Shrimp Scampi with Capers is a restaurant-quality one-pan dinner ready in just 20 minutes! This classic Italian dish features traditional ingredients: olive oil, butter, garlic, lemon juice, and white wine. It’s low-carb, keto, gluten-free, and packed with protein. Serve shrimp scampi with crusty Italian bread, over pasta, or with risotto. This simple dish is sure to become a family favorite.
Quick and easy weeknight dinner
Classic Shrimp Scampi with Capers features lemon garlic butter sauce and makes a stunning presentation without much effort on the part of the cook. All you need is to have all the ingredients ready, one cooking pan, and 20 minutes of your time. The ingredients list is short. This is one of my go-to recipes when I want to make an impressive yet quick weeknight meal for my family and friends, without spending hours in the kitchen. It’s a restaurant-quality dinner – perfect for entertaining guests when you have company over.
Why make it
- 20-minute-one pan dinner. The recipe takes only 20 minutes and is done in one pan on the stovetop – a perfect dinner for a busy weeknight or when you’re in a hurry. The cleanup is minimal.
- Nutrition. It’s a healthy, low-carb, keto-friendly, gluten-free main course rich in lean protein.
- Goes with everything. Serve shrimp scampi over spaghetti, rice, risotto, and roasted veggies. Add it to the store-bought ravioli or tortellini. You can even toss it together with your favorite fresh salad to turn any salad into dinner!
Ingredients:
Shrimp:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5 lb raw shrimp peeled deveined, tails off (large – about 15-20 count per pound)
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Sauce:
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 large lemon
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
Garnish:
- 3 tablespoons capers
- 3 tablespoons lemon zest
- ½ cup fresh basil chopped
Instructions:
Cook shrimp:
- Heat a large, high-sided, skillet until hot on medium heat. Add olive oil – it should run easily but not sizzle or burn. Add shrimp without overcrowding (you might have to cook in 2 batches). Sprinkle shrimp with seasonings (Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper).
- Cook shrimp, flipping it once or twice, on medium heat, about 3-4 minutes total, until pink in color. Do not overcook.
- Remove shrimp from the skillet.
Make sauce:
- 1. Add minced garlic, lemon juice, and white wine to the same (now empty) skillet where you cooked the shrimp and deglaze the pan. Reduce heat and cook until the sauce reduces just a bit, and the garlic is softened – about 2 or 3 minutes. Remove from heat and fold in butter, off heat, letting it melt in the sauce.
Assembly:
- Add cooked shrimp and 2 tablespoons of capers to the skillet with the lemon garlic butter sauce and stir it to reheat on low heat.
- When serving, top with the remaining 1 tablespoon (or more) of capers, chopped fresh basil, and lemon zest. Squeeze a little bit of lemon juice over the shrimp if you like.
More Recipe Suggestions:
Roasted Herb Butter Chicken and Orzo
Cod & Potatoes in Rosemary Cream Sauce
Lemon Caper Butter Chilean Sea Bass
Steak & Shrimp Stir-Fried Noodles
Shrimp Scampi with Capers
Equipment
Ingredients
Shrimp:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5 lb raw shrimp peeled deveined, tails off (large – about 15-20 count per pound)
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Sauce:
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 large lemon
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
Garnish:
- 3 tablespoons capers
- 3 tablespoons lemon zest
- ½ cup fresh basil chopped
Instructions
Cook shrimp:
- Heat a large, high-sided, skillet until hot on medium heat. Add olive oil – it should run easily but not sizzle or burn. Add shrimp without overcrowding (you might have to cook in 2 batches). Sprinkle shrimp with seasonings (Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper).
- Cook shrimp, flipping it once or twice, on medium heat, about 3-4 minutes total, until pink in color. Do not overcook.
- Remove shrimp from the skillet.
Make sauce:
- Add minced garlic, lemon juice, and white wine to the same (now empty) skillet where you cooked the shrimp and deglaze the pan. Reduce heat, and cook until the sauce reduces just a bit and the garlic is softened – about 2 or 3 minutes. Remove from heat and fold in butter, off heat, letting it melt in the sauce.
Assembly:
- Add cooked shrimp and 2 tablespoons of capers to the skillet with the lemon garlic butter sauce and stir it to reheat on low heat.
- When serving, top with the remaining 1 tablespoon (or more) of capers, chopped fresh basil, and lemon zest. Squeeze a little bit of lemon juice over the shrimp if you like.
