This Easy Red Lobster Copycat Garlic Shrimp Scampi is a quick and easy recipe that provides step-by-step instructions on how to make restaurant-quality garlic butter sauce with succulent shrimp, white wine, and parmesan cheese.
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This post was originally published in 2018. It has since been updated.
I used to love dining out at Red Lobster. Today, I STILL love those cheddar bay biscuits. You seriously can't shame me into disliking those!
Another favorite of mine from those days was their Garlic Shrimp Scampi. I always seemed to pair it with every dish I ordered. It's prepared with juicy shrimp and a garlicy sauce. YES, please!
Table of Contents
What Type of Shrimp to Use
Shrimp can be found at the grocery store in a few different ways. There is raw, pre-cooked, raw and frozen, deveined, tails on, tails off, etc.
I never use pre-cooked shrimp. There is an obvious difference in taste due to the lack of quality. The shrimp is cooked and then frozen and you have to cook it/warm it up again. This usually overcooks the shrimp. Raw shrimp only takes minutes to make, just buy it raw.
Always look for deveined, that's my preference. The black vein that runs along the back of the shrimp is the digestive intestinal tract. Is this shrimp poop, yes.
You can buy it with the vein and remove it using a sharp paring knife to make a slit along the back and lift out the vein with the tip of the knife.
Check out tips on How to Peel and Devein Shrimp here.
Buy large shrimp. No one likes those baby shrimp and they are harder to cook with.
How to Thaw Frozen Shrimp
Place the frozen shrimp in a large bowl of cold water. The shrimp will thaw within minutes and will be ready to peel.
What's in Shrimp Scampi Sauce?
The key components to a shrimp scampi sauce are
- Butter
- White Wine
- Garlic
What Type of Wine to Use
I recommend dry, white wine like a Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay.
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How to Make Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi
Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Add garlic to a skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add white wine, fresh lemon juice, Italian Seasoning, and optional red pepper flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes. The wine sauce will start to bubble.
- Add the butter to the skillet. Allow it melt.
How to Substitute Wine and Make the Dish Without Wine
Yes, instead of using wine you can use equal parts of chicken or vegetable broth.
Do You Keep the Tails on the Shrimp?
This is completely up to you and is a matter of preference. Often the tails are left on for presentation purposes only. The shrimp simply looks nicer and will have a nice curve to it when the tails are left on.
Leaving the tail on is often inconvenient when it comes to devouring the meal! It’s your call.
Calories in the Dish
Red Lobster Garlic Shrimp Scampi has 240 calories, 18 grams of fat, 4 net carbs, and 17 grams of protein. The macros are very comparable to the macros within this recipe.
What to Pair with Scampi
- Zucchini Noodles
- Roasted Ranch Potatoes
- Ranch Mashed Potatoes
- Cauliflower Mash
- Southern Fried Cabbage
- Okra and Tomatoes
- Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken
More Shrimp Recipes
Keto Shrimp Alfredo
Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Seafood Lasagna
Shrimp Egg Rollls
Seafood and Shrimp Chili
Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp
Grilled Shrimp Skewers
Jerk Shrimp Recipe
Shrimp and Crab Quiche
Shrimp Parmesan (Parmigiana)
More Copycat Recipes
Taco Bell Breakfast Crunchwrap
Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich
Red Lobster CopyCat Shrimp Scampi
Instant Pot Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup
Keto Low Carb Zuppa Toscana Soup
Panera Autumn Squash Soup
Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Big Mac Casserole
Easy Red Lobster Copycat Garlic Shrimp Scampi
Want to save this recipe for later?
I'll email it to you, so you can come back to it later! You will also get our free digital cookbook with 30-Minute One-Pot Recipes and weekly recipes and tips.
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw shrimp Peeled and deveined
- 1 teaspoon Seafood Seasoning See notes.
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup white wine I use Pinot Grigio.
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 3 tablespoons butter Softened.
- ¼ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- finely chopped parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Season the shrimp with the seafood seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat a skillet on medium-high heat.
- Add the olive oil to the skillet with the shrimp.
- Cook both sides of the shrimp for a total of 3-4 minutes until the shrimp turns bright pink.
- Remove the shrimp from the skillet.
- Add the garlic to the skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the white wine, fresh lemon juice, Italian Seasoning, and optional red pepper flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes. The wine sauce will start to bubble.
- Lower the heat and cook for 2 additional minutes
- Add the butter to the skillet. Allow it melt.
- Add the shrimp back to the pan. Allow the dish to cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Serve with shredded Parmesan cheese and parsley.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Data
Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Lucy Parissi says
These shrimp look deliciously colourful and pink. Sometimes it's great to re-create restaurant favourites at home and you've pulled this one off to perfection.
Linda says
I love making shrimp scampi and I like the fact that you made it a little less caloric so I can have it more often. 🙂 I love to serve this over a gluten-free pasta with a side salad for the perfect light dinner.
Jane Saunders says
These shrimp look so appetising. I can't decide if it's the colour or the thought of that buttery, wine-based sauce that is pulling me in.
Carrie says
Res lobster actually has two different shrimp scampi recipes. When they have their Endless Shrimp they offer both. One is an Italian style with parmesan cheese such as the recipe that you have here. The other however is straight up shrimp scampi and the original recipe is butter, garlic white wine and kosher salt sprinkle in a little parsley at the end and that's it.
Linda says
Made these tonight. Followed ingredients and instructions to a T. They were excellent!!
staysnatched says
Awesome! Thanks for trying the recipe.
Sara Sprecher says
Unfortunately, this wasn't a hit for us. The wine was overpowering & the shrimp were tough. I used a lovely Pinot Grigio but the amount was just too much. I think it would have been better if it was a combination of wine & chicken broth.
staysnatched says
Sorry you didn’t enjoy it. The wine flavor is what I enjoy most about the recipe.
Donna Maddox says
Can cooked shrimp be used in this recipe? How?
staysnatched says
Sure, if you want.
Erika says
This was delicious! I didn’t use the white wine and used all chicken broth instead. The shrimp were cooked perfectly and the sauce was so flavorful. I served it with steamed broccoli and mashed potatoes. Thank you for another wonderful recipe, Brandi!
staysnatched says
This sounds so good!
Tanya says
This was soooo good!!! The sauce...the wine made it so flavorful. Loved it. This will now be my go to.
staysnatched says
YES! That's my favorite thing about it.
Sabrina Boucher says
I love red lobster but since the pandemic we have not been eating out so I was so happy to find a recipe that truly does taste like the real thing.
staysnatched says
Wonderful! I love a good copycat recipe!
Tania says
This recipe is amazing! I was especially thankful for the guidance on substituting broth for the wine as I didn’t have any wine on hand. The recipe is clearly written and the shrimp turned out exactly as I’d hoped! Flavorful and seasoned to perfection. Definitely one that will be in the regular rotation for my family. Thanks, Brandi!
staysnatched says
You're welcome. I'm glad you found the substitution helpful.
Amanda G. says
Hi Brandi! I made this tonight and added your air fried broccoli to it, and served it over brown rice. It was nice and light, yet flavorful! My mom is trying to eat healthier so I made this for us and she very much enjoyed it too.
staysnatched says
That sounds like an amazing pairing!
Sateria says
You always have the easiest most flavorful recipes! This did not disappoint! I served it with some fettuccine alfredo! Definitely adding this to the rotation! 😋😋😋
staysnatched says
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed this.
Nicole says
A delicious and easy copy-cat dish. Just added it to my own pasta recipe. The best thing about Brandi's recipes (besides how easy and delicious they are) is that she always adds very useful cooking knowledge and truths to her posts, DON'T skip over those, they're gold! Another amazing recipe by the queen herself.
staysnatched says
Thank you for sharing that! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Laura says
This is my go to quick and easy meal recipe. So delicious-the whole family loves it!
staysnatched says
Glad to hear the family loves it.
Robin says
The best shrimp scampi on the web! Tasty and full of flavor. Your video's are the best! Thank you again.
staysnatched says
Yay! Thank you so much for that.
Ann says
These were super delicious! I needed a quick shrimp recipe for Christmas dinner. This recipe was not only easy but full of flavor. Good thing I tasted them while cooking because they disappeared very quickly!!!
staysnatched says
Yay! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Marisa says
Amazing. Made this last night for a couple people. Everyone loved it! Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm glad everyone loved it.
Kristin says
I was so excited to come across this recipe because Red Lobster's Garlic Shrimp Scampi is my all time favorite. Quick, easy, and full of flavor, just like the original!
staysnatched says
I'm glad to hear it's like the original.
Katie B. says
So much flavor. Put it over gluten free noodles, and that was entirely unnecessary and overkill. The shrimp stands alone. Such an easy recipe. Will be adding to the quick weeknight meal rotation.
staysnatched says
So glad to hear it!