Get ready for a flavor-packed dinner that’s as fancy as it is easy with our one-dish Garlic Shrimp Scampi! Baked in the oven in less than 20 minutes, this mouthwatering meal is bursting with flavor and sophistication — it’s the ultimate comfort food dinner that will impress without any stress!
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Why We Love this Baked Shrimp Scampi Recipe
We’re big fans of shrimp! In fact, we already have several recipes like baked shrimp scampi and healthy shrimp scampi on the site. So, it’s probably pretty obvious that scampi is one of our favorite dishes! No matter how it’s prepared, we can’t get enough! That said, for this garlic shrimp scampi, we took our original recipe and made it even better!
Now the pasta dish you know and love is loaded with even more flavor. To make it possible, we added garlic, fresh herbs, and parmesan cheese for a bold taste that takes nearly no time at all! We even removed the need for wine by baking the shrimp in the oven to create a super family-friendly dinner. The best part? It’s ready in less than 20 minutes!
Warm and comforting yet light and refreshing, this creamy shrimp scampi is the perfect dinner option for comforting winter meals, summer dinners outside, date nights, parties, and everything in between.
What is Shrimp Scampi?
Shrimp scampi looks a little different depending on who is making it. For some, it is made in a skillet. For others, it’s served over pasta. Some versions even pair the shrimp with bread. However, no matter how it is prepared and served, shrimp scampi always includes three basic components — shrimp, butter, and garlic — and they can be found in every shrimp scampi recipe, even if just in small amounts.
Contrary to popular belief, this isn’t actually an Italian dish. Instead, it’s Italian-American. That’s because scampi is an Italian word for a crustacean known as langoustine. It’s an edible lobster that looks like shrimp but is much larger than what we’re used to seeing in the United States.
In Italy, the dish is prepared by sauteing the crustaceans with butter, olive oil, garlic, and wine. Meanwhile, the American dish uses actual shrimp and exists in endless interpretations.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Shrimp – To save time, we used already peeled and deveined shrimp.
- Shallot – Be sure to mince these finely and evenly.
- Butter – Use an unsalted variety so you can better control the saltiness of the scampi.
- Garlic – Measure with your heart! We like to use plenty but if you’re not a fan, just omit it.
- Lemon – Save the lemon, because you’ll want both the juice and the zest
- Broth – We used seafood broth, but any broth you have on hand will work.
- Salt – Any variety you have on hand will work — we typically use kosher salt.
- Pepper – We use standard ground black pepper but if you want to avoid the dark flecks of it in your sauce, you can use white pepper.
- Red Pepper Flakes – We love using these to add a spicy kick to the scampi.
- Spaghetti Noodles – This is the type of pasta that scampi is often served with, but you can switch up the noodle shape to whichever you prefer.
- Heavy Cream – This simple ingredient gives the sauce its velvety texture.
- Parmesan Cheese – We love the nutty flavor this cheese adds to the dish!
- Parsley – We use this herb to add a pop of color and a little herbaceous flavor to the scampi.
How to Make Baked Garlic Shrimp Scampi
Unlike other garlic shrimp scampi recipes that can take lots of ingredients and require you to use a million dishes in the kitchen, this version is super simple! Just combine everything in your favorite baking dish, and you’ll have dinner on the table in no time. All you have to do is follow the steps below.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Combine your shrimp, shallot, butter, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, broth, and seasonings in your baking dish. Stir to combine, and coat the shrimp.
- Bake the shrimp for 8-12 minutes or until they are fully cooked. You’ll know they’re done when they’re pink and not gray or transparent in any spot!
- While your shrimp are baking, prepare your
spaghetti noodles according to the package instructions. - Add the cooked noodles to the baking dish along with the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.
- Garnish with extra parmesan and parsley, and dig in!
Can I Make Creamy Shrimp Scampi Ahead of Time?
Yes! This recipe is a great option for
Or, for a longer-lasting option, keep it in the freezer for up to 2 months. If you do freeze it, just be sure to hold off on adding the
The Best Method for Reheating
If you didn’t already know, shrimp get a bit rubbery when heated in the microwave. As a result, we recommend reheating leftovers in the oven! To do so, preheat it to 275° Fahrenheit, and add your scampi to a baking dish with just a bit of water to prevent it from drying out. Then, cover the dish with foil, and warm your garlic shrimp scampi in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
Can I Use a Different Protein?
We haven’t tested it, but this garlic shrimp scampi recipe should work just as well with other protein sources. We recommend mild options such as chicken or tilapia. Just mix the ingredients together as the instructions state, and bake. However, be aware that you will probably need to adjust the cooking times. So, be sure to keep an eye on your dish!
What Should I Serve with this Baked Shrimp Scampi Recipe?
We like to pair creamy shrimp scampi with a light vegetable side or salad to help balance out the heavy carbs, protein, and fat in the dish. Some of our favorite options include:
- Green Goddess Salad
- Steamed Broccoli
- Roasted Asparagus
- Grilled Zucchini
Baked Garlic Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 small shallot chopped
- 4 Tablespoons butter unsalted and melted
- 6 cloves garlic chopped
- ½ lemon juiced
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1/3 cup seafood broth or broth of choice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes to taste
- 10 ounces spaghetti noodles cooked
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated (plus more for garnish)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a medium-sized baking dish combine the shrimp, shallot, butter, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, broth, salt, pepper, and chili flakes.1 pound large shrimp, 1 small shallot, 4 Tablespoons butter, 6 cloves garlic, ½ lemon, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, 1/3 cup seafood broth, 1 teaspoon salt, Ground black pepper to taste, Red pepper flakes to taste
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the shrimp are fully cooked and opaque.
- While the shrimp bake, follow the package instructions for spaghetti noodles, and boil water in a medium-sized saucepan over high heat.10 ounces spaghetti noodles
- Once the water is boiling, add the spaghetti noodles, and cook for 8-12 minutes or until tender. Drain.
- Add the cooked pasta, heavy cream, Parmesan, and parsley to the baking dish with the shrimp. Stir to combine.1/3 cup heavy cream, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup fresh parsley
- Garnish with more parsley and parmesan cheese, and serve!
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Notes
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Just made this dish for the second time and both times my parmesean clumps. Any suggestions to avoid this in the future as this dish is super flavorful and liked in our house.
Oh no! Do you use freshly grated parmesan or pre-shredded?
This was delicious and so easy to make. My family absolutely loved it and couldn’t believe it didn’t contain a bottle of sauce!
Yes, we love that it’s so fresh with so little ingredients! Glad your whole family loved it! xo, Alia & Radwa
How many calories are in this?
Just added the nutrition facts!
Once again another fantastic recipe. Everyone was asking for seconds
Made this for my granddaughter’s birthday and everyone agreed that it was delicious! Since I was cooking for 12, I appreciated how easy and quick it was to put it together. My daughter is requesting it for her birthday with artichoke hearts added in. Thanks for such a great recipe!
Seriously the best. Also great with chicken if you have shellfish avoiders. I love garlic, so I big that up and can’t get enough! My stomach is definitely full before my tastebuds are ready to be done eating! Absolutely savor-worthy.
Made this tonight with some Argentine shrimp I’ve been dying to try. Added quartered artichoke hearts, otherwise everything as in the recipe. Delicious!! Thanks for sharing 😋
The flavor on this was amazing but mine was also watery as some others have said. I want to try again though, any suggestions?
Do you have the nutritional values for this dish? It was tasty, thank you!
Yes, it is added!
Wow! Best recipe I have come across in a very long time. Fast, easy and perfect just the way you wrote it. A regal dish . Thanks o much !
Fabulous! We are so glad you loved it!
Wow! Best recipe I have come across in a very long time. So easy and fast but tastes like a professional dish. Thank you so much !
Love this recipe, we have made it twice and both times my kids loved it and entered the elusive clean plate club! I do find it to be a little soupy, but if I let it sit for a few minutes while I prep a salad and set the table it has thickened up perfectly. Its made its way into the official rotation for quick and easy meals!
Wohoo! We are so glad it has made it to the rotation! <3
The family LOVED this!
Yess! So glad that is was approved by the whole family!
Looks really good. After you add the pasta, heavy cream and cheese so you put it back in the oven and bake or you serve it as after it’s all mixed Thanks
Hi, you serve it as is or you can pop it in the oven for a few minutes if you want it really hot!
2nd time we have made this and it’s so goooood! Didn’t have a shallot tonight so just threw in some fine chopped white onion and still delicious. angel hair pasta tonight. thanks sissies!
YASSS! That is so GREAT!
Did you just serve it as it or did you have to put back in the oven after you added the pasta , cream and chees
We served it as is! But you can definitely add it in the oven but for 5-10 minutes to get hot!
Your recipe is great however flawed. You don’t say when to add the shallot and you say to cook the shrimp until it’s no longer pink. You mean you cook it until it is pink because gray is raw pink is cooked.
Good catch! Just made the adjustments!
The recipe lists a shallot, but the instructions do not say to add it at any point. I put it in the oven with the shrimp
Sorry about that, we adjusted it in the recipe! You made it correctly!
THANK YOU for putting the ingredients and instructions at the top of the page, instead of having to sort through a 87 page monologue about how much fun it was to cook with 95 pop ups. You guys rock!
YES! That is exactly what we are trying to do! Get straight to the point to get the recipe! 🙂