This post may contain affiliate links, which are always marked with *. Please read my disclosure for more information.
Make Shrimp Scampi without wine in just 10 minutes for a flavor packed appetizer or meal. Your kitchen will smell so amazing with all those garlic, lemon, chili and parsley flavors mixed together.
Jump to:
Shrimp Scampi is one of those dishes I just can't get enough off. And this Shrimp Scampi recipe without wine is no exception - I found myself testing this recipe over, and over, and over agin... just because I wanted an excuse to make it again...
If you try it, and like it - then you have to check out my Buffalo Shrimp recipe as well. Similar, but different!
Why you will love this recipe
- It's quick and all done in 10 minutes
- Flavor packed with garlic, chili, paprika, parsley & lemon
- Incredible taste - you will never want to stop eating!
- Made without alcohol so everyone can eat it
- Versatile and delicious served as an appetizer or with pasta for a Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta
What you need to make it
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Jumbo shrimp: For best results use raw shrimp - but pre-cooked shrimp works as well. You can shell them first, or cook them with the shell on.
- Other sizes of shrimp can also be used
- Fresh lemon juice is required - bottled will not be good enough!
- Adjust the amount of chili flakes depending on how spicy you like it, and how spicy your chili flakes are. My chili flakes are quite spicy and the recipe as written comes out with just a slight kick.
- Chicken stock should be extra concentrated, keep this in mind if opting for homemade chicken stock instead. You can add more and simmer longer to reduce the sauce.
- Chicken broth can be swapped for shrimp or fish broth as well
Can I cook shrimp with the shells on?
Yes, you can absolutely leave the shells on. While this makes it more messy to eat, the shells add extra flavor and help protect the shrimp from overcooking.
If cooking with the shells on, I still recommend to remove the head, devein the shrimp, and clean them, before cooking.
How to make Shrimp Scampi without Wine
- Sauté garlic in butter & olive oil
- Add chicken stock
- Add the spices: paprika powder, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper
- Simmer to thicken
- Add shrimp
- Cook on both sides until pink
- Add lemon juice
- Mix in parsley, and serve!
Tips & tricks
- If using pre-cooked shrimp just allow them to heat up in the sauce, if you cook them longer they will turn out rubbery
- Don't overcook the shrimp - when they're pink on both sides, turn off the heat immediately!
- This dish is best eaten straight away but leftovers are fine to store as well
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days
- Reheat leftovers stove top with an extra dash of chicken stock
- Freeze shrimp with the sauce for up to 1 month. Thaw gently overnight before heating!
Recipe FAQ
The best way to substitute white wine in shrimp scampi is with a combination of chicken stock and something acidic. In this recipe I use lemon juice, but you can also use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar for acidity.
To thicken shrimp scampi sauce you need to simmer it until reduced in volume. This way you get all that flavor concentrated in a smaller, thicker, amount of sauce.
When shrimp is cooked through it's pink on the outside, and white and opaque on the inside.
What is Shrimp Scampi best served with?
Here are my favorite options for serving with Shrimp Scampi:
- Bread, as it is or some version of garlic bread
- Al dente pasta
- Risotto
- Zucchini noodles
- A side of creamy rice
- A nice, green, side salad
More quick & easy appetizers
Looking for more quick & easy appetizers?
- Smoked Salmon Pâté
- Bacon Wrapped Dates (Devils on Horseback)
- The Best Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip
Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.
Recipe
Shrimp Scampi without Wine
Print RateIngredients
- ½ lb jumbo shrimp shells and tails on or off
- ½ cup boiling water
- ¼ chicken stock cube
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon fine table salt
- ¼ teaspoon paprika powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes or more or less, according to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
To serve as an appetizer
- 2 slices bread
To serve as a main course
- 2 servings cooked spaghetti, linguine or angel hair pasta
- ¼ cup pasta cooking water
Instructions
- Dissolve the chicken stock cube in the boiling water and set aside for now.½ cup boiling water, ¼ chicken stock cube
- Heat butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.2 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoon olive oil
- When the butter is melted, add minced garlic. Sauté 1 minute without the garlic browning, lower the heat if necessary.2 garlic cloves
- Add the chicken stock, salt, paprika powder, chili flakes and black pepper. Simmer 2 minutes until thickened.¼ teaspoon paprika powder, ¼ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon fine table salt
- Add the shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes, until the bottom of the shrimp is pink, then flip them and cook until the other side is pink as well, this will take about 1 minute.½ lb jumbo shrimp
- Turn off the heat and mix in lemon juice and parsley. Mix well!1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice, ¼ cup chopped parsley
To serve as an appetizer
- Serve in the pan together with a slice of bread for mopping up that delicious sauce from the bottom of the pan.2 slices bread
To serve as a main course
- Drain pasta and reserve some of the pasta cooking water. Add to the shrimp scampi, mix well, and simmer 1 minute, then serve.2 servings cooked spaghetti, linguine or angel hair pasta, ¼ cup pasta cooking water
Equipment needed for this recipe
- Measuring cups (metric or US)*
Video
Notes
- Chicken stock can be swapped for shrimp or fish stock as well
- If using pre-cooked shrimp just allow them to heat up in the sauce
- Shrimp is cooked through when it's pink on the outside, and white and opaque on the inside.
- This dish is best eaten straight away but leftovers are fine to store as well
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days
- Reheat leftovers stove top with an extra dash of chicken stock
- Freeze shrimp with the sauce for up to 1 month. Thaw gently overnight before heating!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
Pheebs
Absolutely delicious!!! Has a bit of a new Orleans kick to it. I x4 the recipe and didn't have fresh garlic so used almost 2 tsp of garlic powder. Also didn't have fresh lemons but almost always have lemon juice so I used that. This is so fast and easy to whip up and my whole family loved it. I had to print the recipe so I can have it on hand another time 🙂