The Best Shrimp Scampi

Drescription

A classic menu item from every great Italian-American restaurant, this shrimp scampi hits all the right notes – buttery, lemony, garlicky. We love it for its simplicity and balance of flavor (copious amounts of butter help, too!). But while it looks and tastes fancy, this dish is actually very easy to make. The white wine sauce gets a spicy finish from red pepper flakes, perfect for soaking up with good crusty bread or cooked pasta.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails on (see cook's note)
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon grated garlic (about 3 cloves)
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice from about 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
• crusty bread or pasta, for serving

Directions

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the skillet. Add half the shrimp and cook until golden pink, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl. Melt another tablespoon of the butter in the skillet and cook the remaining shrimp.
3. Return the skillet to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and let it melt. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Stir in the wine and lemon juice. Increase the heat to high and boil the liquid until it thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the parsley. Add the shrimp back to the skillet and toss to coat with the sauce. Transfer to a serving dish and top with more chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread or pasta.