, you’ll need a pound of large or extra-large fresh shrimp, water, and kosher salt.
- To make the shrimp scampi sauce, gather olive oil, unsalted butter, garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and fresh parsley.
Substitutions & Seasoning Ideas
It’s just hard to mess up a tasty combo like garlic, butter, and shrimp, so feel free to substitute or play around with the rest of the ingredients to customize this dish to your liking. Here are some suggestions:
- Shrimp: Since we’re using the shells to make a stock, jumbo shrimp or extra-large shrimp with their shells are ideal for this recipe. I recommend sizes 16-20 or 21-25. If you’d like to use frozen shrimp, just make sure they’re thawed before using them in the recipe. Also, keep in mind that you’ll need to peel and devein your prawn before cooking. You can even make shrimp scampi with pre-cooked shrimp for a super easy meal. If you decide to do so, the cooking time will be much shorter.
- Stock: If you’d prefer not to use shell-on shrimp, you can still make this easy recipe with a simple substitution! Since you won’t have the shells to make the stock, you can use chicken broth, a common substitute for dry white wine in shrimp scampi, or vegetable broth. You can also use a bouillon cube instead of broth, and I recommend using a tablespoon of Better than Bouillon (affiliate link) with ⅓ cup water.
- Make it without Lemon: No lemon, no problem! To make your scampi sauce without lemon, simply add a splash of apple cider vinegar instead. The vinegar will give a nice acidic flavor in place of the lemon.
- Shrimp scampi seasoning ideas: A classic Italian recipe for shrimp scampi is usually seasoned with some red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and fresh parsley. However, you can switch things up by adding a pinch of paprika or cumin or even sprinkling your alcohol-free shrimp scampi with parmesan cheese.
- Garlic Butter: I usually make a batch of my Garlic Butter recipe and keep it in the freezer. It saves time on chopping garlic and helps me make this dish even faster.
How to Make This Recipe?
Once you peel and devein the shrimp, this skillet shrimp scampi comes together in a flash! The shrimp cooks ultra-fast on the stove, and the sauce is a breeze to throw together. Here are the basic steps:
- Prep the shrimp: Peel and devein the raw shrimp, making sure to reserve the shells for later use. Remove the tails if desired. Place the prepared shrimp in a large bowl and set aside.
- Make the shrimp stock: Add the reserved shells, a cup of water, and some salt to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and let simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until reduced by half.
- Strain the liquid: Strain the stock and discard the shells. It should yield about ½ cup of shrimp stock.
- Saute the garlic: Add the olive oil and butter to a large skillet (I used a stainless steel skillet) and heat over medium heat until the butter melts. Add the minced garlic and saute for about 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Add the shrimp stock: Add ⅓ cup of the shrimp stock to the saucepan and season with salt and pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes, occasionally stirring, until thickened.
- Add the shrimp: Add the shrimp to the pan, taking care to arrange them in an even, single layer so they don’t overlap. Cook the shrimp for about 1-2 minutes on each side until pink and translucent.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Top with fresh, chopped parsley, and serve.
What to Serve It With
This simple shrimp scampi stands alone as an impressive appetizer or light meal, but you can also dress it up with various side dishes to make it a more filling main course. I love to serve mine the classic way with a side of pasta or crusty bread (or both!), but it also pairs well with a salad for a carb-conscious option. Here are some ideas:
- Serve with lots of crusty bread: Not only is rustic bread a delicious side, but you can also use it to soak up all the yummy garlic scampi sauce. My favorite way to serve this shrimp dish is with crusty Olive Bread or this No Knead Bread.
- Pair it with a simple green salad: For a low-carb meal, serve your butter garlic shrimp scampi with a healthy, light salad. I love the simplicity of this Butter Lettuce Salad, and my Spring Mix Salad is always a classic.
- Add pasta: The Ina Garten Linguine with Shrimp Scampi is a classic, well-loved pasta dish, so feel free to take inspiration from that recipe if you’d like to serve your scampi with linguine pasta. You can also serve it with angel hair pasta or any pasta you’d like! I recommend cooking your pasta ahead of time, so it’s ready to go. Cook in a large pot of salted water according to package instructions or until al dente. Or, for a low-carb shrimp scampi without pasta, try it with my Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles.
How to Store, Reheat, & Freeze?
The beauty of this low-maintenance recipe is that you can serve it warm or room temp. If you have leftovers or would like to make it ahead, it’s easy to store, reheat, and freeze. Here are some tips:
- Store: Store your shrimp scampi without white wine in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. Just make sure to let it cool to room temperature before storing it.
- Reheat: The best way to reheat your scampi is in a skillet on the stove. Lightly saute with a little oil or a splash of water until heated through. Make sure to keep an eye on it, as shrimp cooks quickly!
- Freeze: Freeze your homemade shrimp scampi recipe in an airtight container for up to a month. I recommend only freezing the scampi, so be sure to separate it from pasta or other side dishes before freezing.
Expert Tips
This quick shrimp scampi is pretty straightforward and requires little effort to throw together, but there are a few easy tricks you can incorporate to make everything come together super seamlessly. Here are some tips:
- Think ahead: Shrimp cooks in a matter of five minutes or less, so make sure to have your ducks in a row before cooking the shrimp so you can serve it fresh from the skillet. This may mean cooking your pasta in advance or throwing together a salad or another side dish beforehand.
- Cook with caution: It’s easy to overcook shrimp if you’re not careful, so keep a close eye on it while cooking. For best results, cook 1-2 minutes per side.
- Use extra stock, if needed: What makes this recipe special is the delicious shrimp scampi sauce! We’re using ⅓ of a cup of the homemade shrimp stock in the recipe, but you should have a little bit left over (since the stock recipe yields ½ cup). If needed, use your leftover stock to thin the buttery garlic sauce to your liking. Just keep in mind that the lemon scampi sauce thickens slowly, so be patient, stir it, and only add extra stock if it seems too thick.
- Double the recipe: If you’re planning on serving this recipe to a large crowd as a meal or appetizer, I recommend doubling the recipe.
FAQs
Shrimp scampi is a seafood dish traditionally made with shrimp and a simple white wine sauce with garlic, butter, and lemon.
Classic shrimp scampi sauce ingredients include white wine, garlic, butter, olive oil, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes. Some people also prefer to add a chopped shallot (or a small chopped onion) to the sauce or substitute for white wine in scampi with chicken stock or vegetable broth.
To make a scampi sauce without wine, you can make shrimp scampi with chicken broth or vegetable broth. Or, make an easy, homemade shrimp stock by simmering shrimp shells in water and a little salt for about 10 minutes.
Easy shrimp scampi sauce thickens as it cooks, so be patient and stir it occasionally. It should thicken after a few minutes of cooking over medium heat.
Other Shrimp Recipes You Might Like
Making recipes with shrimp is a quick and delicious way to incorporate more seafood into your diet. Instead of taking a trip to Olive Garden for their shrimp scampi, why not make your own? If you loved this recipe for easy shrimp scampi, you will surely enjoy my other easy shrimp recipes. Browse the links below for inspiration:
If you try this Shrimp Scampi Recipe Without Wine, please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. And if you took some pictures, be sure to share them on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them on my stories.
Shrimp Scampi without Wine Recipe
Ingredients
For the shrimp & shrimp stock:
- 1 pound large or extra large shrimp* thawed if frozen
- 1 cup water
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the shrimp scampi:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Prep shrimp: Peel and devein shrimp, reserving the shells. You can leave the tail on or off based on your preference. Place deveined shrimp in a bowl and set it aside.
- To make the quick shrimp stock, place the shells in a small saucepan along with a cup of water and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes or until it is reduced in half.
- Strain shells and reserve the liquid. You should be left with approximately ½ cup of shrimp stock.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in minced garlic and saute until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in ⅓ of a cup of the reserved shrimp stock and salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the shrimp and distribute it in the pan, making sure that it doesn’t overlap.
- Cook shrimp on one side for 1-2 minutes and then flip it over and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until it turns pink and translucent.
- Remove from heat, and stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
- Shrimp: Since we’re using the shells to make a stock, jumbo shrimp or extra-large shrimp with their shells are ideal for this recipe. I recommend sizes 16-20 or 21-25. If you’d like to use frozen shrimp, just make sure they’re thawed before using them in the recipe. Also, keep in mind that you’ll need to peel and devein it before cooking.
- Pre-cooked shrimp: You can make shrimp scampi with pre-cooked shrimp, but the searing time will be shorter. And since pre-cooked shrimp is usually sold without the shells, you can use 1/3 cup chicken stock instead of shrimp stock.
- Seasoning ideas: A classic Italian recipe for shrimp scampi is usually seasoned with some red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and fresh parsley. However, you can switch things up by adding a pinch of paprika or cumin or even sprinkling it with parmesan cheese in the end.
- To Store leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. Just make sure to let it cool to room temperature before storing it.
- Reheat: The best way to reheat your scampi is in a skillet on the stove. Lightly saute with a little oil or a splash of water until heated through. Make sure to keep an eye on it, as shrimp cooks quickly!
Diana
We always order Shrimp Scampi when we go to Olive Garden so when I saw that you shared this I got so excited. Luckily we had some frozen shrimp in the freezer (we buy it from Costco). I like that you made it without wine because it works both my husband (in AA) and my young kids. It is just as delicious as it looks. It is now going in the weekly rotation. Thank you.
Aysegul Sanford
This makes me so happy to hear Diana. Thanks for sharing your experience and taking the time to leave a review.
Freddie Jaye
This is my favorite kind of dish: simple to prepare (no exotic ingredients, no sophisticated cooking techniques, no offbeat equipment); quick to assemble; and a real crowd-pleaser.
One tip: I slice the lemons as thinly as I can, and then actually eat them with everything else. Some extra texture, and a nice tart jolt that cuts through the butter and olive oil.
Thanks for sharing it.
Aysegul Sanford
So true. Those are also the reasons why I love it so much.
I love that tip. I am a huge fan of lemons. I’ll give it a try next time.
Thanks for letting me know.
Janette@culinaryginger
That’s a beautiful dish and one of my favorite pasta dishes.
Linda Tate
This recipe is so easy and fresh-tasting. My husband loved it. So thankful that I ran across your blog!!
Liz@ Virtually Homemade.com
Found this dish on food gawker. So beautiful and pinned on my pasta board!
Aysegul Sanford
Thank you Liz.
This is one of my favorite things to make in my kitchen. I love the fact that it is so easy and quick to put together with very little effort.
Thank you for stopping by!
Cheers!
Ice
Dalya
Looks fabulous!
Aysegul Sanford
Thank you Dalya Ablacigim.
Aimee / Wallflower Girl
That’s a great idea, writing in new cookbooks. I may have to steal that idea…
I have been afraid of eating seafood my whole life (yes, afraid – I know, I’m a wuss) but recently I’m trying to overcome it through cooking. I don’t try it often but I’m slowly being won around, so when that happens – I’ll be back to try this!
Aysegul Sanford
Dearest Aimee,
I used to be liked that when it comes to seafood. I am trying my hardest to getting used to it. Shrimp is a good way to start. 🙂
Thank you..
Cheers. Ice