This recipe for Shrimp Scampi Pasta takes the classic recipe to a new level. Not only is this a 30-minute meal, but this quick and easy weeknight dinner delivers a dish that’s got bright citrus notes and a creamy texture you’ll love with the help of a secret ingredient!
Shrimp Scampi Pasta: A One-Pan, 30-Minute Meal
Traditionally, Shrimp Scampi Pasta is made with lots of butter and lemon. While butter always adds great flavor, it doesn’t quite make pasta as creamy as it could be. To add that creamy quality to the pasta, you’ll want to reduce the amount of butter used and simply replace it with a little bit of cream cheese. The minimal amount of butter is there in the recipe for flavor enhancement, but it’s the cream cheese that is going to make this one-pan meal an absolute dream.
This pasta also has incredible lemon flavor, as there’s plenty of fresh lemon juice and lemon zest mixed into the sauce. The shrimp are cooked and bathed in the sauce so that they absorb the wonderful citrus flavor as well.
You’ll want to use medium to large shrimp for this 30-minute meal, with either the tails on or off. To make things easier, look for already peeled and deveined shrimp in your grocery store.
The shrimp itself is seasoned with just a tiny pinch of salt and pepper because they’re going to end up getting all the wonderful flavor from the pasta sauce anyways, so no need to fuss over the shrimp seasoning too much.
The best part about this one-pan meal is that it comes together in no time at all. From start to finish, this pasta takes about 20 minutes to prep and cook. It’s made with just a handful of simple ingredients that you can easily find in any grocery store.
This easy Shrimp Scampi Pasta would be perfect for a variety of occasions. Whether you’re making dinner for date night, or just seeking a quality, comforting weeknight meal, this simple and satisfying dish is the perfect choice!
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb pasta (any kind you like)
- 1/2 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 2 oz cream cheese, room temperature and diced
- 1/2 lemon, both juice and zest (or more to taste)
- salt
- freshly ground pepper
- olive oil (about a teaspoon)
- fresh chopped parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- In a medium pot, cook the pasta in boiling, salted water as directed on the package, or until the pasta is as tender as you like. Reserve the pasta water.
- Prep your shrimp by rinsing them and patting them dry. Sprinkle a small pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper over your shrimp.
- In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add in the butter and garlic, and sauté for 30 seconds until butter is melted and garlic is fragrant. Add the raw shrimp and cook until pink.
- To the skillet, carefully add 1/2 a cup of reserved pasta water and the lemon zest. Let this mixture simmer over medium-low heat for a minute.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pasta to the skillet. Add in the lemon juice, cream cheese, and parmesan cheese. Stir everything together until the cream cheese has melted; this may take a few minutes.
- Add a pinch of salt and pepper, mix, then taste-test. If you want to thin out the consistency of the pasta, feel free to add more pasta water. Before serving, add parsley to garnish.
Notes
Home Chef Tip: Since shrimp are prone to overcooking and becoming tough, you can give your shrimp a brief dunk in salted water (10 minutes) to help the shrimp retain its moisture throughout cooking. If you follow this step, skip adding salt to the shrimp later on as directed in the recipe.
We hope you love this Creamy Shrimp Scampi Pasta recipe from SoFabFood Home Chef, Beeta from Mon Petit Four, as much as we do. If you love this quick and simple one-pan meal, stop by our 30-Minute Meals Section to find more like it. For daily recipe inspiration, like us on Facebook and follow us on Pinterest. Enjoy!
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