Shrimp scampi was one of the very first dishes I learned to cook and was also one of the first dishes that I was able to successfully modify to suite specific dietary requirements. When I was in college, I went on a months' long anti-candida cleanse that was incredibly restrictive (removing all grains, sugar, fruit, starchy veggies, and dairy with ghee as the only exception). Since scampi's ingredients are so simple and approachable so I set out to adjust it to suite my requirements at the time. Lo and behold, it was actually very easy to adjust and just as satisfying after I made a few ingredient swaps.
This recipe is a more refined version of my experimentation from over 5 years ago, but is still super easy and SO yummy. I adapted the dish from the Bon Appétit classic shrimp scampi recipe, but adjusted the ingredients to accommodate various dietary requirements. I subbed the white wine with stock for anyone avoiding alcohol and swapped butter for lactose-free ghee. After making these changes, I tossed in some tomatoes to up the veggie quotient, and called it a day.
Final thoughts here: this scampi is a true show-stopping dish, and is SO versatile. Serve it on skewers as an appetizer for your next big gathering,over some spaghetti squash or classic linguini, or alongside a sautéed greens for a satisfying and nourishing meal. It keeps well as leftovers, so you can make it for your next meal-prep and enjoy it throughout the week! Delicious, health-supportive, and adaptable-- what's not to love? Plus, what a perfect, summery dish. If you give it a try, please drop a comment below and let me know how you like it!
Deliciously Healthy Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic (two grated, two sliced thinly)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 lb large shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- ¼ cup chicken or seafood stock
- 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ cup ghee (I use Organic Valley)
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 3 tbsp roughly chopped parsley
Instructions
- Pat shrimp dry with a towel then add dry shrimp, 2 cloves of grated garlic, salt, and 1 tbsp olive oil to a medium bowl and toss to coat thoroughly. Allow to rest uncovered in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Heat avocado oil in a large cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- Add shrimp to the pan in a single layer, and cook until just cooked on each side, but shrimp is still slightly raw in the center. Be careful not to let the shrimp or garlic brown. About 1 min per side.
- Remove shrimp from the pan, leaving behind as much oil as possible. Add sliced garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan, cooking until fragrant and being careful not to let the garlic brown. About 2 minutes.
- Add stock and lemon juice to the pan and scrape up any browned bits from the pan, incorporating into the stock. Allow the liquid to reduce for about 5 minutes.
- Add ghee and cherry tomatoes to the pan, stirring to incorporate until the ghee is melted.
- Add shrimp back to the pan and complete cooking. About 2 minutes.
- Plate shrimp and sprinkle with parsley. Enjoy!