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?
Made this dish tonight and it was so delicious! Next time I will invite some guest over to share it with us. Thank you!
This recipe is so perfect for company!
I love my shrimp scampi with white wine… I put the shrimp shells and 1 and 1/4 cups of white wine in a small pot and boil to enrich the wine with the shrimp flavor from the shells. Then I strain the shells from the wine and use the enriched liquid for my shrimp scampi. It’s a little bit of extra work, but so worth it. Makes plenty of liquid for a pound of angel hair pasta.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Way ta go Samantha what white wine did you use a dry or sweet or a Chardonay ya can also try poaching your shrimp in that stock slowly a slight simmer ,then chill for shrimp cocktail and if ya can stick to Texas farm raised so sweet and my favorite ARGENTINA REDS ,,,a lobster texture crab like flavor , dynamite
Excellent and easy thank you!
For us the pasta was way too much relative to the sauce and shrimp.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it. You can definitely add more pasta to taste. Thanks for the great review!
So easy to make and my husband said it tasted like Olive Garden’s shrimp scampi linguini
That’s so great! Thank you for sharing that amazing review with us Jennifer!
This recipe is quite good. I added green peas at the end too. Got a laugh out of add to the same hot pant, lol 😆 Darn spell check….
I’m happy you enjoyed that Shelley!
I swapped out the regular spaghetti for whole wheat angel hair. It’s how I justify eating pasta!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was very good. I added a teaspoon of capers and a pinch of crushed chili flakes. Delicious.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Kate!
Amazing recipe! I made this recipe with shrimp and chicken because my boyfriend does not like seafood and it was perfect! Substituting chicken tastes just as delicious. One of our favorite recipes now. Thank you!
That’s so awesome Heather! Thank you for sharing that awesome review with me!
Made your recipe tonight and the family LOVED it! I picked a Meyer lemon from my back deck, used my homemade pasta and it was perfect! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!!!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Cheryl!
I tried the shrimp scampi with asparagus pasta with variations and it’s still good. Thank you for sharing. I will definitely do this again next time.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it
I would Love to try a recipe like this because I love garlic, asparagus and of course shrimp, but I am allergic to anything citrus. Any suggestions on what I could substitute for the lemon?
Hi Janie, here is what one of our readers tried without lemon, “I made this last night…. it was amazing…. I will never cook asparagus any other way….. I wasn’t sure how to replace the lemon, so I added a little more butter … and it was perfect …. a great dish for company. So happy I found your site.” I hope that helps!
Thanks Natasha! It looks like now I have a couple of ways to try this, extra butter or (&) white wine. I will definitely give this a try in the next couple of days and let you know how it goes.
I look forward to your feedback Janie!
Well it has been awhile since I last posted (back in March), and I just wanted to say, mmmm! So good! I have now made this recipe many times with white wine and now I even tried some lemon juice mixed in. It seems that my allergies for citrus has disappeared. Yah! I still like using half of each, lemon/wine ratio and I just have to say this has become a favorite. I shared this with a neighbor friend of mine last night and she even asked if there would be enough for lunch today, there was. Absolutely one of my favorites Natasha! Thanks so much for a wonderful recipe
You’re welcome, Janie! I’m glad you enjoyed that!
Try white wine.
I love the results but the “takes less than 30 minutes” claim is a bit disingenuous because it does not include any prep time. Yes, it takes less than 30 minutes to stir everything together once the asparagus is cleaned and chopped, the lemons are zested and juiced, the shrimp is shelled and cleaned, the garlic is peeled and minced, and the parsley is cleaned and chopped. I’ve made this twice now and with the added prep time I have not made it in less than an hour and 15 minutes, all steps included. So we enjoy the scampi very much but for us it is a weekend meal when we have the time it takes to prep AND cook it. (I understand that the prep can be done ahead of time. But that is still time that has to be spent, whether it’s at the same time as cooking or beforehand. This is not a “less than 30 min.” meal.) The only mention of prep comes in the comment, “This recipe comes together fast so have all of your ingredients prepped and ready before you fire up the stove.” Well, yes. Five stars for the meal itself, 4 stars for the misdirection on the time it actually takes to make it.
I’m so glad you love the recipe! I have found that the right shrimp can make all the difference in prep time as fully shell-on shrimp can be a pain to peel and devein. I try to find the ones that are peeled and deveined with just their tails on so I have to do minimal to no work in preparing the shrimp.
I made this today for my coworkers and myself for dinner. I read your prep and other times till finished. I’d like to know who did your prep work. It’s a lot longer th taken you say. But was good.
We loved this recipe! Thank you!!!
You’re welcome, Nina! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Delish! I added mushrooms when sauteeing the asparagus. They got nice and carmelized and added a TON of flavor. I didn’t have the full amount of lemon, so added a wee bit of pasta water and finished with a light drizzle of olive oil and the parm. I know you love mushrooms, Natasha…try it sometime!
I should definitely give that a try. Thank you for your great review!
Great dish and easy to make,,will try cilantro next time and a bit of chopped red peppers
I’m so happy you enjoyed that, Larry!
We loved this recipe!
Next time I would prepare a little extra garlic butter/oil sauce to add at the end. Added a few red pepper flakes, for some added zip!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Just tried recipe – love it, but we like a little more kick. Had anyone tried substituting the olive oil while cooking shrimp for chili oil? Or other suggestions for adding a little zing?
One of our favorite Friday night dinners 🙂 thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it
This was delicious! Thanks for the recipe! This one is a keeper!
I’m so happy to hear that Robin, sounds like you found a new favorite!
This was excellent, I made it for dinner and loved every bite
I’m so happy you enjoyed that, Geri!
This dish is so full of flavor and easy to make (if you remember to defrost the shrimp lol). I made it yesterday and it’s on the menu again this week! I like that’s it’s versatile, I added mushrooms and I’m sure you could add any other veggies (but keep the zucchini!). It’s just delicious! Thanks so much Natasha!
I’m so happy to hear that, Emily! It sounds like you have a new family favorite!.
I have made this many times. One of my favorite shrimp dishes. Today, realized I didn’t have lemons or white wine, to use as a substitute for lemons, is used a small amount of Vermouth.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I just thought I’d tell you…. Shrimp Scampi Pasta with Asparagus is without a doubt my favorite recipe from your kitchen. It came out so perfect …. Love your site/blog/recipes…. thank you…
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me :). I’m all smiles!
does it matter what kind of butter? Such as unsalted, salted, sweet cream?
Hi Lani, I always use unsalted butter in all of my recipes but you can sub with salted butter here if that is what you have on hand and just be sure to season to taste. I hope you love the shrimp scampi pasta!