Here is a spot-on Red Lobster–style Shrimp Scampi recipe — buttery, garlicky, lemony, and restaurant-quality but SUPER easy to make at home. Serve it with pasta, rice, or warm biscuits. 🍤🧈🍋
🍤 Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi (Copycat)
Ingredients (4 servings)
- 1 lb medium or large shrimp, peeled & deveined
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup white wine (or chicken broth)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (plus more to taste)
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- Lemon slices for serving
Optional pasta: 8 oz angel hair or linguine
🥣 Instructions
1. Prep shrimp
Pat shrimp dry and season lightly with salt & pepper.
2. Sauté the garlic
In a large skillet, heat butter + olive oil over medium heat.
Add garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant (don’t brown).
3. Add wine
Pour in the white wine (or broth).
Simmer 2–3 minutes until slightly reduced.
4. Cook the shrimp
Add shrimp in an even layer.
Cook 2 minutes per side, just until pink and opaque.
Do not overcook.
5. Add lemon + parmesan
Turn heat to low.
Stir in:
- lemon juice
- Parmesan
- red pepper flakes (if using)
Sauce should look silky and slightly thick.
6. Finish
Remove from heat and sprinkle with parsley.
Taste and adjust with more lemon, salt, or Parmesan if desired.
Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
🍝 To Serve with Pasta
Cook pasta, save ¼ cup pasta water, and toss with shrimp + sauce to make it cling beautifully.
⭐ Tips for Restaurant-Quality Scampi
- Use real butter for the best flavor.
- Wine adds authentic scampi taste; use broth if avoiding alcohol.
- Add a pat of butter at the end for extra richness.
- A squeeze of fresh lemon right before serving brightens everything.
🍽 Perfect Pairings
- Angel hair or linguine
- Garlic bread or biscuits
- Caesar salad
- Steamed broccoli or asparagus
If you want, I can also give you:
🍤 Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits
🍝 Shrimp scampi pasta bake
🔥 Creamy Cajun shrimp scampi
Just tell me!
