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Lightened Up Shrimp Scampi

This Lightened Up Shrimp Scampi is a simple pasta dish packed with shrimp and simmered in a lip smacking garlic butter sauce then served over pasta. A restaurant worthy pasta dish that takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish to make!

Makes 6 servings

This simple Shrimp Scampi recipe is perfect for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, or any day of the week. 

That’s right, serve an Italian-American Christmas feast by making this Lightened Up Shrimp Scampi. This dish will satisfy your hunger for Italian food and it’s sure to be devoured by your entire family! 

What is Shrimp Scampi?

Shrimp scampi pasta is made by sautéing shrimp in a garlic, butter, and wine sauce. It’s commonly served over rice or pasta.

In Italian, scampi refers to a type of lobster. In the U.S., however, “scampi” is also a preparation method. You often hear of “shrimp scampi,” which simply means that the shrimp is cooked with a butter/garlic sauce. 

Italian-American cooks began making this dish with shrimp instead of langostines (a type of lobster), but they kept the scampi name, thus creating “shrimp scampi.”

What ingredients do I need to make this Lightened Up Shrimp Scampi?

  • Linguine or angel hair pasta- you can use whole grain linguine, if desired. You could also use Banza linguine made with chickpeas, or gluten-free linguine.
  • Light butter-I use Land O’Lakes light butter made with canola oil
  • Extra virgin olive oil-divided 
  • Garlic- minced
  • Shrimp-  raw, peeled and deveined. I like to use X-Large shrimp or colossal shrimp.
  • Kosher salt and pepper -to taste
  • White Cooking Wine
  • Lemon juice- from 1 large lemon
  • Fresh parsley– finely chopped

How do I make this Lightened Up Shrimp Scampi?

Cook the linguine to al dente, according to the package instructions. 

Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water and then drain pasta. Set aside. 

In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the light butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.

Add the garlic, and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the shrimp and season with salt and pepper. 

Cook on each side for 1 to 2 minutes, until just turning opaque and pink. Add the wine and bring to a simmer. 

Simmer for about 3 minutes, or until the wine reduces by about half and the shrimp is cooked through.

Remove the shrimp from skillet and set aside.

Stir in the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, and reserved pasta water into skillet. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat immediately, and toss with the cooked linguine.

Serve warm topped with the shrimp and garnish with extra fresh chopped parsley.

Ingredients: 

  • 12 oz. linguine, angel hair, or whole grain linguine
  • 3 Tbsp light butter
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided 
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 lb. shrimp, raw, peeled, and deveined. I like to use X-Large shrimp or colossal shrimp.
  • Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
  • ¼ cup white cooking wine
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice, from 1 large lemon
  • Fresh parsley, finely chopped

Directions: 

  1. Cook the linguine to al dente, according to the package instructions.  Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water and then drain pasta. Set aside. 
  2. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the light butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.
  3. Add the garlic, and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  4. Add the shrimp and season with salt and pepper. 
  5. Cook on each side for 1 to 2 minutes, until just turning opaque and pink. Add the white cooking wine and bring to a simmer. 
  6. Simmer for about 3 minutes, or until the wine reduces by about half and the shrimp is cooked through. Remove the shrimp from skillet and set aside.
  7. Stir in the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, and reserved pasta water into skillet. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
  8. Remove from the heat immediately, and toss with the cooked linguine.
  9. Serve warm topped with the shrimp and garnish with extra fresh chopped parsley.

Make 6 ( 1 and 1/4 cup) servings

How do I know how many Weight Watchers points this is?

Click the link below to go to the WW recipe builder. You’ll first need to sign into your WW account and then the recipe builder will upload.  The recipe builder is the most accurate way to create, obtain, and track the Weight Watchers Points.

The recipe builder link only works for WW members located in the United States. If you are located outside of the United States, you’ll need to access the WW app manually to create the recipe in the recipe builder. 

Yield: 6

Lightened Up Shrimp Scampi

Lightened Up Shrimp Scampi

This Lightened Up Shrimp Scampi is a simple pasta dish packed with shrimp and simmered in a lip smacking garlic butter sauce then served over pasta. A restaurant worthy pasta dish that takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish to make!

Author: thepounddropper.com

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 5 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 12 oz. dry linguine, angel hair, or whole grain linguine
  • 3 Tbsp light butter
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided 
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 lb. shrimp, raw, peeled, and deveined. I like to use X-Large shrimp or colossal shrimp.
  • Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
  • ¼ cup white cooking wine
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice, from 1 large lemon
  • Fresh parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

    1. Cook the linguine to al dente, according to the package instructions.  Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water and then drain pasta. Set aside. 
    2. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the light butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.
    3. Add the garlic, and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
    4. Add the shrimp and season with salt and pepper. 
    5. Cook on each side for 1 to 2 minutes, until just turning opaque and pink. Add the white cooking wine and bring to a simmer. 
    6. Simmer for about 3 minutes, or until the wine reduces by about half and the shrimp is cooked through. Remove the shrimp from skillet and set aside.
    7. Stir in the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, and reserved pasta water into skillet. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
    8. Remove from the heat immediately, and toss with the cooked linguine.
    9. Serve warm topped with the shrimp and garnish with extra fresh chopped parsley.

    Makes 6 ( 1 and 1/4 cup ) servings

    8 WW points per serving

Notes

Smartpoints: GREEN/BLUE/: 8 smartpoints per serving PURPLE: 4 smartpoints per serving if using whole grain pasta

  • Store leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge for 5-7 days.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 344Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 850mgCarbohydrates: 48gNet Carbohydrates: 45gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 19g

Kim

Sunday 12th of February 2023

Added the extra garlic as mentioned in Tammy’s review. It was awesome! It was quick to make. The flavor and taste was great especially if you like garlic! A definite do-over at my house

Tammy

Friday 13th of January 2023

We loved this dish. Only thing I would change next time is add more garlic. It's very good as is though. Definitely worth trying. It was a quick dish to throw together.

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