Shrimp Scampi Pasta is so fresh and satisfying in a lemon garlic and herb sauce that packs so much amazing flavor. Adding asparagus makes it a one-pan healthy dinner.
We took classic Shrimp Scampi and turned it into this shrimp scampi pasta recipe. Just like our Creamy Shrimp Pasta, this is perfect for busy weeknights because it’s easy, takes less than 30 minutes, and tastes like fine dining.
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Garlic Buter Shrimp Scampi Pasta
Shrimp scampi is essentially large shrimp or prawns that are sauteed with garlic and butter and topped with crumbs. Rather than topping it with bread crumbs, we turned it into a meal by tossing it with pasta and asparagus and topping it with parmesan cheese.
Tossing shrimp scampi with pasta is our favorite way to serve scampi. We even have a Chicken Scampi Recipe if you want to change out the protein. The lemon butter scampi sauce is so fresh, vibrant, and flavorful. It makes a terrific pasta sauce!
Shrimp Scampi Pasta Video
Watch the Shrimp Scampi Pasta video tutorial to see just how easy it is. It’s such a wholesome dinner, you’ll make this shrimp scampi pasta on repeat.
Ingredients for Scampi Pasta
- Pasta – We used spaghetti, but you can use just about any pasta here; linguini, penne, angel hair, you name it!
- Asparagus – For the freshest asparagus, select a vibrant green color with ends that are tight. See my tips below on the quickest and easiest way to trim the ends of your asparagus.
- Shrimp – Look for raw shrimp (preferably wild caught) that are large 21-30 count. Slightly larger or smaller will still work but you will have to increase or decrease cooking time accordingly as shrimp can easily overcook.
- Butter and olive oil – when combined, the butter is less likely to burn since olive oil has a higher smoke point.
- Garlic – adds a ton of flavor to the garlic butter sauce so do not skimp on this.
- Lemon juice, lemon zest, and parsley – add vibrant and fresh flavor to the sauce.
- Parmesan cheese – add this to taste. You can either add it to the pan or pass it around the table for serving. Freshly grated will taste great. P.S. This cheese grater makes dinner feel like a night out.
Pro Tip: Save prep time by purchasing shrimp that are already peeled and deveined. Tail on or tail off is based on preference. It’s easier to eat without the tails but the presentation is nicer with the tails on.
Can I Substitute Cooked Shrimp?
Cooking raw shrimp will give you the best flavor as it takes on the garlic flavors from the pan and will add flavor to the sauce, which is why we highly recommend raw shrimp.
If you have cooked shrimp on hand, be sure to fully thaw and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Add them to the pan just long enough to heat through. If you re-cook the shrimp, they will end up overcooked and rubbery.
P.S. If you love shrimp, you won’t want to miss our top 3 shrimp recipes which are: Shrimp Tacos (with the best sauce), Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta, and Shrimp Fried Rice.
How to Trim Asparagus
Asparagus ends are fibrous and must be removed before cooking. The fastest way is by snapping off the ends and wherever they snap is where the fibrous part ends. You can also use a vegetable peeler to remove fibrous ends.
How to Make Shrimp Scampi Pasta
With the exception of the pasta, the shrimp and scampi sauce come together in one pan. The beauty of it is, the pasta and shrimp can cook simultaneously and are done at about the same time. This recipe comes together fast so have all of your ingredients prepped and ready before you fire up the stove.
Pro Tip: Be sure to zest the lemon and set the zest aside before juicing it. Once you have cut your lemon in half it because extremely difficult to zest.
- Cook Pasta – Boil salted water in a large pot and cook pasta until al-dente according to the package instructions.
- Cook Asparagus – In a separate large, deep pan over medium/high heat, add 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter. Add asparagus, season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper, and cook uncovered for 5 minutes until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Transfer asparagus to a plate.
- Sautee Shrimp – In the same hot pan, add the remaining butter and oil. Add garlic and red pepper flakes if using, and saute for 1 minute. Add shrimp in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, and saute until shrimp are pink and opaque (1 min per side). Do not overcook.
- Finish the Sauce – Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and parsley, and stir to combine.
- Combine – Turn off the heat, return pasta and asparagus to the pan, and toss to combine. Serve with grated parmesan.
Pro Tip: Be sure to turn off the heat before adding the lemon zest, juice, and parsley. For the most vibrant flavor, you don’t want to continue cooking once those ingredients are in. Think of them as a garnish.
This shrimp scampi pasta with asparagus is so juicy and flavorful. Every noodle is coated with an amazing fresh flavor. It’s perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or a special occasion.
Serve with
Since this is a meal in itself, you don’t need much to make this a special dinner. We pair it with these simple sides:
More Pasta Recipes
If you enjoyed this Shrimp Scampi Pasta recipe, you are sure to find more favorites in this list. From one pasta lover to another, these top-rated pasta recipes are a must-try:
- Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Lasagna Recipe
- Mom’s Chicken Mushroom Alfredo
- Penne Alla Vodka
- Stuffed Shells Recipe
Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb spaghetti
- 1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2″ pieces
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 1/2 Tbsp)
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or added to taste
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined (16-20 or 21-25 count)
- 1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt , divided, plus more for cooking pasta
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, ground, or to taste
- 1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, from 1 large or 2 small lemons
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- freshly grated parmesan, to serve
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 Tbsp salt and 1 Tbsp olive oil, and cook pasta according to package instructions until Al'dente, or desired doneness (meanwhile, continue with recipe). Drain pasta, return to pot, and cover to keep warm.
- Place a large, deep pan over medium/high heat and add 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter. Add asparagus, season lightly with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper, and cook uncovered for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan.
- In the same hot skillet, add 2 Tbsp oil and 2 Tbsp butter. Once the butter is melted, add minced garlic and red pepper flakes if using, and sautee stirring frequently for 1 minute. Add shrimp in a single layer and season with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Saute until shrimp are pink and not translucent (about 1 minute per side). Be careful not to overcook or the shrimp will be tough.
- Add lemon zest, juice, and parsley, and stir to combine. Turn off the heat and return the pasta and asparagus to the pan. Toss everything to combine and serve with freshly grated parmesan.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Q: What’s your favorite go-to (quick) weeknight meal?
So glad I discovered this recipe! It’s fast, it’s easy and we all loved it! My husband ate so fast! lol. Thank you!!
Ha ha!! That is awesome!! 🙂 Thanks for sharing your great review 🙂
Made this tonight, tasted amazing, lovely flavours. Used spiralised courgette instead of spaghetti as I’m watching calories but was still amazing. Thankyou for sharing this.
I’m so happy you loved it!! I love your ideas for making it low calorie – thank you for sharing that with us!!
Made this twice in one week, it is that good!! All of my favorite ingridients in one easy meal 😊 My husband who is not big on spaghetti/pasta recipes really enjoyed it as well.
That’s wonderful! Thanks for sharign your review 😀
Made this tonight! It was delicious and very easy!! Love these kinds of recipes!! Must do again on Fridays during Lent especially early Spring when the asparagus is good!!!
That’s great Tammy!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review 🙂
This was really just wonderful and the flavors were light and robust at the same time. I’ll be hanging on to this recipe. Thank you!
I’m so happy you loved it!! Thank you for sharing that with me 🙂
what is the nutritional information? and calorie count? What equals a serving?
The recipe serves 4. Due to time constraints, I don’t typically include nutritional info, but check out this nutrition analyzer – you can plug in the ingredients from any recipe, select the serving size and it will give you nutritional info, calories, etc. I hope that is helpful to you Pam!
Don’t add oil to your pasta water… it will make the pasta slick and prevent the sauce from sticking
Hi Kit, thanks for the tip! It doesn’t make a difference in this dish since it isn’t a creamy sauce the sauce coats the noodles and flavors them without any issues. 🙂
Adding oil to any pasta water is done to prevent boiling over the edge of the pot and to stop the pasta from sticking together and BOTH reasons can be avoided by just USING A BIGGER POT. The agitation of the boil in a larger pot will help the pasta to not stick together and the larger pot will not allow a boil over to occur. Do not oil your pasta water. The oil will coat the pasta and prevent tomato sauces to not stick to the pasta. Also, don’t rinse your pasta, that washs off the starch and it’s the starch which helps the sauces stick to your pasta. This shrimp and asparagus and lemon dish has a sauce which is absorbed into the pasta and the asparagus and the shrimp and is not a coating sauce.
I didn’t know it was to prevent boiling over the edge – I knew about the sticking though. Thanks for sharing this Stu! 🙂
Girls i agree no EVOO & NO rinsing. All you have to do is lay a wooden spoon across the top of the pot to prevent boiling over. Pot size has nothing to do with it. I’m a caterer. Also you could add red pepper flakes to make it more interesting.
Put a large wooden spoon across the pot and there will be no boil over, been doing this for years, it works.
We all loved this so much! Thank you for another easy and seriously delicious dinner! I just wish there were some leftovers! 😉
Hi Natalie, I am all smiles reading your comment! Thank you for the great review! 🙂
Natasha, i dont know why mine wasnt juicy at all. My husband loves more alfredo style spagetti, so i had to make additional souce to make it creamy. I mean that it was dry and no juice.
Hi Tanya, did you use more pasta than what is called for in the recipe? The pasta soaks up the sauce so if you use more than 1/2 pound, it will be on the dryer side. Also, did you use the same amount of ingredients that are called for in the recipe for the sauce? I hope that helps!
I am commenting on Tanya’s comment that her husband thought the dish was not sauced enough. Fresh (or frozen) shrimp give off liquid when they are quickly sautéed and then you add 1/4 lemon juice and the drained, but not drained dry, pasta, and not too much pasta. The pasta will absorb some of the lemon juice. The dish is not a saucy dish. But, it is flavorful and packed with shrimp, asparagus, garlic and pasta. European, Italian, pasta dishes are typically not heavily sauced. I sort of complained when I was in Italy about the lack of sauce in a fresh tomato and basal pasta dish. I was told that in Italy the pasta is not swimming in sauce like Americans like it. So, now, in the summer, when fresh tomatoes are abundant and I make a fresh pasta and tomato and basal sauce it’s not real saucy but it’s boldly flavored and generously dusted with real Parmigiano
Reggiano. If you like extra sauce and you know how to make it….go for it.
Thanks Stu! 🙂 That is really great perspective!
This recipe is easy to make and my family devoured it. Served with a salad and garlic bread.
That’s so great to hear Sandy! Thanks for sharing 🙂
OOOH That does sound great with garlic bread! You’re making me hungry! 🙂
Another amazingly delicious recipe. How do you do it, Natasha?! 😉
You’re so nice! Thank you Marta for that amazing compliment! I’m so happy you loved the pasta 🙂
Add a salad with this and it made the perfect meal. My family enjoyed it. Will be on the list of must have.
Add a salad with it and it was the perfect dinner. Will be on my list of must make.
EXACTLY! It should be in everyone’s rotation 🙂
How many calories is in a serving and what size is serving?
Hi Laurie, I try to always have the serving size in the print friendly recipe towards the bottom of the post. This one serves 4 as a main course. Due to time constraints, I don’t typically include nutritional info, but check out this nutrition analyzer – you can plug in the ingredients from any recipe, select the serving size and it will give you nutritional info, calories, etc. I hope that is helpful to you!
It was delicious!!! And it helps that the ingredients are what I usually have in the fridge! Thank you!!
My pleasure Oksana! I’m glad you love the recipe 😀
This was an amazing dish and a huge hit with my family! It was very easy to throw together which is always a plus for me! Thank you for such a great recipe, I’ll definitely be making this regularly!
I’m so happy to hear that your family loved it!! Thank you for the amazing review! 🙂
This is a wonderful recipe. It looks beautiful, makes a wonderful fragrance in the kitchen, and tastes exactly what you would expect it to be. It was surprisingly subtle since there was a significant amount of garlic, but, sateeing the garlic made it more mild. The lemon was also present but not dominating. The shrimp were tender and sweet and NOT overcooked. The liquid from the shrimp and lemon juice was absorbed by the pasta when it was tossed with everything in the saute pan. This was a perfect recipe. Loved it.
Hi Stuart! Thank you so much for your wonderful and thorough review ;). I sure appreciate it and I’m so happy you loved it!!
Success!! Thank you for another amazing and really easy recipe! 🙂
Hi Deen! I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Wow! This was TASTY! I normally love creamy pastas but this one had so much flavor – it was exciting to eat it! Dinner was delicious!!
Thank you for sharing your amazing review! 🙂
Looks very tasty!!
Thank you Julie! 🙂