Try this Easy Shrimp Scampi Spaghetti recipe, or contribute your own.
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small shallot chopped
- 2 tablespoon of ghee or butter
- 1/2 pound of spaghetti
- 4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
- 1/4 cup of dry white wine
- 10-12 medium fresh cleaned shrimp
- 1/4 teaspoon of ancho chili
- 2 tablespoons of freshly chopped parsley
- Carbohydrate 3.14678691259492 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.165091261384494 g
- Fiber 0.29180000756681 g
- Protein 0.394271534612339 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0309824144353639 g
- Serving Size 1 1 -3 (149g)
- Sodium 1164.28685136614 mg
- Sugar 2.85498690502811 g
- Trans Fat 0.0289083784153481 g
- Calories 13 calories
Step-by-step
- Boil a large pot of salty water for pasta
- Cook spaghetti according to instructions for al dente
- Drain the pasta and reserve 1 cup of pasta water
- In the meantime, in a skillet, heat up 1 tablespoon of butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- Add shallots and cook for 2 minutes
- Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for another minute
- Season shrimp with salt, pepper and ancho chili
- Add shrimp to the skillet and cook on both sides until pink about 2-3 minutes
- Remove the shrimp from the skillet and keep it warm
- Add wine, lemon juice and bring to boil
- Add another tablespoon of butter and olive oil
- Return shrimp to skillet with parsley and some pasta water (add as much pasta water as you want, to create a sauce)
- Stir everything together and adjust seasoning as desired with salt and pepper
Why does separating the seafood from the pan before building the emulsion matter so much? Shellfish proteins tighten rapidly under direct heat, turning rubbery if left in the pan while liquids reduce. Searing the shrimp for precisely two to three minutes until pink creates a mild crust, after which pulling them off the heat safeguards their tender interior texture. Overcooking remains the single factor determining success or failure here, destroying the delicate structure of the meat before the pan sauce even forms.
Combining dry white wine with starchy pasta water establishes the foundation of the pan sauce. Starches washed off the boiling spaghetti bond with the added fats when swirled together vigorously, producing a glossy coating that clings to the strands rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl. Incorporating the butter incrementally prevents the sauce from breaking, ensuring the emulsion stays intact as it coats the noodles.
Preparing this dish in advance requires deliberate modifications to the cooking timeline. Undercooking the spaghetti by two full minutes prevents the pasta from turning mushy when reheated later. Storing the components separately in airtight containers inside the refrigerator maintains optimal textural integrity for up to three days.
Reviving the stored components demands gentle thermal application to avoid toughening the seafood. Warming the ingredients together in a skillet over low heat with two tablespoons of water restores the glossy emulsion without overcooking the shrimp. Microwaving is discouraged because uneven heat distribution instantly contracts the delicate proteins.
