Creamy Shrimp Scampi Recipe

Name: Creamy Shrimp Scampi Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 pound shrimp (peeled, deveined, tails off); 2 Tbsps butter; 4 garlic cloves (grated or chopped fine); 1/2 cup white wine vinegar; 1/4 cup lemon juice; 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (finely grated); 1/2 cup heavy cream; 1/4 tsp salt; 1 pound spaghetti squash (cooked)

Jump to Recipe

Our CREAMY SHRIMP SCAMPI RECIPE is a delicious twist on a classic scampi recipe. Made with tender shrimp bathed in a smooth and garlicky cream sauce that has been kissed with lemon and a bit of white wine vinegar. This is one of our favorite fancy pants recipes that in fact, is so simple and easy to make. Serve it over any pasta, sop it up with crusty bread and pair it with a delicious side salad for an out of this world supper.

A bowl of spaghetti squash with shrimp in a creamy sauce, garnished with dried herbs. A fork rests in the bowl, and the background is softly blurred.

This shrimp scampi recipe is all about the fresh, in season ingredients that feels like you are dining in a fancy restaurant. We love to feature fresh Alabama Gulf Shrimp in our recipes like this one and even our BBQ SHRIMP. Let’s dive into this creamy, dreamy shrimp scampi that’s sure to become a favorite at your house!

Why You’ll Love This Creamy Shrimp Scampi

You will love this Creamy Shrimp Scampi because it’s a perfect blend of rich, savory, and bright flavors. The shrimp are tender and juicy, the cream sauce is decadent yet balanced by the zing of lemon, and the parmesan and heavy cream adds a silky sauce that ties it all together. It’s quick enough for a weeknight but feels special enough for a celebration. Plus, it’s a easy one pan meal that also uses no cooking wine!

Ingredients

Simple yet delicious components that come together to make something wonderful! We add in SPAGHETTI SQUASH in place of regular pasta to make it a low carb shrimp scampi.

A wooden countertop with raw shrimp, grated parmesan, garlic cloves, butter, a bowl of white sauce, a knife, a bottle of olive oil, a bottle of vinegar, green liquid in a bottle, and a carton of heavy cream.

What You’ll Need

Shrimp: Fresh, plump shrimp are the star of this dish. Peeled and deveined shrimp make prep a snap.
Butter: Butter adds a rich, silky base to the sauce.
Garlic Cloves: Garlic brings bold, savory flavors that are key for the scampi flavor.
White Wine Vinegar: This tangy ingredient adds a bright, slightly sweet acidity that cuts through the richness of the cream and butter.
Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice brings a zesty flavor that complements the shrimp perfectly.
Grated Parmesan and Heavy Cream: They both add a creamy balance to the sauce, making it perfect for this dish.

See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.

How to Make Creamy Shrimp Scampi

This one pan wonder comes together and gets supper on the table in less than 30 minutes!

A wooden cutting board with garlic cloves, a chef's knife, grated cheese, tomato puree, measuring spoons with oil, and a stove with a cast iron pan containing a pat of butter.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

A wooden countertop with flour, garlic, a knife, measuring cups, chopsticks, and a carton of cream beside a stove with a cast iron pan melting butter. A hand is reaching for garlic on the left side of the image.

Smash and chop the garlic into fine pieces.

A person stirs a mixture in a black skillet on a gas stove. Nearby on a wooden countertop are a knife, measuring cups, a bowl of flour, a green bottle, and a carton of cream.

Add it to the butter and cook for one minute.

A person holds a bowl of raw shrimp near a pan with sizzling garlic on a stovetop. Nearby are a bottle of oil, a carton of cream, a bowl of flour, and measuring cups on a wooden counter.

Add in the shrimp and arrange in a single layer. Cook just until it starts to turn pink, turning often for even cooking.

A top view of a kitchen counter with a cutting board holding a bottle, measuring cups, a carton of cream, a bowl of grated cheese, and a knife. On the stove, shrimp are cooking in a pan. Hands hold a green measuring cup and bottle.

Add in the lemon juice.

Overhead view of a wooden countertop with cooking ingredients, a chef’s knife, and measuring spoons next to a stove with shrimp cooking in a pan. A person pours olive oil from a bottle into a red measuring cup.

And the white wine vinegar. Bring back to a simmer.

A container of spaghetti squash is held over a skillet of shrimp cooking in a creamy sauce on a stovetop. On the wooden counter are a carton of cream, a small glass bowl of grated cheese, and a red measuring cup.

Stir in the prepared cooked spaghetti squash or pasta.

A person holds a small glass bowl of grated cheese over a wooden countertop next to a red measuring cup and a carton of cream, with a pan of shrimp and spaghetti cooking on a stove.

Add in the parmesan cheese.

A person holds a red measuring cup and a carton of heavy cream over a wooden cutting board next to a chef’s knife; a pan with shrimp and sauce sits on a stovetop nearby.

And the heavy cream. Allow to cook a minute or two more and remove from the heat.

A hand holds a small blue bowl of noodles over a pan of creamy sauce on a stovetop, using a spoon to serve food. A fork rests on a wooden cutting board to the left.

Season with salt to taste and serve over more prepared pasta.

A bowl of spaghetti topped with shrimp and sprinkled with herbs sits on a wooden surface, with a serving spoon and pan of more pasta blurred in the background.

Garnish with the dried or fresh herb of your choice and enjoy!

Why Brooke loves this recipe!

Recipes are like antiques. They are meant to be handed down from one generation to another. Each one holding a special memory or nostalgic memory. Here is why we love this one!

There are a ton of flavors that just scream Summer to me! Seafood always fills that for me. Fresh, local seafood is always best and using it not only helps a local producer but you can feel good about the ingredients you are using. Eat in season and always fresh!

Variations and Substitutions

Just a few ideas to make this your own!

Spicy – Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne for a spicy kick.
Herbs – finish it with fresh parsley or stir in basil or thyme for added flavor and color.
More Veggies – add in spinach, sliced cherry tomatoes or sauteed mushrooms to make this a complete meal.
White Wine Vinegar- dry white cooking wine can be used or other vinegars like apple cider for a different taste.
Shrimp – swap the shrimp for other fish, scallops or other seafood you love.
Heavy Whipping Cream – you can use half and half.

A close-up of a fork holding shrimp and spaghetti squash in a creamy sauce, above a blue bowl filled with the same dish. A pan with more food is out of focus in the background.

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Equipment

🔧 I love to share recipes that are no special equipment required but here are a few things that would definitely make this recipe easier!

How to Store

This creamy scampi will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2/3 days. Reheat over low heat on top of the stove to serve leftovers.
We do not recommend freezing. The cream sauce and shrimp textures will change after thawing.

A plate of shrimp served over a bed of spaghetti squash noodles, topped with a creamy white sauce and sprinkled with dried herbs, sits on a wooden surface with a fork inserted into the dish.

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A blue and white plate holds a serving of creamy shrimp and spaghetti squash, topped with herbs. Beside it, a skillet contains more of the same shrimp and squash mixture in sauce. A spoon rests on the plate.

Creamy Shrimp Scampi Recipe

This creamy shrimp scampi recipe takes a traditional scampi sauce and makes is smooth and velvety. This rich and decadent shrimp dish comes together in less than 30 minutes making it a perfect supper option.

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Serving Size

Ingredients

1 pound shrimp peeled, deveined, tails off
2 Tbsps butter
4 garlic cloves grated or chopped fine
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup parmesan cheese finely grated
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
1 pound spaghetti squash cooked

Instructions

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
2 Tbsps butter
Add in garlic and cook for one minute. Add in shrimp and cook just until pink turning to make sure they get done all of the way through.
4 garlic cloves, 1 pound shrimp
Add in lemon juice and vinegar, cook a minute more. Add in cooked spaghetti squash, parmesan cheese and heavy cream. Stir to combine. Allow to come to a simmer and cook for a minute or two more. Remove from heat.
1/2 cup white wine vinegar, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 pound spaghetti squash
Season with salt to taste and garnish with your favorite fresh herb. Serve over more cooked spaghetti squash.
1/4 tsp salt

See How To Make It!

Notes

*This is our low carb version using spaghetti squash. Feel free to sub that for the pasta of your choice. This will alter nutritional values.

🍴 PRO TIP!

Some recipes call for a dry white cooking wine. It is fine to use in place of the vinegar or if you are not a fan of wine or vinegar, using chicken broth works great too as a substitution.

🗹 RECIPE FAQ’S

What pasta do I serve this with?

Here, I used cooked SPAGHETTI SQUASH. Fettuccine or even angel hair pasta for a traditional pasta work great too.

How to keep the sauce from curdling?

Keeping the heat low while adding the vinegar and lemon juice all while stirring or whisking constantly will help keep this from happening.

Can I use frozen shrimp?

Yes! Be sure to thaw them well and make sure they are completely dry to avoid adding any water to the dish.

A bowl filled with shrimp and spaghetti in a creamy sauce, garnished with herbs, sits on a wooden surface with a fork resting in the bowl.

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Looking for other great recipes like this? Try these:

Southern Shrimp and Grit Cakes: A classic country dish with creamy grits and savory shrimp.
4 Ingredient Garlic Chicken: Delicious garlic chicken with 4 ingredients!
Crunchy Oven Baked Shrimp: Battered and crispy, delicious shrimp!