Instant Pot Shrimp Scampi Pasta
Posted: 08/02/2021
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What’s not to love about Instant Pot shrimp scampi pasta? Creamy angel hair pasta and flavorful shrimp, cooked in one pan in less than a half hour! The shrimp cooks from frozen!
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: It’s shrimp scampi! In one pan!
How long it takes: 30 minutes, start to finish
Equipment you’ll need: Instant Pot
Servings: 4
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This pasta dish is so easy to prepare. From start to finish, you’ll have it on the table in less than a half hour. That’s my kind of recipe! And such an easy cleanup — only one pan. Plates and forks are optional (just kidding!).
Don’t have any meat thawed out for tonight’s dinner? No worries, just grab a bag of frozen shrimp out of the freezer and you’re good to go. Shrimp is my go-to for quick meals. Try sheet pan shrimp fajitas or grill up shrimp kabobs with pineapple. These shrimp tacos with avocado, mango and pineapple salsa are crazy good.
And this pasta dish is really so delicious: briny shrimp and delicate angel hair pasta in a garlicky white wine sauce, with bright lemon and salty Parmesan. This isn’t a creamy cheese sauce, like Alfredo, but you’ll definitely notice a creamy feel due to the starch that’s released into the broth from the pasta. And with just 414 calories per serving, you’ll enjoy every bite!
Why spend a bunch of money at a restaurant when you can easily make this absolutely delicious shrimp scampi pasta at home? Open that bottle of white wine (for the pasta, of course, but you may as well enjoy a glass!) and let’s get cooking!
About this Recipe
What is shrimp scampi? In Italy, scampi are small crustaceans in the lobster family. They are called langoustine or prawns. Since they aren’t widely available in the U.S., cooks began substituting shrimp, cooking them the same way they would have cooked scampi, a quick sauté with butter and garlic.
So shrimp scampi, which is kind of like saying “shrimp shrimp,” has evolved into a garlic butter shrimp dish that is prepared in a variety of ways. Try my lemon shrimp recipe with olive oil, garlic, and lemon which really is a shrimp scampi preparation.
You’ll find that shrimp scampi is so often served on angel hair pasta that folks think that’s what shrimp scampi is. This Instant Pot shrimp scampi pasta recipe is an easy iteration of a classic dish.
Look for the complete printable recipe with measurements and notes at the end of this post
What you need
- Butter and Olive Oil: A mixture of butter and olive oil reduces saturated fat but increases the flavor of this simple dish.
- Shallots and Garlic: The pungency is tempered by sautéing briefly in the butter/olive oil mixture.
- Dry White Wine: Use wine that you like to drink, such as Sauvignon Blanc which has a nice citrus note that complements the lemon in this recipe.
- Angel Hair Pasta: A quick cooking pasta that’s often served with shrimp scampi.
- Chicken Broth: Look for low sodium or unsalted chicken broth.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: Add as much or as little zingy heat as you like.
- Shrimp: Since shrimp cooks very quickly, you won’t even have to thaw it before adding it to the Instant Pot. How easy is that!
- Parmesan Cheese: Use a good quality Parmesan if you can. I like to pass additional cheese when I serve this dish.
- Fresh Parsley: Choose Italian (flat leaf) parsley.
- Lemon Juice: A squeeze of lemon juice really brightens up this pasta dish.
How to make it
You’ll need an Instant Pot pressure cooker to make this pasta dish. You won’t need an additional pan to cook the pasta or a colander to drain it, nor will you need a skillet to sauté the shrimp.
Begin by sautéing chopped garlic and shallots in olive oil and butter in your Instant Pot. In a few minutes, they’ll be tender and so aromatic. Add the wine and stir for another minute. Oh, that smells soooo good! Turn off the heat while you add the rest of the ingredients.
Stir in half of the broth, making sure nothing’s sticking on the bottom of the pan – scrape all of those brown bits up!. Crack the angel hair pasta in half and layer it in the pot in a criss-cross pattern. If you just plop the dry pasta in, all going in one direction, it will stick together when it cooks and you’ll end up with a pasta blob.
Pour in the rest of the broth, separating the pasta as much as possible. Sprinkle on a few red pepper flakes, then arrange the frozen shrimp on top. Season with a bit of salt and put the lid on the pot.
Select Manual or Pressure Cook and set the time for zero minutes (not a typo!). Both shrimp and angel hair pasta require a short cooking time and by the time the pressure cooker comes to pressure, they’re both fully cooked. Magical!
Important Tip
Some pressure cooker models may not let you select zero. Select the lowest time you can but stop the cooking as soon as the pressure cooker indicates full pressure (hit cancel), then quick release the pressure!
Remove the lid when the pressure is safely vented and stir in shredded Parmesan, parsley, and fresh squeezed lemon juice. Enjoy immediately!
FAQs
What is scampi sauce made of?
Shrimp scampi is usually prepared very simply with garlic, butter, and shrimp. Often white wine, lemon juice, or red pepper flakes are added.
What can I use as a substitute for white wine in shrimp scampi?
You can omit white wine when making shrimp scampi. Fresh lemon juice or chicken broth can be added instead if you prefer.
What side dishes go with shrimp scampi?
Most people like to serve shrimp scampi with pasta or crusty bread. With this Instant Pot shrimp scampi pasta, serve a simple classic arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette.
How To Make This Recipe Your Own
- If you’d like more control over cooking the shrimp (or if you’re using fresh or thawed shrimp), don’t add it to the Instant Pot right away. Wait until the pasta is cooked, set the Instant Pot to warm, and stir in thawed or fresh shrimp. The residual heat will cook the shrimp in about 8-10 minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp. Or if you don’t mind making another pan dirty, sauté the shrimp in a skillet, plate the pasta, and top with the shrimp.
- For a side dish or a vegetarian entrée, omit the shrimp.
Storage and Reheating Suggestions
Shrimp scampi pasta is really best eaten immediately. If you do happen to have some left over, cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to two days. Reheat pasta in the microwave in 15 second increments until warm. Add a little broth if the pasta seems dry.
More one pot pasta recipes
- Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Instant Pot Crack Chicken Pasta – cheesy ranch perfection
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese with Broccoli — so creamy!
- Taco Pasta – One Pan, Healthy, 30 Minutes
- Pizza Pasta – 1 pan, 6 ingredients, 20 minutes
- Gnocchi with Kale & Sun-Dried Tomatoes – ONE PAN!
- Easy Skillet Lasagna
- One Pot Vegetarian Orzo with Sundried Tomatoes
- Creamy Chicken Spaghetti – one pan, endless variations!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
servings
What's not to love about Instant Pot shrimp scampi pasta? Creamy angel hair pasta and flavorful shrimp, cooked in one pan in less than a half hour!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large or 2 small shallots, halved and thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 8 ounces angel hair pasta
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 pound large frozen shrimp (size 20-30), deveined, shells and tails removed (do not thaw, see note)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat Instant Pot on “Saute” function. Add butter, olive oil, shallots, and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until shallots soften, 2-3 minutes.
- Add wine and cook, stirring, until wine has reduced slightly, about 1 minute. Turn Instant Pot off.
- Add 1 1/4 cups broth to pot, scraping up any brown bits. Crack pasta in half and layer in a criss cross pattern. Add remaining broth and separate strands of pasta as much as possible. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and then add frozen shrimp to the top, without stirring. Sprinkle with salt.
- Secure Instant Pot lid and turn valve to seal. Set on “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” (depending on your model) for 0 minutes (not a typo!). If your Instant Pot model will not accept 0 minutes as a setting, simply press Cancel when you hear the signal that it’s reached full pressure.
- Once the Instant Pot has reached full pressure, immediately release pressure by doing a “quick release” and turning valve to vent.
- Remove cover and stir in Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, and lemon juice.
- Taste and season with additional salt and red pepper flakes as needed. Serve immediately.
Notes
If using fresh or thawed shrimp:
- Cook pasta as directed above, omitting shrimp. It will only take about 6 minutes to come to pressure instead of 15.
- When pasta has finished cooking, remove the lid and stir in shrimp. Leave Instant Pot on warm setting, with the lid on but not sealed, and cook for 8-10 minutes or until shrimp is cooked through (pink and shaped like the letter C), stirring 3 times to ensure shrimp cooks evenly.
- Continue with the remainder of the recipe and stir in Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, and lemon juice.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 414kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 36g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 261mg, Sodium: 1989mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Jim Schultz says
@rachelcooksblog
What a great recipe! We loved it.
Thanks.
Rachel Gurk says
So glad you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!