The easiest, most yummiest Shrimp Scampi with Linguine dish for those crazy, busy weeknights or for a relaxing weekend meal.
The Dish
This Easy Shrimp Scampi with Linguine recipe is one i’ve been making for years now, and it’s a meal, once you make enough times, can easily come together in 20 minutes!
It’s the most versatile dish because you can serve this to your family during a hectic weeknight or you can fancy it up for a romantic dinner for two right in your own home. The choice is yours!
The addition of fresh parsley, lemons from my own backyard, and basil really elevate this dish so definitely don’t skimp on the fresh herbs, por favor.
The ‘Not-So-Secret” Ingredient
There’s the beaut. Half of a Ranch Salad Dressing Mix Packet. Yep. This is the key to making this dish remarkably delicious. But I beg you! Please, only use half the packet. It’s so salty that an entire packet would be too much. Use half, and save the other half to make this meal again, cause I promise you, you will make this again.
To Roast or Not To Roast?
This part is completely up to you. If it’s a hot day and you really don’t want to turn on your oven, absolutely cook the shrimp in the pan before adding your linguine pasta for about 3 minutes per side! I’ve done this many times in the past. However, I find that roasting the shrimp in a 400 degree oven tastes so much better and less rubbery.
White Wine, Chicken Broth or Salted Pasta Water
After you add the lemon juice and zest to the buttery garlic in the pan, I generally like to deglaze with white wine. But, that’s only if I have white wine in the fridge.
*Side note not at all related to the recipe: I’m more of a red wine fan than white wine, but if someone offers me a glass of Chardonnay, it was be absolutely rude of me to refuse haha! Are you a red or white wine person?
If you don’t have white wine or prefer not to use wine, use chicken broth. Maybe even a seafood broth if you have it! But to use whatever resources that are immediately available to me, I like to use the salted pasta water from the pot the linguine is cooked in. That is pure liquid gold right there!
Basically what i’m saying is, use what you want or what you have on hand. Check out my “What’s For Dinner?” Video on YouTube and watch me make this Shrimp Scampi with Linguine!
The Shrimpies
I don’t have a great grocery store nearby that has really good seafood counter. So I usually always buy the frozen raw shrimp from Costco. Frozen shrimp is the best to keep in your freezer, especially for those nights where you forgot to pull out meat and you don’t really want to spend money on fast food.
Frozen shrimp thaws super quick! I’ve defrosted shrimp up to 10 minutes before cooking them by just submerging them in cold (not hot!) water.
What to Pair This Dish With?
You could pair this Easy Shrimp Scampi with a fresh salad, roasted broccoli or my personal favorite, my 5-Ingredient Cheesy Garlic Bread. Yes I know, that’s a whole lotta carbs. But I leave out the parmesan cheese in the shrimp scampi just so I can make this Cheesy Garlic Bread. And cheese is a necessity at every meal in my household so lay off me lol!
Multitasking at its finest!
Because i’ve been making this easy shrimp scampi with linguine for so long, it can take me under 20 minutes from prep to plate! It’s just a lot of multitasking to get to the plate. But if you’re not in a rush, 30 minutes is right on time. As long as you have your boiling water ready to go and your oven preheated (if you choose this option to cook your shrimp) it takes no time.
While you drop in your pasta, place your shrimp in the oven and start sauteing up your shallots and garlic, adding in your lemon juice and ranch packed after a minute or two. By the time you add your wine (broth or water) and you allow some of it to cook off, your shrimp will be about ready to come out of the oven. Place that shrimp into the pan, along with the juices. Also around this same time, your pasta should be al dente (not soft but still has a nice bite to it) and ready to placed directly in the pan too!
Seriously, super quick!
I truly hope you enjoy this meal as much as my family of five loves it! If you end up trying this dish in any variation, leave me a comment down below i’d love to hear how it went!
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Easy Shrimp Scampi with Linguine
Ingredients
- 1 lb Linguine pasta (16 oz)
- 1 lb defrosted, shelled and deveined shrimp
- 4 tbsp butter, divided I use salted butter
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided extra virgin
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 1/2 packet Ranch Salad Dressing Mix save the other half for another time
- 1/2 cup white wine or broth or salted pasta water
- 3 tbsp freshly chopped parsley Italian flat leaft
- 2 tbsp freshly chopped basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, add in the whole box of linguine. Cook to al dente, about 8 minutes.
- To a foil lined rimmed baking sheet, add your defrosted shrimp. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt & pepper. Place in the oven for 8 minutes.
- In a large pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoon of olive oil over medium low heat. Add in your shallots and cook for 1 minute. Then add in your garlic and cook for an additional minute. To the same skillet, add the zest of 1 lemon and juice of 2 lemons. Bring to a simmer, and add in half a packet of Ranch Dressing & Seasoning Mix. Pour in your wine (or broth or salted pasta water) and allow mixture to come up to a simmer again, cooking until the majority of liquid has been cooked down by half.
- Add in the additional 2 tablespoons of butter and melt. Add in your cooked shrimp along with any juices.
- Without draining pasta, add in your al dente linguine directly from the pot using tongs, taking caution not to burn yourself. Continuously stir the pasta with sauce so the pasta drinks up all the buttery goodness.
- Add in your fresh parsley and basil before serving. Top off with a pinch of red pepper flakes if desired.
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