14 Great Ways to Make Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp Scampi with Pasta
Photo: naples34102

Shrimp scampi, it's the dish so nice, they named it twice. Well, sort of. The word "scampi" is Italian for the meaty tail portion of a prawn. Specifically, the large Dublin Bay prawn, a.k.a., lobsterette, or langoustine if you prefer. They're not exactly what we'd call shrimpy.

Okay, so more than anything the term "shrimp scampi" is like saying "shrimp done in the style of prawns." In other words, with yummy garlic butter.

At its most basic, shrimp scampi is shrimp bathed in garlicky butter and blasted under the broiler. So easy, so perfect. No wonder it's a go-to recipe for busy weeknight meals. And yet, as with most things, there's room for a little tinkering. And here, we've gathered some simple, 5-star takes on the simple shrimp scampi theme. These are 14 ways to make shrimp scampi the perfect weeknight meal.

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1. Start with the Basics

Sexy Shrimp Scampi
Soup Loving Nicole

Shrimp, butter, olive oil, and garlic hit the oven. Deliciousness ensues. "Loved, loved, loved this," raves naples34102. "The seasonings are classic and perfect but it was the cooking method that particularly impressed me. I generally prepare shrimp this way in a skillet on the stove top, but this was just too easy!" Ready in 45 minutes.

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2. Add Wine and Shallots...and Maybe Mushrooms

Shrimp Scampi with Pasta
naples34102

"I like to use shrimp and scallops together in this recipe," says jrdog. "It turns out great every time I make it." Some cooks have sautéed mushrooms along with the shallots and garlic. They were not disappointed. Ready in 40 minutes.

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3. Do It with Dijon

Shrimp Scampi Bake
Photo by LatinaCook.

Dijon mustard adds serious zing, zang, zip to an easy shrimp scampi recipe. You'll make a quick pansauce with butter, Dijon mustard, garlic, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, and parsley. Pour the sauce over shrimp and bake until the shrimp are a pretty pink. So easy, and it's ready in 45 minutes.

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4. Toss Your Scampi on the Grill

Grilled Shrimp Scampi
Photo by LynnInHK.

This healthy shrimp scampi recipe does away with the butter. But adds olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and parsley. It's a light shrimp scampi that you'll finish on the grill. It's a method that also works great with scallops. Ready in 35 minutes.

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5. Add Spinach to Your Scampi

My Special Shrimp Scampi Florentine
Photo by *Sherri*.

This recipe is done in the style of Florence. Typically, that means "spinach." And here it also means pesto and tomatoes. This also qualifies as a healthy shrimp scampi recipe if you drop the butter and go with healthy olive oil. Ready in 40 minutes.

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6. Dredge 'em and Fry

Shrimp Scampi ala Norelllaura
Photo by naples34102.

Shrimp are dredged in a little flour and quickly fried in olive oil with garlic, red bell pepper, and diced tomato. Finish your scampi with a white wine and butter sauce. "Great!" raves This Tim. "The sauce turns out thick and almost creamy, not too spicy at all." Ready in 50 minutes.

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7. Bring Some Heat

Baked Shrimp Scampi
Photo by naples34102.

This baked shrimp scampi gets it done with cayenne pepper...and Italian bread crumbs. "We like it spicy and garlicky," says WannaBACook. "But you can vary the amounts of cayenne and garlic to suit your taste." Ready in 35 minutes.

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8. Serve Over Veggie Noodles

Zucchini Noodle Shrimp Scampi
Photo by Ron n Amy Dorr.

Replace pasta noodles with zucchini noodles for a low-carb approach to serving shrimp scampi. You can spiralize the noodles yourself or use convenient pre-cut packaged zoodles from the produce section. This is ready in about 45 minutes -- probably a bit faster if you use pre-cut zoodles.

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9. Go Rogue with a Surprising Combo

Shrimp Scampi Cheesecake Appetizer
Photo by Deb C.

Don't let the recipe title scare you away from trying this tasty appetizer made of shrimp scampi baked with a savory cream cheese filling inside a puff pastry shell. Reviewers suggest using prebaked phyllo cups instead, and say that they're a hit.

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10. Do It in One Pot...with Orzo

One-Pot Shrimp Scampi Orzo
Photo by Bren.

This simple shrimp recipe is "a different take on classic shrimp scampi," says Bren. "It's cooked in one pot and is ready in under 45 minutes. Serve with a side salad, if desired."

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11. Go Hawaiian!

Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp Scampi
Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp Scampi | Photo by Chef John.

Add extra garlic and serve over rice with fresh lemon wedges. "If you're a garlic lover, you're going to want to pull out your bucket list and add this recipe to it," says Chef John. "I absolutely love this, and I think you will too."

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12. Add Bacon!

Bacon Shrimp Scampi
Bacon Shrimp Scampi | Photo by Bibi.

Shrimp, butter, garlic, white wine, a touch of Dijon, plus crispy crumbled bacon! "All the 'usual suspects' are here in this version of shrimp scampi, plus the addition of bacon!" says Bibi. "Serve over cooked fettuccine, linguini, or the pasta of choice, and crusty bread, so you can scoop up every drop of the yummy sauce! A green salad, or some sauteed zucchini, will fill out this meal beautifully."

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13. Replace Shrimp with Tilapia

Tilapia Scampi
Photo by naples34102.

A no-shrimp version of scampi. "Since tilapia is usually cheaper than shrimp, I concocted this easy recipe to enjoy the flavor of scampi at the price of tilapia," says JasnsWif. It's ready in 55 minutes.

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14. Replace the Seafood Entirely...Add Chicken

Restaurant-Style Chicken Scampi
Photo by fabeverydayblog.

And finally, a scampi that steps completely outside the seafood family...and adds chicken. How's that work out? "Excellent recipe. Easy to prepare and lots of praise at the dinner table," says MRHANDS00.

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