Loaded with immune boosting ingredients, this healthy shrimp scampi pasta recipe has a savory dairy free sauce flavored with broth, capers, wine, lemon and garlic.
Perfectly broil the shrimp from frozen - no defrosting or seasoning required! Make it with your favorite pasta of choice - gluten free scampi is optional.

Some other shrimp recipes you may want to try is this shrimp and asparagus recipe or this crab and shrimp boil recipe.
Ingredient notes & substitutes:
Shrimp: I prefer to use frozen raw gulf shrimp that are peeled, deveined with tails removed - I get mine delivered monthly from ButcherBox. When buying shrimp make sure that they don't smell like ammonia or have shells that feel slimy (this is how you know they have gone bad). I suggest buying shrimp that is frozen unless you are certain that the shrimp are fresh. Most grocery store seafood counters are selling frozen shrimp that they thawed which means it's likely not going to be as fresh as if you buy it frozen and thaw it yourself. It's also important to buy shrimp that are peeled and deveined with tails removed, unless you want to clean them yourself.
Broth: You can use any type of broth (vegetable, chicken, beef). I prefer bone broth because it's more flavorful than traditional broths due to the longer cooking time and includes more collagen which promotes skin, joint, muscle, heart and bone heath.
Pasta: Use your favorite pasta - ideally angel hair, spaghetti or fettuccine. I prefer to cook with gluten free pasta since many people are sensitive to gluten. My favorite brand is jovial which is made of 100% brown rice flour and is the only brand I've found so far that tastes exactly like the real deal!
Wine: Marsala is my favorite dry white wine to use for this dish but you can also use sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio or chardonnay. Wine gives the dish a deep delicious flavor. You can also substitute the wine for an additional ¼ cup of broth.
Oil: I typically use olive oil or avocado for this dish. Olive oil is traditionally used in this dish and adds a nice flavor. I usually prefer to cook with avocado oil because it has a neutral flavor, it is a monounsaturated fat (good fat) and I don't have to worry about burning the oil since it has a high smoke point of 400°F. However, you can use your preferred oil or butter for this dish. A few substitutions I recommend are grapeseed oil or plant based butter.
FAQs
Shrimp can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. After that, it should be thrown away.
I don't recommend microwaving because the shrimp will become overcooked and the kitchen will smell of seafood for days. Instead, saute the leftovers on a stovetop with a splash of water and oil on medium heat for 3 minutes or until warm. For added flavor you can add some fresh minced garlic and a splash of lemon.
You can simply omit the white and add ¼ cup more broth.
You could, but I do not recommend it. The pasta will be soggy and mushy.
More comforting meals you'll love!
I hope you love this dairy free shrimp scampi pasta recipe! If you make it I’d love if you could leave a rating & connect with me on Instagram @passthesprouts!
Recipe
Dairy Free Shrimp Scampi Pasta
Equipment
- Metal sided baking pan (if cooking shrimp from frozen) or large pot (if cooking thawed or fresh shrimp)
Ingredients
- .5 pound frozen shrimp, small ½ pound = 14 small shrimp *make sure they are peeled, deveined with tails removed*
- 8 ounces pasta, spaghetti Jovial is my favorite gluten free brand, use your favorite pasta of choice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic peeled & sliced thin or minced
- ¼ cup lemon juice from 2 lemons
- ½ cup chicken broth or pasta water
- ½ cup white wine pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc or unoaked chardonnay
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons capers optional
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped optional
Instructions
- Cook the shrimp: cook from fresh or frozen -From frozen: Preheat oven broiler to high and put in an empty metal baking pan so that it heats up in the oven for at least 10 minutes. Rinse the frozen shrimp in cold water to separate any shrimp that are frozen together. Place the shrimp on the hot pan and broil in the oven for 6 minutes. The shrimp should sizzle when they are placed on the hot pan. You'll know the shrimp are cooked if they are white and no longer opaque. Make sure they are peeled, deveined with tails removed. Fresh: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, remove the pot from the heat and add the shrimp. Cover the pot and let the shrimp cook in the hot water for 5 minutes. Place the shrimp into a bowl of ice water for 10 minutes. Make sure they are peeled, deveined with tails removed.
- Cook pasta: Cook pasta according to directions and set aside.
- Saute garlic: Add avocado oil to a large pan and heat on medium for 2 minutes until hot. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute or until it starts to turn golden brown.
- Add wine: Pour in wine and bring to a simmer for 3 minutes or until the wine has reduced by half.
- Add remaining ingredients: Add shrimp, broth, lemon juice, capers, sea salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes (optional). Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Assemble: Add cooked pasta, lemon zest, parsley (optional) and top with dairy free parmesan (optional). Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Shrimp: make sure they are peeled, deveined with tails removed.
- Marsala wine substitutes: use a dry white wine (sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio or chardonnay) or substitute for an additional ¼ cup broth.
- Avocado oil substitute: any oil or butter product.
- Bone broth substitute: any broth (vegetable, beef, chicken).
- This dish is super versatile: swap in your favorite vegetables or omit them all together!
Steve says
I made this (minus the capers) and it was BOMB! Keep it up!
Alison says
I would make again, being reasonably healthy isn't so bad after all, who would have thought :p
Carol says
I want to take this to a friend recovering from surgery. Is there a way to keep it warm for an hour or two? Could this be made into a casserole that could just go in her oven?
Rachael says
So sorry on the delay for getting back to you. I totally missed your message. I'm not sure if it could be easily made into a casserole but if I make this ahead of time I usually make the sauce with the shrimp and then keep the pasta separate. Then when I am ready to eat, I will combine them and heat.