Weeknight Barefoot Contessa Linguine With Shrimp Scampi Recipe

Barefoot Contessa linguine with shrimp scampi transforms ordinary weeknight dinners into culinary celebrations of coastal comfort.

Mediterranean-inspired dishes often sparkle with simple, elegant ingredients that dance together on your plate.

Seafood lovers appreciate how quickly this recipe comes together without sacrificing remarkable taste.

Bright citrus notes and delicate herbs elevate humble pasta into something extraordinary.

Each forkful promises a perfect balance between tender shellfish and silky noodles.

Home cooks can confidently recreate restaurant-quality magic in their own kitchens with minimal effort.

Prepare to impress dinner companions with a meal that feels simultaneously sophisticated and wonderfully approachable: Grab your skillet and let’s get cooking!

Step-by-Step for Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

Step 1: Boil Pasta

Fill a large pot with water and add salt. Heat until water bubbles vigorously. Drop linguine into boiling water and cook until tender. Drain pasta and set aside.

• Linguine
• Salt
• Water

Step 2: Sauté Aromatic Base

Warm a skillet over medium-low heat. Melt butter and olive oil together. Gently cook minced garlic until fragrant and soft.

• Butter
• Olive oil
• Garlic

Step 3: Cook Succulent Seafood

Slide shrimp into the garlic-infused pan. Season with salt and pepper. Stir and cook until shrimp transform into a delicate pink color.

• Shrimp
• Salt
• Black pepper

Step 4: Create Zesty Sauce

Remove pan from heat. Sprinkle fresh parsley, grate lemon zest, squeeze lemon juice. Add lemon slices and red pepper flakes for extra kick.

• Parsley
• Lemon
• Red pepper flakes

Step 5: Merge Pasta and Seafood

Return linguine to pot. Pour shrimp and sauce over pasta. Toss gently until every strand gets coated with delicious flavors.

Expert Hints for Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

• Sizzle Shrimp Perfectly: Watch for the moment shrimp turn from translucent to opaque pink, which signals they're done and prevents rubbery texture.
• Crush Fresh Garlic: Smash garlic cloves with the side of a knife to release maximum flavor and aroma before mincing.
• Salt Pasta Water Generously: Add enough salt to make the water taste like the sea, ensuring your linguine is well-seasoned from the inside out.
• Zest Before Juicing: Grate lemon zest first, then squeeze juice to capture every bit of bright, citrusy flavor in the scampi.
• Reserve Pasta Water: Save a cup of starchy cooking water to help sauce cling to pasta and adjust consistency if needed.

Smart Storage for Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

• Freezing: Preserve the delicate flavors by placing cooled shrimp linguine in a freezer-safe container. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap, then cover with a freezer lid to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to 1 month, ensuring the seafood and pasta maintain their best quality.
• Refrigeration: Store your leftover linguine in an airtight glass container to keep the shrimp and pasta fresh. Place in the coldest part of the refrigerator, consuming within 1-2 days for optimal taste and texture. Separate the shrimp from pasta if possible to prevent soggy noodles.
• Reheating: Revive the dish by warming gently in a skillet over low heat. Add a splash of olive oil or white wine to restore moisture and prevent drying.

Innovative Spins on Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

• Spicy Seafood Fusion: Replace shrimp with a mix of scallops, calamari, and mussels, adding extra chilli flakes and a dash of smoked paprika for a bold, ocean-inspired flavor profile.
• Mediterranean Herb Infusion: Swap parsley for fresh basil and oregano, incorporating sun-dried tomatoes and crumbled feta cheese to give the dish a Greek-inspired character.
• Creamy Coastal Rendition: Create a lighter sauce by blending in a small amount of mascarpone cheese and white wine, garnishing with toasted pine nuts for added texture and richness.
• Zesty Citrus Kick: Enhance the lemon elements by introducing orange zest and a splash of orange liqueur, adding orange segments for a bright, tangy complexity to the classic scampi.

Closing Reflections on Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

Culinary magic unfolds with Ina Garten’s linguine shrimp scampi, a Mediterranean-inspired masterpiece that whisks diners straight to coastal Italian kitchens.

Classic ingredients dance together, creating harmonious flavors of garlic, citrus, and succulent seafood.

Butter and olive oil form a luxurious base, elevating simple ingredients into an extraordinary meal.

Mediterranean sunshine permeates each twirled pasta strand, promising a sensory journey through authentic coastal cuisine.

Passionate home chefs can master this elegant dish with minimal effort and maximum flavor impact.

Quick preparation meets gourmet results – sharing this recipe connects meal enthusiasts with international culinary traditions, so click that share button, drop a comment celebrating Mediterranean magic, and inspire fellow cooking adventurers to embrace delicious simplicity.

Fall for Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

• Savor Quick Seafood Elegance: This recipe transforms simple ingredients into a restaurant-quality meal in just 20 minutes, making gourmet cooking accessible for busy home chefs.
• Burst With Bright Mediterranean Flavors: Zesty lemon, fresh parsley, and subtle chilli flakes create a vibrant, tangy profile that dances across your palate with every delicious bite.
• Master Foolproof Cooking Technique: The gentle sauté method ensures perfectly cooked shrimp without toughness, while preserving delicate seafood tenderness and preventing overcooking.
• Enjoy Versatile Weeknight Wonder: Perfect for casual dinners or elegant entertaining, this dish adapts easily to different occasions and impresses guests with minimal effort and maximum flavor.

Essential Picks for Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

• Linguine: Classic Italian pasta perfect for absorbing rich seafood sauces, choose high-quality semolina wheat pasta for best texture.

• Shrimp: Fresh, medium-sized shrimp work best, look for firm, pinkish-white color without strong fishy smell.

• Butter, Olive Oil: Butter adds rich flavor, olive oil provides smooth cooking base, use extra virgin olive oil for best taste.

• Garlic: Fresh garlic provides sharp, warm flavor, choose firm cloves without sprouts.
• Parsley: Fresh herb adds bright color and clean taste, flat-leaf variety recommended.
• Salt, Black Pepper: Essential for enhancing overall dish flavor, use kosher or sea salt.

• Lemon: Fresh lemons provide zesty brightness, use both juice and zest for complex citrus notes.
• Chilli Flakes: Adds subtle heat and depth, adjust quantity based on spice preference.

• Vegetable Oil: Used for preventing pasta sticking, neutral flavor oil works best.

Barefoot Contessa Linguine With Shrimp Scampi Recipe

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4.5 from 28 reviews

• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

Ina Garten’s linguine with shrimp scampi brings Italian coastal charm to home kitchens with zesty lemon and garlic. Succulent shrimp nestled among al dente pasta create a Mediterranean dream you can savor in mere minutes.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Seafood Ingredients:

• 900 grams (32 ounces) large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Pasta and Base Ingredients:

• 680 grams (24 ounces) linguine
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic (about 9 cloves)
• 85 grams (3 ounces) unsalted butter
• 75 milliliters (2.5 fluid ounces) good-quality olive oil
• 20 grams (0.7 ounces) fresh parsley, chopped

Seasoning and Flavor Enhancers:

• 120 milliliters (4 fluid ounces) freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
• 1 lemon zest, grated
• ½ lemon, thinly sliced into half-rounds
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
• Kosher salt or sea salt
• Vegetable oil

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Instructions

1. Fill a generously sized stockpot with water, incorporating of salt and a light splash of vegetable oil. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil over high heat.
2. Carefully submerge the linguine into the boiling water, allowing it to cook for 7-10 minutes until achieving a perfect al dente texture. Gently stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
3. While the pasta transforms, create a flavor foundation by melting unsalted butter and extra virgin olive oil in a spacious skillet over medium-low temperature.
4. Introduce minced garlic to the butter-oil mixture, sautéing delicately for approximately 45-60 seconds, taking care to prevent any browning that might impart bitterness.
5. Gently slide the fresh shrimp into the aromatic pan, seasoning with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Stir continuously, ensuring each morsel cooks evenly until they transition to a vibrant pink hue (roughly 4-5 minutes).
6. Extract the shrimp from direct heat, then incorporate freshly chopped parsley, bright lemon zest, tangy lemon juice, decorative lemon slices, and a sprinkle of red chili flakes for subtle heat.
7. Drain the linguine thoroughly, then return it to the original pot. Immediately cascade the shrimp and its complex sauce over the pasta, tossing with precision to guarantee uniform coating and maximum flavor distribution.

Notes

• Warm plates prepped in advance keep the delicate shrimp linguine steaming hot when served.
• Fresh garlic transforms this dish from ordinary to extraordinary, releasing deeper aromatic notes during quick sautéing.
• Precise pasta timing matters – al dente linguine provides the perfect chewy texture that complements succulent seafood.
• Strategic lemon juice addition allows gradual flavor balancing, preventing overpowering citrus that could mask delicate shrimp taste.
• Gentle shrimp cooking ensures tender, juicy morsels by removing from heat immediately after they turn pink and translucent.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Dinner, Lunch
• Method: Sautéing
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 744
• Sugar: 1g
• Sodium: 4,350mg
• Fat: 26g
• Saturated Fat: 9g
• Carbohydrates: 88g
• Fiber: 5g
• Protein: 35g
• Cholesterol: 221mg