Air Fryer
$1.70per plate
Prep
10 min
Pasta · Shrimp Scampi
Shrimp Scampi
Shrimp Scampi is the restaurant classic you can make at home in about 30 minutes: plump shrimp cooked in a glossy garlic-butter-lemon sauce and tossed with linguine so every strand catches the sauce. It is garlic-forward and bright with lemon, buttery without being greasy, and it skips the heavy cream and the bottle of wine so it stays quick and affordable - a pound of shrimp feeds four for about $1.97 a plate. It is one of the fastest ways to put a special-feeling dinner on the table. Serve it with the rest of our pasta recipes, and if you love shrimp, our air fryer shrimp and creamy lemon pasta are two more easy weeknight wins.
$1.97per plate
Estimated recipe total
$7.89 · serves 4
Cook
20 min
Total
30 min
Serves
4
Recipe from Budget Plates · https://www.budgetplates.com/shrimp-scampi
1 How to make it
1
Boil the pasta and save the water
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the linguine until just shy of al dente. Before draining, scoop out about a cup of the starchy pasta water - it is what makes the sauce cling instead of separating. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
2
Dry and season the shrimp
Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Dry shrimp sear instead of steaming, which gives them better flavor and keeps them from turning rubbery.
3
Sear the shrimp briefly
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook about 1 to 2 minutes per side, just until they turn pink and curl into a loose C. Do not overcook them - pull them out onto a plate the moment they are opaque.
4
Build the garlic-butter sauce
Lower the heat to medium and melt the butter in the same skillet. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook just 30 to 60 seconds, until fragrant but not browned - burnt garlic turns bitter. Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and about half a cup of the reserved pasta water.
5
Toss it all together
Add the drained linguine and the shrimp with any juices back to the skillet. Toss for a minute so the sauce emulsifies and coats the pasta, adding a splash more pasta water if it looks dry. Stir in the parsley, taste for salt, and serve right away with extra lemon.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- White wine. For a more traditional scampi, replace about a quarter cup of the pasta water with dry white wine, adding it with the garlic and letting it bubble for a minute before the lemon goes in.
- Frozen shrimp. Frozen shrimp are usually the best value and work perfectly. Thaw them in a bowl of cold water for 10 to 15 minutes, then pat them very dry before cooking.
- Any long pasta. Linguine is classic, but spaghetti, angel hair, or fettuccine all work. For a lighter, pasta-free plate, serve the shrimp and sauce over zucchini noodles or with crusty bread.
- A little parmesan. Scampi is traditionally served without cheese, but a light sprinkle of grated parmesan at the table is a common American addition if you like it.
3 Budget tips
- A single pound of shrimp stretches across four plates when you toss it with pasta, which keeps a seafood dinner close to two dollars a serving.
- Frozen shrimp are almost always cheaper than fresh and just as good here - watch for bags on sale and keep one in the freezer.
- Skipping the wine and cream keeps the cost and the ingredient list down without giving up the classic garlic-butter-lemon flavor.
- The starchy pasta water is free and does the work of a fancy sauce, so there is no need for extra butter or cream to make it silky.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Shrimp are best the day they are cooked, so store extra sauce and pasta together and reheat gently.
Freezer
Freezing is not recommended - cooked shrimp turn rubbery and the sauce breaks when thawed. Shrimp scampi is best made fresh and eaten right away.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water or broth, just until warmed through. Overheating is what makes leftover shrimp tough, so stop as soon as it is hot.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
420
Protein
28g
Fat
15g
Carbs
44g
Estimates per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
What is shrimp scampi made of?
Shrimp scampi is shrimp cooked in a sauce of garlic, butter, olive oil, and lemon, usually with a pinch of red pepper flakes and fresh parsley, then tossed with pasta. This budget version uses starchy pasta water instead of wine or cream to make the sauce cling.
What size shrimp works best?
Large shrimp (about 31 to 40 per pound) are the sweet spot - big enough to stay juicy but affordable. Jumbo shrimp look impressive but cost more; whatever size you use, buy them peeled and deveined to save time.
Can I use frozen shrimp?
Yes, and they are usually the better value. Thaw them in a bowl of cold water for 10 to 15 minutes until no longer icy, then pat them very dry so they sear instead of steaming.
How do I keep the shrimp from getting rubbery?
Shrimp cook in just 1 to 2 minutes per side. Pull them from the pan the moment they turn pink and curl into a loose C, and add them back only at the end to warm through. Overcooking is the one thing that makes shrimp tough.
What can I use instead of white wine?
This recipe skips the wine entirely and uses reserved pasta water, which emulsifies the butter into a glossy sauce. Chicken or vegetable broth works too. If you do want wine, swap it in for about a quarter cup of the pasta water.
How is $1.97 a plate figured?
The whole dish is about $7.89 for four servings, so roughly $1.97 each. A single pound of shrimp tossed with pasta is what keeps a seafood dinner close to two dollars a plate.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
As an Amazon Associate, Budget Plates may earn from qualifying purchases.
- 12-inch nonstick skillet. A wide nonstick skillet browns ground meat, fries rice, and builds a one-pan sauce with less oil and easier cleanup. Best for everyday stovetop dinners like skillet meals, fried rice, pasta sauces, and patties.
- Cast iron skillet. Cast iron holds heat for a deep sear and moves from stovetop to oven, and it lasts for decades with basic care. Best for searing chops and chicken, and recipes that start on the stove and finish in the oven.
- Chef's knife. One sharp chef's knife handles almost all the chopping, from onions to chicken, and replaces a drawer of gadgets. Best for all-purpose prep in essentially every recipe on the site.
- Cutting board. A large, stable cutting board makes prep faster and safer, which matters when you cook most nights. Best for everyday chopping of onion, garlic, and vegetables across nearly every recipe.
Cook next
All recipes Related recipes
From other tables
All recipes 
