Only twenty minutes stand between you and this Shrimp Scampi with Rocket and Angel Hair Spaghetti.
True story.
Here’s the thing…we all have the craving for delicious food on a Tuesday night but do we also have the time? The energy? Maybe. Maybe not.
Other than the time it takes to boil your pasta, this scampi takes just minutes and as an added bonus will perfume your house in the most glorious way. We’re talking butter, olive oil, lemon, scallions, garlic…need I say more? I would dab this stuff on my wrists and behind my ears if I could. The nose knows.
So once the garlic mixture becomes a bubbly bath, dump your fresh, cleaned and deveined shrimp into the pan and watch the color happen. They’re done cooking when they’ve turned from their slippery grey color to opaque with a pearly-sherbetlike color and a bright tail.
Please don’t do what I did the first time I made shrimp for Dom. We were dating…and I was new at the shrimp game. (I’m dying as I think about the look on his face as I delivered the plate to the table.) I served the baby shrimp on a beautiful bed of lettuce, raw. Dom, in his gentle way, said something to the effect of, “Ummm, babe, did you cook these?” “Oh no – I was supposed to cook them?” “Mm-hmmmmmm…let me help…”
We’ve come pretty far in the last thirty years. But hey – gotta give a girl an A for effort. Am I right?
Thankfully he knew what cooked shrimp looked like or who knows – it may have been our last date.
Once your spaghetti’s cooked, combine with the shrimp scampi, throw a little more chopped scallion over top, a sprinkling of Parmesan and a couple handfuls of rocket salad. I love the spicy taste of the arugula in this dish. It brightens up all the savory we’ve got going on here.
Enjoy the scampi, my friends!
And remember : Grey=Bad. Pink=Good.
Buon Appetito!
PrintShrimp Scampi with Rocket and Angel Hair Spaghetti
- Category: Dinner
Ingredients
- 3 T olive oil
- 3 T unsalted butter
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 T lemon zest
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 scallions, chopped (divided)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 lb. large fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 12 oz. angel hair spaghetti, cooked
- 1 green onion, chopped
- 2 handfuls rocket salad (arugula)
- Grated Parmesan
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-heat, melt the olive oil and butter.
- Add the garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, two chopped scallions and salt.
- Cook mixture for 3 minutes or until bubbly.
- Reduce heat to medium; add the shrimp, cook, stirring constantly for 5 minutes or just until they turn pink.
- Toss the shrimp scampi with pasta.
- Finish with more chopped scallion, rocket, Parmesan cheese and black pepper.
- Serve.
Ciao!
marcie says
What a gorgeous dish this is, Annie, and we love our shrimp around here! I love how quickly this comes together — it’s the perfect weeknight dinner!
Annie says
Thanks, Marcie! It is a perfect weeknight meal! 🙂
Renee @ Two in the Kitchen says
Oh Yum!! This is exactly the type of dish that I would order in an Italian REstaurant!! I would love to make it for myself at home!!
Annie says
Oh – you must! I think you’ll be surprised by how simple and delicious it is! Thanks, friend! 🙂
Danielle says
The shrimp story sounds like something I probably would have done on a first date with my husband haha! But on the bright side, this shrimp dish looks absolutely incredible! I love a good pasta dish!
Annie says
Hahaha! What I know is we’ve all been there in one way or another (at least I’m hoping I’m not alone! hahah) 😉 Thank you, friend!
mira says
Yeah, I love the story! Raw shrimp 🙂 Today’s recipe looks awesome! Perfect for a Tuesday! So fresh and delicious!
Annie says
Yeah! Raw shrimp! Thankfully my guy was blinded by love! hahahah! Thanks, dear! 🙂
deb@glutenfreefarina says
Beautiful photos as usual and a great story. I need to start thinking about those sweet Georgia shrimp that are so readily available to me a little more often. Thanks.
Annie says
I want them just for your description…sweet Georgia shrimp…that has a beautiful ring to it! Thanks, friend! 🙂
Andrea @ Cooking with Mamma C says
I made shrimp last night, but yours looks way better! This is my kind of dish, Annie. I love the story, and it’s a good reminder that we were all once beginners in the kitchen. Pinning. 🙂
Annie says
Oh – I doubt that! I guess it’s shrimp season… Thankfully I wasn’t writing my blog back then; it would have been a very short tenure! 😉
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
Well, Dom knew a good thing when he saw it and all the potential. My Honey and I just had our 46th anniversary Sunday — I was a child bride 😉 Your dish could be a poster!! I could look at that every day but then that wouldn’t be very satisfying. It seems simply delicious. We are having arugula tonight but on our homemade pizza. I am pinning your recipe and making it next week. I have to find some sushi grade shrimp 🙂
Annie says
Happy Anniversary, friend! You were a child bride! Okay – so I love the way you think…a poster of shrimp scampi – I say YES! But I know my hubby would much prefer a poster of your pizza! Thanks, doll! 🙂
Mir says
Nothing says love like raw food! Hey, you tried, and it’s an adorable story. Everyone makes mistakes like that at one time or another! And look how far you’ve come. This looks incredible.
Annie says
Hahahahah! Indeed! Thankfully he saw it that way! 😉 Mistakes in the kitchen are the name of my game! But it doesn’t stop me! Thanks, friend!
Kelly says
Haha I love that story, Annie! We’ve all definitely been there one time or another. You are a total rock star in the kitchen now – this shrimp scampi looks perfect! <3
Annie says
Awhhh! Thank you, friend! That means a lot coming from a rock star!! 🙂
Simone | My Blueberry Basket says
Hi, dear Annie! What a fantastic recipe, quick and mightily tasty! ? You deserve a triple A for this one alone, and that’s for the magnificence of this dish! 😉 Can’t wait to try it!
Love your story! ?
Big hugs!
Annie says
Hahahah! Triple A? I will take it! You’re so sweet, Simone! Thank you, my friend! xo
Simone | My Blueberry Basket says
I cooked your recipe last weekend! And it was simply amazing! Everyone loved it!!! Thanks so much, Annie! My husband Peter rigorously controlled what I was doing as he didn’t want me to change the recipe in any way! 😉 (He knows me quite well and he also knows that I love to experiment, but when cooking your recipe, he was very strict with me 😉 ) And he was so damned right because this recipe is so perfect! ?
He sends his dearest wishes, by the way!
Big hugs!
Annie says
Look at you making my day! 🙂 I thank you and Peter so much for making and enjoying my recipe! That means so much to me! My dearest wishes to you both! XO
Lucy says
This looks amazing! And of course, that is one of my favorite Ann & Dom BC (before children) stories 😉 Love!
Annie says
Thank you, sweeta! We’ll have to make it the next time you’re home! Yeahhhh, that’s a classic BC story! Love you!
Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks says
LOL! I can only imagine the horror of being served raw shrimp! You sure got it figured out because this looks perfect! I could swim in that garlic butter! I LOVE shrimp and angel hair! It’s an absolute go to weeknight dish in our house. I love the rocket addition! We’re going to have to give that a try!
Annie says
All I can think is I must have looked pretty cute to him that night because he decided to stick around! hahahah! It’s a perfect weeknight meal! Thanks, sweets!
Stacey @ The Sugar Coated Cttage says
Lol, love this story! This is a beautiful dish and shrimp scampi is a favorite, this is fantastic. I love the photos as well. Take care.
Annie says
Thanks, Stacey! Have a great day, today, my friend! 🙂
Sues says
Aww I love that story about your first time serving shrimp… You’ve come a long way 🙂 I loveee shrimp scampi and this looks perfect!
Annie says
Hahaha! There was nowhere to go but up! Thanks, my friend! 🙂
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says
Someone really should market a butter/garlic perfume! Hmmmm….maybe not! I’m glad you’ve learned to cooked shrimp and it looks like you’ve totally perfected it! This looks gorgeous!
Annie says
Hahahaha! I think I would be the one to do that but I’m not sure how great sales would be! Thank you, friend! I’m glad for everyone’s sake I learned how to cook shrimp, too! 🙂
Dom says
I would have eaten the raw shrimp and still been back for date two, three……five hundred!
It is a great memory…right along with the broken door!
Love you!
Dom
Annie says
Hahahah! Love that one! They are all great memories! Love you! <3
Lisa at celebrate creativity says
Hi Annie, first this is one gorgeous salad. I can definitely spare 20 minutes for something like this-lol. Lovely pictures too. I’m off to browse around your site.
Hope you’re not snowbound.
Enjoy your day.
Annie says
Hi Lisa! Thank you so much for stopping by with a kind word! Thankfully we are not snowbound. I’m actually thinking about heading out for a brisk walk. Happy browsing, my friend! PS) I need to say again how beautiful your site is!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
Hahahahaha! I am totally laughing WITH you at your first date with Dom! That’s a great (and funny) story. Crazy how much we change over course of a decade. Or three. 🙂 Now you are a culinary queen of the kicthen, fixing up shrimp scampi that has me wanting to eat this for breakfast. And drooling all over the place. 😉 I swoon for shrimp scampi, that sauce (!) And yours looks nothing short of marvelous! The added rocket is a beautiful addition, Annie!! Neeeeeeeeed me some of this! Pinned! Cheers, my dear! Xoxo
Annie says
Hahahaha – that’s okay – you can laugh AT me, too! This one deserves it! Kind of surprising my love stuck around after that one! 😉 This is a yummy dish – even my boy, Nicholas, who is not a huge seafood eater, loved it! Thanks, my dear! Cheers! xoxo
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
What a pretty dish! Shrimp is one of my favorites, though I never think to make it at home. Love how easy and delicious this is. Perfect comfort food, Annie!
Annie says
Thank you, Gayle!! If shrimp is one of your favorites – I think you’ll really like this! 🙂
Linda | Brunch-n-Bites says
What a fun and cute story! I love shrimp scampi and yes…who has time to cook on Tuesday night… Well, I’m glad you shared this one and can’t wait to give this a try.
Annie says
Thanks so much, Linda! Gotta love 20 minute meals!! 🙂