Loading…

The garlic softens in butter for just 30 seconds before the wine and broth go in, and that short pause is where the kitchen starts smelling like scampi. I wanted those bright, buttery flavors in a pasta bake without turning the shrimp tough or leaving the noodles swimming in sauce. This shrimp scampi pasta bake keeps the shrimp in a single layer over the penne, so the whole dish cooks together but the shrimp stay easy to check.

Cooking the penne a little short of al dente gives it room to finish in the oven, while the reserved pasta water helps the lemony sauce cling to every piece. A buttery panko-Parmesan topping brings crunch without burying the shrimp. When it comes out of the oven, the top is golden, the shrimp are opaque, and the pasta underneath is glossy with garlic, lemon, and butter.

Why the Reserved Pasta Water Belongs in the Scampi Sauce

Butter, wine, broth, and lemon make a thin, bright sauce before they meet the pasta. The reserved pasta water brings a little starch along with it, which helps the butter and liquid coat the penne instead of pooling at the bottom of the baking dish. That matters here because the pasta has time in the oven to absorb flavor, but you still want each bite to taste slick and lemony rather than dry.

Take the skillet off the heat before stirring in the pasta water, lemon, and parsley. The sauce doesn’t need to boil down into a thick glaze; it needs to be loose enough to spread through the pasta before baking. Toss the penne thoroughly in the dish so the sauce reaches the corners, then arrange the shrimp across the top. A single layer leaves the shrimp exposed to the oven’s heat and makes it easier to tell when they’re ready.

The Ingredients That Make This Bake Taste Like Scampi

• Penne — Its short tubes catch the butter sauce, and the shape holds up well through the oven time. Choose regular dried penne from the pantry; a specialty brand isn’t needed. If you use a different short pasta, cook it to the same slightly-underdone stage before baking.
• Raw large shrimp — Peeled, deveined shrimp with the tails removed are easy to tuck into a single layer and eat straight from the dish. The 31–40 count size gives you shrimp substantial enough to stay distinct among the pasta. Fresh or thawed shrimp both work; pat them dry so excess moisture doesn’t collect on top of the bake.
• Unsalted butter — Butter carries the garlic and lemon flavor and also binds the panko topping. Unsalted butter lets the salt level stay controlled. Use butter you enjoy the taste of, but there’s no need to seek out a specialty variety.
• Garlic and red pepper flakes — Fresh minced garlic gives the sauce its scampi character, while the flakes add a gentle heat. Mince the garlic finely so it softens quickly in the skillet; large pieces are more likely to stay sharp during the brief cooking time.
• Dry white wine and low-sodium chicken broth — Together they give the skillet sauce depth without making it heavy. Use a dry wine you’d be happy to drink; a sweet wine shifts the sauce away from its clean, savory balance. Low-sodium broth keeps the seasoning from getting too salty as the liquid reduces slightly.
• Lemon — Fresh zest and juice give the buttery sauce a bright finish. Zest the lemon before juicing it, and use a fresh lemon rather than bottled juice; the zest adds fragrance that bottled juice can’t provide.
• Panko and finely grated Parmesan — Panko makes a lighter, crisper top than fine breadcrumbs, and finely grated Parmesan mixes evenly through it. Buy a block and grate it finely if that’s convenient, but packaged finely grated Parmesan also works here.
• Fresh parsley — Parsley brings a clean, herbal note to the sauce and the finished dish. Chop it close to when you’ll use it so it stays fresh-looking; dried parsley won’t give the same finish.

Building the Bake Without Overcooking the Shrimp

Get the Penne Ready for the Oven

Heat the oven to 400°F and coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Bring the water to a boil in an 8-quart pot, add the tablespoon of salt and penne, and cook for 8–10 minutes, stopping two minutes before the package’s al dente time. Scoop out the reserved pasta water before draining. Don’t skip that pause before draining; once the penne goes into the oven, it has more cooking ahead.

Make the Garlicky Lemon Sauce

Melt four tablespoons of butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, then add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds, just until the garlic smells fragrant; it shouldn’t brown. Stir in the wine and broth and let them simmer for 2–3 minutes. Take the skillet off the heat, then stir in the reserved pasta water, lemon zest and juice, remaining salt, black pepper, and two tablespoons of parsley.

Coat the Pasta and Add the Shrimp

Put the drained penne in the prepared baking dish and toss it with the sauce until the noodles are coated. Spread the pasta evenly, including into the corners, so you don’t leave a bare, dry patch. Arrange the patted-dry shrimp in one layer over the pasta rather than piling them up. Melt the remaining butter and stir it with the panko and Parmesan, then scatter the topping over the pasta while keeping most of it off the shrimp.

Bake Until the Shrimp Turn Opaque

Bake at 400°F for 12–15 minutes, watching for a golden topping and shrimp that have turned opaque. Check the thickest shrimp with an instant-read thermometer; they should reach 145°F. If the topping is golden before the shrimp are ready, use the shrimp’s doneness rather than the color alone to judge the bake. Rest the dish for five minutes, then finish it with the remaining parsley.

Simple Changes for a Different Scampi Pasta Bake

Questions About Shrimp Scampi Pasta Bake

Shrimp Scampi Pasta Bake

Shrimp scampi pasta bake combines penne and shrimp in a buttery garlic, lemon, and white wine sauce, finished in the oven. A crisp panko-Parmesan topping turns golden while the shrimp bake until opaque.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 26 minutes mins

Resting 5 minutes mins

Total Time 46 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Calories: 480

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the scampi pasta

• 1 cooking spray nonstick
• 12 oz penne
• 4 qt water for cooking the pasta; reserve 0.75 cup
• 1 tbsp kosher salt plus 0.5 tsp, divided
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter divided
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
• 0.5 cup dry white wine
• 0.5 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 lemon medium, zested and juiced
• 0.25 tsp black pepper
• 1.5 lb shrimp raw, large (31–40 count), peeled, deveined, tails removed, patted dry
• 0.25 cup fresh parsley chopped, divided

For the topping

• 0.75 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 0.33 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated

Equipment

• 1 9x13-inch baking dish
• 1 8-quart pot
• 1 12-inch skillet

Method

 

Prepare the dish

1. Heat the oven to 400°F.
2. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Cook the pasta

1. Bring the water to a boil in an 8-quart pot.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of the salt and the penne, and cook for 8–10 minutes, stopping 2 minutes before the package’s al dente time.
3. Reserve 3/4 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta.

Make the scampi sauce

1. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook for 30 seconds.
3. Stir in the wine and broth and simmer for 2–3 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the reserved pasta water, lemon zest and juice, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley.

Assemble the pasta

1. Toss the drained pasta with the sauce in the prepared baking dish.
2. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer on top.

Make the topping

1. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and stir it together with the panko and Parmesan.

Bake and serve

1. Sprinkle the topping over the pasta, keeping most of it off the shrimp.
2. Bake at 400°F for 12–15 minutes, until the shrimp are opaque and reach 145°F in the thickest part and the topping is golden.
3. Rest for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley.

Notes

Pat the shrimp dry so they bake evenly, and keep most of the panko topping off them for crispness. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended because the shrimp can lose their texture. For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free penne and breadcrumbs.