I’m a big fan of shrimp scampi, but often times angel hair pasta is just a bit too tedious for me. You have to be careful to not overcook it or else it’ll turn to mush, very quickly. I feel like it’s too thin of a pasta for the heartiness of the shrimp and butter sauce. It’s because of this that I tend to not make it for dinner or order it when at a restaurant. If you’re like me and face the same dilemma, then you’re going to love this Shrimp Scampi Gnocchi. It takes all of the flavors we know and love from the classic dish, and gives it a bit of a twist with heartier gnocchi. The best part is that because we’re using store-bought gnocchi, this dish literally takes no time or effort at all. You can have it on the table in 30 minutes. Which makes it perfect for those weekdays when you’ve worked too much and the last thing you want to do is go home and slave away in the kitchen all night. This is a delicious quick and easy meal that you can whip up without having to turn to ordering in or the drive-through menu. It’s simple, yet loaded with flavor and I bet you, it’ll be a big hit in your house.
Let’s start by melting some butter with olive oil in a large skillet, set over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant and just lightly golden brown, about 1 minute.
**Tip: You want to keep stirring the garlic nonstop so that it doesn’t burn. If you don’t keep an eye on the skillet, the garlic can burn rather quickly and then you’ll have to start over again.**
Add in the wine and season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the wine has reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
**Tip: You want a dry white wine for this dish. You don’t need anything fancy or over the top, just make sure it’s something you’d drink because if you wouldn’t, then your dish will taste like it. If you don’t want to use wine, you can use either chicken or vegetable stock. You could also make a quick shrimp stock by boiling the shrimp skins with water, onions and garlic!**
Once the sauce has reduced, add in the shrimp and cook until it has started to turn pink, about 2 to 4 minutes depending on the size of the shrimp.
**Note: Just be careful to no overcook the shrimp because once it’s overcooked, it’ll become tough and almost rubbery and no one wants that for their shrimp.**
Stir in the parsley, fresh lemon juice, and a bit more salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to as low as your stove will go.
In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with plenty of salt, and then add in the gnocchi. Cook until they’ve floated to the top and are fork tender with a bit of a bite to them still.
**Note: Keep in mind that gnocchi take no time at all to cook, so make sure to keep an eye on them so that they don’t turn to mush.**
Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the gnocchi into the shrimp scampi skillet. If some of the cooking water gets in, that’s okay! The starch from the water will help thicken the sauce and help stick to the gnocchi.
Give it all a big stir, and adjust seasonings if desired, adding more salt, pepper or crushed red pepper flakes if you wish.
I like to serve this with some crusty bread for mopping up all that delicious sauce at the bottom. A simple salad on the side made of greens lightly dressed with olive oil and vinegar would be great as well, to help balance the richness of the dish.
Now I know that adding cheese to any seafood pasta is a big NO NO, but I can’t help myself in this instance. I like sprinkling a bit of parmesan on top right before serving. That’s completely optional if you don’t want to. I hope you’ll give this quick and easy recipe a try soon! It’s great for when you’re too tired to cook an elaborate meal after work!
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine or chicken broth
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1½ pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 package gnocchi
- Place a large skillet over medium high heat with the butter and oil. Once hot, add in the garlic and sauté stirring often, until fragrant and lightly golden brown, about 1 minute. Add the wine (or broth if using), salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
- Add the shrimp and sauté until they just turn pink, about 2 to 4 minutes, depending on their size. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice and adjust seasoning accordingly, adding more salt or pepper as needed.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with salt. Add in the gnocchi and cook until they float. Using a slotted spoon transfer to the shrimp sauce and toss to evenly combine. Serve with a sprinkling of crushed red pepper flakes and parsley if desired. Enjoy!
Jess M says
June 27, 2018 at 8:05 pmI made this tonight and it was soo goood. It came together super quickly and my husband and I ate almost the whole meal. Oops! 🙂
Jonathan says
June 28, 2018 at 9:28 amThat’s better than me, who almost ate the whole thing myself!