shrimp scampi with peas
New Media PublishingIt's no wonder that shrimp scampi is popular: It's quick and easy enough to make for dinner any weeknight but it sounds, looks -- and tastes -- fancy enough for company or a special occasion. As the head-note for Food & Wine's Sizzling Shrimp Scampi recipe explains, "Scampi refers to shrimp that are split, brushed with garlicky butter and broiled." But for most Americans, "scampi" simply means shrimp in a rich, garlicky sauce, most likely served over pasta -- usually angel hair (capellini) -- which transforms an appetizer into a complete meal.

Here, recipe developer Alexis Touchet shares three variations on shrimp scampi, and we've also included more options from the KitchenDaily recipe database. Alexis also shares her scampi tips, such as the best pasta for the dish.

Shrimp Scampi Recipes

Shrimp and Pea Scampi: This recipe calls for frozen peas and you can also use frozen shrimp (thaw them in cool water). Boil the pasta while you cook the scampi and you'll have dinner on the table in 20 minutes.

Cajun Shrimp Scampi: What I call a "Cajun mirepoix" is used to add an underlying base to this classic dish. Mirepoix is a French term used for a seasoning mixture and in southwest Louisiana we use onion, bell pepper, celery and in some cases tasso. For those not familiar with tasso, it's seasoned, cured and smoked pork. If you are not able to find it, substitute ham.

Healthy Shrimp Scampi with Spinach and Multigrain Pasta: For a healthy, but still delicious, version of shrimp scampi, I've altered a few things. The first obvious change is a reduction in the butter. Then to up the flavor quotient extra-virgin olive oil and chicken stock are used to give a silky coating to multigrain angel hair pasta. Spinach is loaded with goodness and so quick to cook -- so some fresh baby spinach is thrown in to wilt towards the end of the cooking time.

Sizzling Shrimp Scampi: In this recipe from Food & Wine, mentioned above, the shrimp are seasoned with parsley and basil and served with bread.

Browse more scampi recipes and more shrimp recipes.

Shrimp Scampi Tips

Easy and delicious are the operatives in today's kitchen and shrimp scampi is one of those dishes that delivers it all. Because this dish is put together so quickly, it's imperative that you have all of your ingredients ready to go. In order to get the most from this dish, here are a few tips to make the perfect shrimp scampi.
  • Read through the whole recipe, so you have a basic idea of the ingredients and procedure. Once you get rolling, you don't want to have to stop in the middle of sauteing your shrimp to see when you should start cooking the pasta.
  • Use the freshest shrimp you can find (shrimp that were frozen while very fresh are fine) and be sure to remove the vein to eliminate the possibility of biting into any sandy bits.
  • When shopping, check the garlic to make sure it's not sprouting or spongy -- you want nice plump, juicy cloves.
  • Try to use the pasta type called for in the recipe since pasta shapes are designed for particular dishes. For this recipe, purchase a high-quality angel-hair pasta that's made with durum wheat semolina such as Barilla, De Cecco or Delverde to give you the right texture. And don't overcook your pasta. Al dente means cooked "to the tooth" and will give you a pasta that offers a slight resistance when bitten into, but is not soft.
  • Be sure to add enough salt to your pot of boiling water. The basic proportion suggested is 1 to 2 tablespoons of salt for every 4 quarts of water.
  • And use your basic sense when reading your recipe to prep ingredients. For instance, when I read through the basic shrimp scampi recipe I see that I will be tossing the cooked pasta with the shrimp mixture, parsley and lemon zest. So I know that I can combine my parsley and lemon zest in a little bowl and have it ready to go.

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