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    Home » Recipes » Fish and Seafood

    Easy Baked Shrimp Scampi

    Published: Dec 3, 2017 · Modified: Jan 17, 2023 by Sally Cameron · This post may contain affiliate links · 7 Comments

    301 shares
    Baked shrimp scampi in a white casserole dish with parsley and lemon.
    ↓ Jump to Recipe

    Baked shrimp scampi is a dish I’ve made forever—it’s easy, delicious, and has a fun twist! Tender shrimp bake in a lemon garlic butter sauce with white wine. Instead of traditional breadcrumbs, I’ve topped it with crunchy almonds and fresh parsley. A splash of Amaretto (optional) adds subtle depth, complementing the buttery richness. This recipe is quick enough for a weeknight yet elegant for a dinner party. In just 30 minutes, you'll have a foolproof, flavor-packed dish that makes its own luscious sauce

    Baked shrimp scampi in a white casserole dish with parsley and lemon.

    Lemony buttery baked shrimp scampi is one of my go-to shrimp recipes. After a short marinade at room temperature, bake for about 10 minutes and you've got a terrific shrimp dinner with built-in buttery sauce. Super easy!

    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Like This Recipe
    • Recipe Ingredients
    • Substitutions and Variations
    • Recipe Instructions
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Tips for Buying Shrimp
    • Recipe FAQs
    • More Shrimp Recipes
    • ⭐️Did you Make This Recipe?
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why You'll Like This Recipe

    • A easy recipe and fast to make.
    • Tastes like a dish a restaurant would serve.
    • Good for busy weeknights and entertaining too for rave reviews.
    • Marinate shrimp for 20 minutes and bake for 10.

    For another easy shrimp recipe, try Italian-style spicy Shrimp Fra Diavolo.

    Recipe Ingredients

    Ingredients for shrimp scampi in bowls as prep work.
    • Shrimp: Look for wild shrimp versus farmed (see tips below), either thawed at the seafood counter or frozen to thaw ahead of time. Different sizes work, smaller ones bake faster. Go with 13-15, 16-20, or 21-25 size. This refers to the average number of shrimp per pound.
    • Butter: Use unsalted butter so you control the salt levels. If dairy sensitive, ghee works too, or use a plant butter.
    • Wine: Dry white wine, such as sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, or chardonnay, use the little airline size bottles instead of opening a big bottle.
    • Almonds: Slivered almonds or sliced almonds.
    • Oil: Extra virgin olive oil, along with the butter for terrific rich flavor.
    • Amaretto liqueur: This is optional but it adds such nice flavor and complements the almonds. It makes it a little different and special than regular shrimp scampi.
    • Lemon: For the bright acidity and wonderful flavor, fresh lemon juice. Save the lemon zest for garnish or freeze for other recipes.
    • Garlic: Fresh cloves are best, but a tube of paste or puree works well too.
    • Fresh herbs: Use fresh parsley for garden flavor and color.

    Please see recipe card for measurements.

    Chef's Tip: When choosing the best shrimp for baked shrimp scampi, use either fresh or frozen shrimp. If shrimp are frozen, thaw overnight in a sealed plastic bag or a covered flat baking dish. To quick-thaw frozen shrimp in a hurry, seal frozen shrimp in a plastic bag and press out the air. Place the bag in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. Depending on the size, shrimp should thaw in an hour or less. Shrimp are highly perishable, so cook them within 24 hours of purchase or thawing.

    Substitutions and Variations

    • Instead of the Amaretto make it a white wine sauce with all wine.
    • If you don't like almonds, leave them out.
    • If omitting the Amaretto, use ¼-1/2 teaspoon of almond extract to replace the almond flavor.
    • For shrimp scampi without wine, try unsalted vegetable broth or ver jus (unfermented pressed grape juice).
    • Want a little savory finish? Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Italian cooks would never do this but it's good!

    Chef's Tip: No need to buy a big bottle for a small amount of wine, spirits, or liqueurs to cook with. Buy the little airline size at the grocery or liquor store. 

    Recipe Instructions

    If you are serving baked shrimp scampi with pasta, get your pasta water started, adding a couple teaspoons salt.

    Step 1: Make the marinade

    Melt the butter then stir in lemon juice, white wine, olive oil, almonds, garlic and parsley to create a savory marinade for shrimp. Adding almond flavored Amaretto liqueur is a flavorful option if you like to cook with spirits.

    Raw shrimp on a Raw shrimp on a baking tray after cleaninbg.

    Step 2: Clean and devein the shrimp

    With your fingers, peel off the shell and legs leaving the last tail segment intact. With a sharp paring knife, gently slice along the curved back of the shrimp. Remove any veins (its the digestive tract) by rinsing under cool water. Set cleaned shrimp aside on paper towels to dry.

    Raw shrimp marinating in a white casserole dish before baking, with almonds and herbs.

    Step 3: Marinate the shrimp, then bake

    Arrange the shrimp in a single layer in a baking dish or casserole dish and pour the butter mixture over the top. Allow the shrimp to marinate for 20-30 minutes. Pre-heat the oven to 400°F while you are waiting. Cooking times depends on the size of the shrimp. Bake until shrimp turn pink, about 10 minutes.

    If you have really large jumbo shrimp you may need to turn them while baking so sides are evenly baked, another minute or two.

    Serving Suggestions

    Toss a green salad with easy homemade Italian dressing while shrimp are baking. Serve baked shrimp scampi over rice, angel hair pasta or spaghetti noodles (regular or gluten-free), zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, or even spaghetti squash noodles.

    Try this cauliflower rice with parmesan and herbs. It's a great option with this easy shrimp scampi recipe. Spoon the sauce over each dish before serving.

    • Give the top a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for a kick or black pepper.
    • Serve with a lemon wedge for more lemon flavor.
    • Add a little more chopped parsley for the color.
    • Garlic bread or garlic toast is another nice addition.

    Need a little dessert for company? Something lemony is just the answer. Try this homemade lemon ice cream, or a lemon olive oil cake.

    Tips for Buying Shrimp

    If time is short, purchase cleaned and deveined shrimp. For more information on buying shrimp, check out this Sustainable Shrimp Guide from Seafood Watch.

    Choose wild shrimp with the shell on and clean them yourself for the best flavor and texture. Read this article about farmed shrimp and you will know why I only buy wild.

    Lemony shrimp scampi served over zucchini noodles in a bowl.

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I make baked shrimp scampi ahead of time?

    Shrimp scampi is not a dish you can make ahead of time, but it is so easy you don't have to. To save time, be sure your shrimp are cleaned and ready to go, and make the marinade. With your prep work done, the dish goes quickly as shrimp bakes fast, in about 10 minutes. No time to marinate the shrimp? Skip it and just bake. It's still terrific. Have it ready in about 10 minutes.

    Do I need to devein the shrimp?

    It is best to devein shrimp as it removes the digestive tract, which can be gritty (black) or gooey (orange). There are two ways to devein shrimp. One is to expose the back up by gently slicing along the curved back with a paring knife just enough to remove the vein and pull it out. The second way is insert a tooth pick at the second joint from the tail end a little way into the shrimp flesh and lift. This partially pulls out the vein, which you can completely pull out.

    How do I know when the shrimp are cooked

    Shrimp tell you when they are done by their color and texture change. They turn from translucent gray or blue to an opaque white and pink. When done, shrimp will be firm but not hard. Don't over cook them. They cook quickly so keep and eye on them. If they are very large shrimp, you may need to turn them over once while cooking so they are pink on both sides and evenly cooked.

    More Shrimp Recipes

    Shrimp is easy to cook in a variety of ways, no wonder it's the best-selling seafood in America. Try some of these additional shrimp recipes. If you are grilling shrimp, here are 25 terrific side dishes for serving with grilled shrimp.

    • grilled shrimp and avocado bowls
      Grilled Shrimp Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
    • spicy grilled shrimp tacos
      Grilled Baja Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Sauce
    • shrimp fra diavolo
      Spicy Shrimp Fra Diavolo
    • Thai shrimp soup
      Tom Yum Thai Soup With Shrimp

    ⭐️Did you Make This Recipe?

    If you make this recipe, please comment, and let me know, I enjoy hearing from you. If you loved it, please give it a 5 star rating! They really help other readers.

    📖 Recipe

    baked lemon shrimp scampi

    Lemon Garlic Shrimp Scampi

    Sally Cameron
    This dish is easy enough for any cook and elegant enough for company. Serve over lemon-herbed rice, zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash or pasta. Meyer lemons work great if you can find them. If not, regular lemons are fine. 
    5 from 2 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Marinate time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine American, Italian
    Servings 4
    Calories 400 kcal

    Equipment

    • Large flat baking dish or casserole

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 ½ pounds large shrimp peeled and deveined
    • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter ghee or plant-based butter
    • ½ cup dry white wine
    • ⅓ cup slivered almonds or sliced almonds
    • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 2-3 tablespoons Amaretto liqueur optional
    • 1 large lemon juiced
    • 2 large garlic cloves chopped fine
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt to taste
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 1 tablespoons fresh chopped Italian parsley plus extra for garnish if desired

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    Instructions
     

    Prep shrimp

    • Peel and devein shrimp if not already done. Peel off legs and shell sections up to the tail, leaving the tail section on. It makes for nice presentation and a little handle. On the outward curved side of the shrimp, cut a shallow slit with a sharp paring knife and gently rinse any debris with cold water. Dry shrimp on paper towels. 

    Make marinade

    • Melt butter in a large glass microwave-proof measuring cup, then stir in wine, almonds, olive oil, liqueur (if using), lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and parsley. Arrange shrimp in a single, flat layer in a large glass or ceramic  baking dish. Pour butter mixture over the top of the shrimp. Marinate shrimp for 20-30 minutes at room temperature.

    Bake shrimp

    • Pre-heat oven to 400°F degrees. Place the shrimp in the oven and bake just until shrimp turn pink, about 10 minutes, depending on the shrimp size and your oven. 
      Note - If you're using big jumbo shrimp, you may need to turn them once half way through for even baking.
    • Remove shrimp from the oven. Serve over rice, pasta noodles, or zucchini noodles with the sauce spooned over the top. Sprinkle with more fresh chopped parsley if desired.

    Notes

    For white wine and Amaretto, buy the airline sized bottles instead of big bottles.

    Substitutions and Variations

      • Try a splash of cognac instead of the amaretto or simply use all white wine.
      • If you don't like almonds, leave them out and skip the amaretto.
      • If omitting the amaretto, use ¼-1/2 teaspoon of almond extract to replace the almond flavor.
      • For no scampi without wine, try unsalted vegetable broth or ver jus (unfermented pressed grape juice).
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 400kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 26gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 237mgSodium: 1114mgPotassium: 340mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 744IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 134mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was with a comment and leave a star rating!

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    301 shares

    Comments

    1. Lisa L says

      December 11, 2022 at 4:37 pm

      5 stars
      I have made this several times. It’s a great dish for company and easy to follow for a someone with basic skills, like me.

      Reply
      • Sally Cameron says

        December 14, 2022 at 3:24 pm

        Thanks for the comment Lisa and letting others know how easy it really is.

        Reply
    2. Lisa Foto says

      February 19, 2012 at 8:00 pm

      Hi Sally, The shrimp dish and the rice were delicious. I served it with just fresh sliced tomatoes and paired it with a Sauvignon Blanc too. My husband LOVED it. Thanks for the awesome recipes time and time again. I enjoy both your blog and photos of your food both here and on Facebook. Keep up the strong showing. We LOVE it!

      Reply
    3. Chef Sally says

      February 01, 2011 at 12:13 pm

      Hi Lisa. Thanks for the comment. I appreciate your feedback. Recipes will often say "through" instead of writing out a long list of ingredients. I've listed butter "through" almonds meaning everything listed between butter and almonds. Will make a note to add a basic rice recipe to the archives, then provide a link. Good suggestion and glad you and your boyfriend enjoyed it!

      Reply
    4. Lisa in Northern VA says

      January 18, 2011 at 7:28 am

      Dear Chef Sally,

      I am a novice cook - think "paint by the numbers" in the kitchen. This is a great dish. I would revise the directions. The only ingredients for the marinade that you mention are the butter and almonds. I realized after I set the shrimp to marinade that I didnt add the amaretto, garlic, wine, and oil, so I went back. I find it really helpful if the directions mention every ingredient, quantity (even water for the rice) and provide “how to” tips. Maybe even wine pairings? I made this for a special occasion with my boyfriend, pulled out the good china, and served mixed vegatables and a bottle of Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc. He was impressed. Thanks!

      Reply
    5. Stephanie Weaver says

      January 10, 2011 at 12:13 pm

      Sally,
      I LOVE Meyer Lemon. Do you think this would work with tempeh instead of shrimp? I might try renovating it and let you know. Great meeting you at Food Blogger Camp!
      Stephanie

      Reply
      • Chef Sally says

        January 10, 2011 at 12:56 pm

        Hi Stephane! Great to meet you too! I'm looking forward to checking out your blog. I'll bet it would work with tempeh and maybe regular firm tofu. You might try cooking it in a grill pan or searing it in a hot non-stick skillet. If you do renovate it, please let me know how it comes out. I can them make an additional note for readers wanting a vegetarian or vegan option. Thanks!

        Reply
    5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    Chef Sally Cameron of aFoodcentricLife.com in her kitchen.

    Welcome! I'm Sally, a professionally trained chef, former personal chef and caterer, lover of fresh healthy food, and sharing it with others.

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