The Famous Shrimp Scampi Red Lobster recipe has always been one of my favorite dishes! I was shocked at how easy it was to make it at home! This copycat version is full of garlicky buttery goodness and even better than the restaurant version!
What You Will ❤️ About Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi
- Fast! This is fridge to table in 15 minutes!
- Delicious! Of course it is – but making it at home you make as much shrimp as you want!
- Easy! It’s a super simple dish with just a couple of steps – most importantly rolling the shrimp in garlic butter!
Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi Ingredients
This recipe has fairly simple ingredients – if you buy the shrimp – everything else is probably already in your pantry!
- Shrimp – be sure to use raw large shrimp, tail on, peeled & deveined
- Seasonings: salt, black pepper, 2 cloves garlic, basil and oregano (or swap out Italian seasoning for the basil & oregano)
- Fats: salted butter & pure olive oil
- Parmesan Cheese – just a little for sprinkling! You can substitute Romano cheese as well.
- OPTIONAL
- White wine – some folks add white wine to the butter/olive oil
- Lemon Wedges – a squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the final dish adds brightness to the flavor
- Parsley – a sprinkle of fresh parsley adds a nice bite
How to make Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi recipe?
You know it’s going to be good when there are Cheddar Bay Biscuits and a Caesar Salad in the background! This copycat recipe is SO EASY!!!
- Rinse RAW shrimp, pat dry and season with salt & pepper
- Heat oven to broil – high heat is the key to this dish!
- In oven safe round baking dish, add olive oil, butter and garlic. You could also use a cast iron skillet or a large skillet if it’s oven safe.
- Place baking dish in oven until butter melts 3-6 minutes (you could add a little white wine or chicken broth here – but Red Lobster doesn’t)
- Remove the baking dish from the oven
- Take your raw shrimp and roll it around in the butter mixture so it’s all coated and place in baking dish
- Place the pan back in the oven on High Broil for 4 minutes
- Remove and garnish with parmesan, chopped parsley, basil and oregano
I recommend a small (8″) round baking dish with low sides – think along the lines of a pie plate or round baker. This allows you to make a pretty design with the shrimp in a circle and gets the food close to the heat in the broiler!
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FAQs
No! Don’t do it! One of the most important things in this recipe is using raw shrimp! Raw shrimp cooks so quickly! Cooking cooked shrimp will just give you rubbery shrimp.
Yes – as long as it’s technically “raw” – even thought it’s frozen – you’re good to go! I typically thaw in the refrigerator overnight. You can also place frozen shrimp in a large bowl of cold water for 20-30 minutes. Then drain and rinse.
Be sure to get Large or Extra Large Shrimp, Raw Tail On, Peeled & Deveined – this will just make it easier for you when cooking and eating.
Yes – as long as they’re oven safe!
Some people have white wine (like a pinot grigio) in the recipe but it’s not mentioned in the Red Lobster description and it doesn’t have any wine taste to it. So have your wine on the side for your fancy dinners!
Store leftovers in an airtight container (I like these glass ones) in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes.
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What to serve with Red Lobster Garlic Shrimp Scampi:
A big loaf of crusty bread is a great side dish – dip it in the shrimp scampi sauce and enjoy! But you can also add:
- Olive Garden Salad & Italian Dressing
- Air Fryer Garlic Bread
- Homemade Cheddar Biscuits (copycat of the most famous Red Lobster menu item!)
Other delicious copycat recipes:
Copycat Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb raw shrimp large, tail on, peeled & deveined
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 stick salted butter slightly softened
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/4 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 2-3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Pat dry raw shrimp with tails on with a paper towel1 lb raw shrimp
- Season shrimp with salt and pepper, to taste.1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Heat oven to broil
- Place olive oil, butter and garlic in round baking dish2 tbsp olive oil, 1 stick salted butter, 2 tbsp minced garlic
- Place baking dish in broiler and heat until butter melts (low – 5-6 min, high 3-4)
- Once butter is melted, remove the baking dish from the oven.
- Hold the shrimp by the tails and roll it around in the garlic butter and place in the baking dish.
- Place the dish back in the oven for 4 minutes on high broil.
- Remove promptly from the oven and sprinkle with basil, oregano and shredded cheese.1/4 tsp dried basil, 1/4 tsp dried oregano, 2-3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- Serve as an appetizer, on top of angel hair pasta or with crusty bread and enjoy!
Beth says
What a great and very delicious dish! SO much better than Red Lobster and I’m so glad I can make this at home now! My daughter and I love this. Excited to make this again soon!
Rachna says
This made my mouth water. I love shrimp and this copycat recipe looks so easy to do and so delicious. Trying it out this weekend.
Tara says
Such a great copycat recipe! The shrimp look so good. I love how easily it all comes together too.
Heather says
I’m so happy this recipe calls for peeled and deveined shrimp! Makes cooking a much more pleasant experience 🙂 I cannot wait to try the whole fleet of copycat recipes together for the full Red Lobster at-home feel!
Laura says
What an easy recipe, thank you for sharing. It was delicious
Dan says
Red lobster chef told me that they use White wine in their shrimp scampi!
FoodHussy says
not according to the ingredients on their website
Shandy says
ONE WORD “DELICIOUS”
FS says
Why is there sauce in this shrimp scampi yet I don’t see this included in the ingredients?
FoodHussy says
the “sauce” is the butter, oil & seasonings – so it’s all in the recipe
Joann Kenney says
I have not tried this but will try it as I used to order at Red Lobster. Have ordered shrimp scampi 3times lately in restaurants and have been disappointed as they all had a breaded topping which was mushy.
FoodHussy says
you should love this – it’s just like RL!
KC says
When you bake the shrimp in the oven on high broil, what temperature do you set the oven to?
FoodHussy says
You just set the oven to BROIL – it doesn’t have a temperature.