Shrimp Scampi with Miso Butter Sauce
Classic shrimp scampi is all about garlic, butter, white wine, and lemon. This version keeps that familiar scampi flavor, then adds white miso to the sauce. The miso melts into the wine and butter and gives the sauce more savory depth without making the dish taste overtly like miso. It still tastes like shrimp scampi, just with an interesting twist.
I use linguine because it holds the sauce without getting in the way of the shrimp. The shrimp cook fast, so they come out of the pan before they are fully done. Then they go back in at the end, just long enough to finish in the sauce. The whole dish takes about 25 minutes.
For more seafood dinners, this collection of fish and seafood dinners gives you more recipes to choose from.
Table of Contents
What This Recipe Does
➤ Large shrimp are patted dry, seasoned, and seared in butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. They come out of the skillet after about 2 minutes, when they are just beginning to turn from translucent to pink, but not fully cooked through yet.
➤ Garlic softens in the same pan. White miso gets whisked into dry white wine first, then that mixture goes into the skillet. The wine loosens the browned bits from the shrimp and reduces by half.
➤ Lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and pasta water go in next. The al dente linguine finishes in the sauce, then the shrimp go back in at the end so they heat through without turning tough.
What I Learned Making This
- Cook the linguine just shy of al dente. It finishes in the skillet, and that last minute in the sauce matters. If the pasta goes in fully cooked, it can turn soft before the shrimp are back in.
- Save the pasta water before you drain the linguine. This is the kind of step that is easy to miss when everything is moving fast. The starch in that water helps the sauce cling to the pasta and keeps it loose enough to toss.
- Pat the shrimp dry before they hit the pan. Moist shrimp steam. Dry shrimp sear. That one step makes a noticeable difference.
- Whisk the miso into the wine before it goes into the pan. Miso does not behave well when you drop it straight into a hot skillet. It can clump, and once that happens, you spend the rest of the recipe chasing down little pieces of miso in the sauce. A small bowl and 30 seconds of whisking fixes the problem.
- The shrimp should come out of the pan before they look done. That feels wrong the first time, but it is the right move. They finish cooking when they go back into the sauce. If they are fully cooked before that step, they will be overcooked by the time you sit down to eat.
- Keep the garlic pale. You want it soft and fragrant, not browned. Browned garlic can make a simple scampi sauce taste bitter. Medium heat and about 2 minutes is usually enough.
What The Sauce Does
- Scampi sauce is built in the pan where the shrimp were sautéed, not made on the side and poured over later. The shrimp leave behind browned bits and butter, and the wine pulls that flavor into the sauce.
- White miso subtly changes the sauce. It is fermented, savory, and a little sweet, but it does not take over. The garlic, lemon, and butter still taste like scampi. The miso makes the sauce taste more complex.
- Pasta water is key. The starch helps hold the butter and wine together, so the sauce coats the linguine rather than sliding to the bottom of the bowl. A half cup is enough for this recipe.
The miso butter technique works well in other pan sauces too. The Miso Butter Chicken Thighs uses the same idea with chicken drippings, while the Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Miso Apple Pan Sauce takes it in a richer, slightly sweeter direction.
Key Ingredient Notes
Shrimp. I use 16/20 count shrimp, which means 16 to 20 shrimp per pound. That size is ideal for scampi. When buying shrimp, use the count (16/20) not the adjective (jumbo) describing them. Fresh or thawed frozen shrimp both work. If you use frozen shrimp, thaw them in cold water and pat them very dry before cooking.
White miso. White miso, also called shiro miso, is mild, slightly sweet, and less assertive than red miso. That is why it works well with shrimp, garlic, lemon, and butter. Red miso is too strong for this sauce. Yellow miso works if white is not available.
Dry white wine. Use a wine you would drink. Pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, or unoaked chardonnay all work. Skip cooking wine because it usually contains added salt and has a flat flavor. If you do not cook with wine, use low-sodium chicken broth and add a little extra lemon juice.
Unsalted butter. Miso and pasta water both add salt, so unsalted butter gives you better control. Use 3 tablespoons total, 1 tablespoon for searing the shrimp and 2 tablespoons for the sauce.
Garlic. Six cloves sounds like a lot, but the garlic softens in butter and becomes the base of the sauce. I slice it thin instead of mincing it because sliced garlic is easier to keep from browning too fast.
Linguine. Linguine is my choice here because the flat shape holds the sauce better than a thin round pasta. Cook it in well-salted water so the pasta has flavor before it goes into the skillet.
Lemon juice. Use fresh lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice tastes dull in a sauce this simple. Add it after the wine reduces so the lemon stays bright.
See recipe card below for all ingredients and exact measurements.
If you want more information about shrimp sizes, Fulton Fish Market is a great resource.
A Few Things Worth Knowing
► The timing matters more than the technique. Start the pasta water first. Sear the shrimp while the water comes to a boil. Once the shrimp are out of the pan, add the linguine to the boiling water and build the sauce. By the time the sauce has reduced, the pasta should be ready to finish in the skillet.
► Shrimp overcook quickly. For 16/20 count shrimp, about 2 minutes total cook time over medium-high heat is the correct timing. They should look pink on the outside and still slightly translucent in the thickest part when they leave the pan. They finish cooking later in the sauce.
► Salt the pasta water well. The pasta needs seasoning before it ever touches the sauce. If the pasta water is too bland, the finished dish will taste a little flat.
► Taste the sauce before you add the pasta, then taste again before serving. Miso brands vary in saltiness. If the sauce tastes heavy or salty, a squeeze of lemon usually brings it back into balance.
► This recipe serves 4, but it scales easily. For 2 servings, halve the ingredients and use a smaller skillet so the sauce reduces properly. For 6 servings, use a 12-inch skillet or larger so the shrimp have room to sear.
Variations
- Without pasta. Skip the linguine and serve the shrimp and sauce with crusty bread. It’s a real treat dipping bread into garlicky butter sauce.
- With more heat. The recipe uses 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes for gentle heat. Double it if you want the sauce to lean spicy. A thinly sliced Fresno chile added with the garlic also works well.
- With capers. Add 1 tablespoon of drained capers with the lemon juice. They bring a briny sharpness that works well with the shrimp and miso.
- No wine. Replace the white wine with low-sodium chicken broth and add an extra 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice. The sauce will taste a little less complex, but it still works.
Storage And Reheating
Refrigerating. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Shrimp do not hold as well as chicken or pork, so the texture is best the day the dish is made.
Freezing. I do not recommend freezing this recipe. Cooked shrimp can turn rubbery after freezing and thawing, and pasta does not hold up well either.
Reheating. Warm leftovers in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water or broth. Add the liquid before turning on the heat, then stir gently until warmed through. Skip the microwave.
Shrimp Scampi with Miso Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb 16/20 count shrimp peeled and deveined
- 8 oz linguine or spaghetti
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- ½ cup dry white wine or low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup pasta water reserved
- ¼ cup fresh parsley roughly chopped
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta in well-salted water until just under al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.
- Pat shrimp dry. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Sear shrimp about 2 minutes or until they are just beginning to turn from translucent to pink. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining butter and garlic to the same pan. Cook 2 minutes until garlic is soft and fragrant but not browned.
- Whisk miso into white wine until dissolved. Pour into the pan. Scrape up any browned bits. Simmer 2 minutes until reduced by half.
- Add lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and pasta water. Add drained pasta and toss to coat. Return shrimp to the pan. Toss everything together over low heat for 1 minute until the sauce clings to the pasta and the shrimp are pink and heated through.
- Serve garnished with parsley.
