Creamy Shrimp Pasta with Garlic Butter Scampi Sauce and Capers

Looking for a creamy, flavorful, one-pan pasta? This creamy shrimp pasta with garlic butter scampi sauce and capers will be it! Sort of a blend between shrimp scampi and chicken piccata, a flavorful garlic butter sauce mashed with a tangy lemon caper sauce. The addition of cream and parmesan cheese give this dish a rich, salty kick that ties everything together. Loaded with fresh parsley and fresh lemon zest for a bright, herby combo.

Angel hair is my go to pasta for this dish, I love the super thin noodles because they twirl up easily and get perfectly coated in the sauce. They don’t overpower the sauce or the shrimp. Typically shrimp scampi is made without cream, focusing on the butter/olive oil base for the sauce. Adding cream and parmesan almost give an alfredo consistency that pairs so well with the salty capers and fresh lemon. Yum!

You might also like the spicy sausage & shrimp pasta or my creamy Cajun chicken pasta. Find all of my pasta recipes here for even more inspiration!

This pasta dish is great served with a light lettuce salad, try my BLT salad with garlic ranch as well as some fresh, warm bread or garlic knots.

What Makes This Dish Special

• Rich and creamy garlic butter scampi sauce with a salty kick from capers and parmesan cheese!
• Briny capers + lemon give it a piccata-style twist and add fresh flavor.
• Fast and elegant — ready in about 40 minutes and minus cooking the noodles, cooks in one pan.
• Simple ingredients with restaurant-style flavor, garlic, fresh herbs, and lemon add flavor without a ton of prep.
• Perfect for date night or weeknight dinner, your friends, family, or SO will love this comfort meal.

What Is Creamy Shrimp Scampi

This creamy shrimp scampi pasta is a comforting twist on the classic Italian-American dish. Shrimp is sautéed in butter, then the pan is deglazed with white wine to scrape all the flavorful bites off the bottom of the pan. Then combined with lots of garlic, lemon, and capers. Cream and parmesan are stirred in with a little pasta cooking water to thicken and create a velvety sauce. Everything is combined for a rich, salty, tangy pasta dish that elevates the sweet shrimp.

What Are Capers?

Capers are small, green buds from the caper bush that are picked and preserved in brine or vinegar (similar to olives or pickles). They have a salty, and slightly lemony flavor that adds a punch to sauces and savory dishes.

Key Scampi Ingredients

• Angel hair pasta – Light and delicate, perfect for soaking up the creamy sauce. Spaghetti, penne, or bow ties pasta will also work.
• Unsalted butter – this is my fat of choice for this dish, olive oil can also be used.
• Raw shrimp – look for peeled and deveined; it cuts the prep time down substantially if you don’t have to peel your own shrimp.
• Seasoning: this dish uses kosher salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and onion powder. Any combination of spices can work!
• White wine – wine helps deglaze the pan to get all of the bits off of the bottom so they can be incorporated into the sauce and add extra flavor. Use a white wine or choice or omit and use additional pasta water.
• Fresh garlic – use as many cloves as you prefer here, the more garlic the better! Fresh garlic is key here.
• Capers – look for a small jar in your pasta section or near the basta sauce and specialty olives. Drain the brine unless you want to add that extra salty flavor.
• Lemon – a fresh lemon is a must, use as much juice and zest as you prefer.
• Heavy cream – I recommend heavy cream but half and half or whole milk could also work.
• Parmesan cheese – fresh grated is best or buy pre-shredded, asiago cheese is also good here.
• Fresh parsley – I use almost an entire bunch of fresh parsley chopped finely to mix into the pasta and garnish with for a herby addition.

How to Make The Creamy Scampi Pasta

Let’s talk a little about how to make the Creamy Shrimp Pasta with Garlic Butter Scampi Sauce and Capers (The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)

Quick Overview:

• Sauté shrimp in butter. Deglaze pan.
• Sauté garlic with capers and lemon.
• Mix in cream and cheese, add shrimp back in and toss with cooked noodles.
• Enjoy garnished with lots of fresh parsley.

• Cook noodles according to package instructions, set aside. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water for thickening the sauce.
• In a large sauté pan, heat 3 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat until melted. Add in the raw shrimp and seasonings. Sauté for 5-8 minutes or until the shrimp are pink and cooked through.
• Remove the cooked shrimp and deglaze the pan with white wine, keeping the heat medium-high. Add in the remaining butter and garlic. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Mix in the capers, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

• Pour in the heavy cream and reserved pasta water. stir to combine. Let sauce simmer over medium-heat to thicken, 3-4 minutes. Mix in the shredded parmesan. Add the shrimp back in.
• Add the cooked noodles into the sauce, toss to combine, and serve garnished with fresh parsley.

Recipe Note:

* If your cream sauce is too thick, add in additional cream or milk or thin with a little extra pasta water.

What To Serve With Shrimp Pasta

This creamy shrimp scampi goes great with fresh salad, veggies, or bread. Try the side dish ideas below to create a balanced meal the whole family will love.

• Spinach Salad
• Kale Salad
• Garlic Knots
• Green Bean Almondine
• Potato Au Gratin

Tools I Recommend

• Box Grater – I use this all the time to shred my own cheeses, shred veggies, or fruit. Shredding your own cheese makes all the difference!
• Braising Pan – I love this pan for whipping up sauces or sautéing veggies like the onion and garlic. The high sides are great for keeping messes in.
• Large Colander – a must for cooking pasta, potatoes, veggies, or anything you need to strain. I like the high walls on this one.

Variations & Serving Ideas

• Add in chopped asparagus or steamed broccoli florets.
• Mix in bacon bits or add grilled chicken for addition protein.
• Serve noodles family style with sauce on the sauce or pre-tossed.
• Pair with a crisp chilled white wine or spritz.
• Stir in jarred pesto or chopped sun dried tomatoes.

Recipe FAQs