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The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving) | |
---|---|
208 | Calories |
18g | Fat |
12g | Carbs |
3g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 4 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 208 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 18g | 22% |
Saturated Fat 11g | 54% |
Cholesterol 46mg | 15% |
Sodium 89mg | 4% |
Total Carbohydrate 12g | 5% |
Dietary Fiber 1g | 4% |
Protein 3g | |
Calcium 80mg | 6% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
This easy-to-make sauce recipe creates a delicious shrimp scampi that takes mere minutes to prepare. Just heat the sauce ingredients, toss with shrimp, then serve the garlicky concoction over pasta or rice. You can also serve the shrimp and sauce on their own as an appetizer with toothpicks.
This will make enough sauce for about two pounds of peeled and cooked shrimp. Alternatively, you can use scampi sauce to top other kinds of seafood or even chicken as well as pasta or rice. The mild but rich dish pairs well with a leafy green salad, broccoli, or asparagus.
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Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons butter (salted)
- 5 cloves garlic (pressed)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Dash Tabasco sauce
- Salt (to taste)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
- For Serving: 2 pounds shrimp (peeled and cooked, or other cooked and prepped seafood or cooked chicken breast)
Steps to Make It
-
Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce / Diana Chistruga -
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When the butter stops foaming add the garlic and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
The Spruce / Diana Chistruga -
Stir in the lemon juice, dash of Tabasco sauce, and salt to taste. Heat through. Stir in the fresh parsley.
The Spruce / Diana Chistruga -
Toss with hot cooked shrimp and serve immediately with hot cooked rice or angel hair pasta.
The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
Glass Bakeware Warning
Do not use glass bakeware when broiling or when a recipe calls to add liquid to a hot pan, as glass may explode. Even if it states oven-safe or heat resistant, tempered glass products can, and do, break occasionally.
How to Use
Scampi sauce is classically used on seafood like shrimp. It also tastes great with prawns, lobster, scallops, and white fish like cod or flounder. Or swap the seafood for chicken breast.
- Add just-cooked seafood—either broiled, grilled, steamed, or sautéed—to the hot, finished sauce and toss. Or drizzle the scampi sauce over the top.
- If serving with pasta or rice, add to the plates before topping with the seafood or chicken and scampi sauce.
- If serving without pasta or rice, consider serving the dish with crusty bread to mop up the sauce.
Scampi Variations
- Add a splash of dry white wine while adding the lemon juice. Cook for a few minutes to cook off the alcohol
- Finish with a sprinkle of grated parmesan or buttered breadcrumbs
- Swap the typical pasta for zucchini noodles for a low-carb version
- Add some chicken into the mix for extra protein, or swap the shrimp completely for grilled or pan-roasted chicken
- Make a Creole version of shrimp scampi in a slow cooker
- For a creamier shrimp scampi, add heavy cream to the sauce
- Fire up the grill for a grilled shrimp scampi
- Combine two classic dishes to make shrimp scampi paella
What Does Scampi Mean?
Scampi is actually the name of a type of prawn or small lobster. The scampi are often served in a garlic and butter sauce but are not commonly available in the U.S. In American cuisine, shrimp replaces the scampi with the word "scampi" describing the style of dish instead of the crustacean. Shrimp scampi is a seafood dish with a sauce of garlic, lemon, and butter.
How Do You Thicken a Scampi Sauce?
Scampi sauce is meant to be fairly thin since it's largely butter-based. If you would like a thicker sauce, consider adding a slurry made with cornstarch or add some heavy cream. Cream will also make the sauce richer.
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