Shrimp Scampi Toasts

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 20

Bathing shrimp in a silky, buttery wine sauce is tough to beat.

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This twist on the Italian-American classic turns an entrée often served over pasta into an appetizer spooned over grilled bread. The silky, buttery lemon and garlic sauce is given just a little kick from the red pepper. The recipe is easily made in one skillet. The shrimp is first cooked then the garlic is sautéed and the pan is deglazed with white wine and a little chicken stock for added flavor. The sauce is flavored with red pepper and lemon then emulsified with butter and served with the tender shrimp.

When serving the shrimp scampi, chopping shrimp into smaller pieces will make it easier to pile onto the toasts. If presentation is what you are going for, however, leave the shrimp whole. This easy recipe is great for holidays or as a simple date night appetizer with a chilled white wine.

Shrimp Scampi Toasts

Shrimp Scampi Toasts

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

Shrimp – I prefer to use jumbo (16/20) peeled and deveined shrimp in this recipe. They’re meatier and stay very tender when cooked. The shrimp are seasoned simply with salt and pepper then sautéed and served with the garlic butter “scampi” sauce.
Garlic – I always buy garlic bulbs and keep a bunch in my kitchen at all times. Fresh garlic really makes all the difference – I don’t recommend using pre-minced jarred garlic. Be careful to keep an eye on garlic when sautéing it. Cooking it too long can give it a bitter taste.
Wine – White wine is the base for the white wine and butter scampi sauce. Use a dry white wine for this recipe. It won’t overpower the dish by making it too sweet. While I will use just about any white wine in a pinch I prefer cooking with Sauvignon blanc. Never cook with a wine you wouldn’t drink!
Lemon – Garlic white wine “scampi” sauce is typically finished off with an acidic squeeze of lemon to brighten the sauce.
Crushed red pepper – A bit of red pepper flakes add just the right spice to this scampi sauce.
Parsley – Half of the chopped fresh parsley is added to the sauce and the remaining parsley is used to garnish the dish. Omit the parsley if needed.

Shrimp Scampi Toasts recipe with white wine butter sauce

How to Make Shrimp Scampi Toasts

Step 1: Season the shrimp.

Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Season the shrimp on both sides with salt and pepper and add to the pan in a an even single layer (this may have to be done in batches).

Step 2: Cook the shrimp.

Sauté the shrimp until pink and no longer translucent, about 1½ minutes per side. Remove the shrimp from the pan to a bowl and cover. Remove and discard the tails if desired (optional).

Step 3: Make the scampi sauce.

Add the garlic to the pan and sauté until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the wine into the hot pan to deglaze, then add the chicken stock and let the mixture reduce to about a cup, about 10 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and crushed red pepper, cooking for about 2 more minutes.

Step 4: Add the butter.

Whisk in the butter one piece at a time, continuing to whisk until combined. Stir in half of the chopped parsley and add the shrimp back to the pan.

Step 5: Assemble and serve.

Add the shrimp scampi mixture to a serving bowl and top with the remaining parsley. Serve with the grilled bread on the side.

Tips and Tricks for This Recipes

Swaps and substitutions

Swap the grilled bread for crostini made from baguette slices or garlic toast points.
Omit the chili flakes if preferred.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this shrimp scampi toast recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:

Shrimp Scampi Toasts

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Serves

US Customary – Metric

Ingredients:

1 pound jumbo shrimp, 16/20 per pound, peeled & deveined
Kosher salt, as needed
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 ½ cups white wine
½ cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons chopped parsley, divided
6 ½” thick slices French bread, grilled and halved on the bias, for serving

Instructions:

Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Season the shrimp on both sides with salt and pepper and add to the pan in a an even single layer (this may have to be done in batches).
Sauté the shrimp until pink and no longer translucent, about 1½ minutes per side. Remove the shrimp from the pan to a bowl and cover. Remove and discard the tails if desired (optional).
Add the garlic to the pan and sauté until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the wine into the hot pan to deglaze, then add the chicken stock and let the mixture reduce to about a cup, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the lemon juice and crushed red pepper, cooking for about 2 more minutes.
Whisk in the butter one piece at a time, continuing to whisk until combined. Stir in half of the chopped parsley and add the shrimp back to the pan.
Add the shrimp scampi mixture to a serving bowl and top with the remaining parsley. Serve with the grilled bread on the side.

Shrimp Scampi Toasts