Italian-American · main

Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi

Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi reads umami 5.7, richness 5.1 and citrus 5.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian-American main, about 25 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 6.7 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.8 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.5 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.2 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.5 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 5.7 · Richness 5.1 · Citrus 5.1 · Sourness 4.6 · Salinity 4.4 · Marine & Briny 3.9 · Allium 3.8 · Fruity 2.4 · Herbaceous 2.1 · Funk & Ferment 1.9 · Heat 1.8 · Warm Spice 1.5 · Floral 1.5 · Sweetness 1.2 · Earthy 1.1 · Bitterness 1.0 · Nutty 1.0

What's in it (12)

• thin spaghetti — 340 g
• salt — 5 g
• shrimp — 454 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• olive oil — 41 g
• unsalted butter — 68 g
• garlic — 18 g
• red chili flakes — 3 g
• dry white wine — 118 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 118 g
• lemon juice — 30 g
• flat-leaf parsley — 15 g

Time & effort: about 25 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 68.6 kcal, 7.5 g protein, 6.1 g fat, 4.7 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil, add the linguine, and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-10 minutes; reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain.
2. While the pasta cooks, pat the shrimp dry and season with the pepper and half the salt.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering; add the shrimp in a single layer and sear until pink and just opaque, 1-2 minutes per side, then transfer to a plate.
4. Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter, and cook the garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 45 seconds to 1 minute.
5. Pour in the wine, scraping up the browned bits, and simmer until reduced by half, 2-3 minutes.
6. Stir in the chicken broth and simmer until slightly reduced, 3-4 minutes.
7. Remove the skillet from the heat and whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, one piece at a time, until glossy and emulsified, then stir in the lemon juice.
8. Return the shrimp with any accumulated juices to the skillet along with the drained pasta, and toss over low heat, adding splashes of the reserved pasta water, until the sauce clings, 1-2 minutes.
9. Stir in the parsley, season with the remaining salt to taste, and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Lemon Pepper Shrimp Pasta — Italian-American
• Shrimp Scampi Linguine — Italian-American
• Skillet Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles — Italian-American
• Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta — Italian-American
• Calabrian Chili Shrimp Pasta — Italian

Keep reading: what umami, richness, citrus mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.