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I’m so excited to share this recipe! It’s already become a favorite at my house as I’m now finding myself having to buy Arborio rice in bulk to fill the demand! If you're a lover of shrimp scampi, or like me, shrimp anything, then you will for sure love this one. It’s pretty much a classic buttery scampi recipe paired with a lemony risotto, a combination that is just too good to go without!
I’m going to keep this post short, because honestly it’s simpler than you think. If you read my last risotto recipe I might have scared you off the idea of making risotto, you know, because all of the stirring and shit, but I may have been being a Dramatic Drea. It’s really not that bad and if you turn up the heat a bit and are careful to watch the stove, you can whip one out in 20 minutes or less! The risotto in this recipe is a simple white wine risotto, with a little lemon added to compliment the scampi flavor. Sometimes I like to add some red pepper flakes to give it a little heat but that’s completely optional.
The scampi recipe, front and back, takes like 10 minutes to make. This is one of the reasons I love cooking with shrimp. It takes just about no time to make! So really, you could be digging in to this dish in like 30 minutes! Scampi is made up of four primary ingredients: butter/oil, garlic, white wine and lemon. Traditionally scampi is served with pasta but as you can imagine, it can be a little frustrating when you’ve eaten it all but still have a pool of that delicious sauce sitting at the bottom. No bueno. That’s why this recipe is such gold, because the risotto is sticky enough to absorb the sauce with it’s natural creamy consistency. Yes, you can thank me later.
I could go on and on about what wine I used and the differences between Arborio and Carnaroli rice but really, it makes not much of a difference. You didn’t come here for a long ramble, just a damn good recipe. So on that note, you’re welcome.
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled & deveined, tail on
- 1 1/2 cup arborio or carnaroli rice
- 1 cup white wine
- 6 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 shallots or half of a small onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
- parsley or basil for garnish
Instructions- Bring stock to a boil in a medium pot. Turn to low and simmer until ready for use.
- In a medium or large pot heat 2 tbsp of olive oil. Add in shallots or onion and cook until they are translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add in rice and stir ingredients together. Toast rice for about 4 minutes, or until it has slightly browned. Stir in 1/2 cup of wine and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and cook until it is fully absorbed by the rice.
- One ladle at a time, add stock to rice and stir, cooking until rice absorbs most of the stock and begins to thicken. Repeat ladle, stir, ladle, stir until rice is fully cooked or all the stock is used. Use hot water if you run out of stock before rice is cooked. Get comfortable, this whole process will take 20-30 minutes. Cover and set aside.
- Heat butter and remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet. And garlic and cook for about 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Pour in remaining 1/2 cup wine and cook until reduced by half, about another 2 minutes. Sprinkle shrimp with a bit of salt and pepper then cook in the skillet for 2 minutes each side. Add in remaining tablespoon of lemon juice and stir. Remove from heat.
- Serve risotto in a bowl and spoon shrimp and scampi sauce over risotto. Garnish with parsley or fresh basil.
DetailsPrep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 4-6 servings
Skill Level: Easy