The ever elegant restaurant entree that you love to order just became so much easier to make at home! This recipe for Instant Pot Shrimp Scampi cooks in– get this– 3 minutes! This is a one pot meal that you’ll love to serve up, either for a quick meal for yourself or to impress at a dinner party!
Why Make This Recipe
- Simplicity and time: A delicious dinner truly doesn’t get simpler than this. Dump your ingredients into the Instant Pot and press “start”. 3 minutes later, you’ll open your lid to a perfectly cooked meal.
- A complete meal: The best part about Instant Pot Shrimp Scampi is that it can function as a complete meal. With protein and filling carbs, this will be the only recipe you need to cook for dinner! Except, of course, if you want some cheesy garlic bread to go with it.
- Perfect for entertaining: Shrimp Scampi doesn’t have to be a “special occasion” meal. This dish comes out restaurant-level perfect every time.
What Goes in This Recipe?
- White wine: I like using Pinot Grigio when cooking with white wine, but you can also use Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, or any other crisp wine with a high acidity
- Lemon juice: Fresh-squeezed is always the best, but you can also use pre-bottled lemon juice as well
- Raw shrimp: I used medium-sized, thawed raw shrimp. If you would like to use frozen, raw shrimp you can do so. The cook time will not change on the recipe! (Another great shrimp recipe is this Instant Pot Shrimp Boil).
- Angel hair pasta: Use dry pasta. I used angel hair pasta for this recipe, but you can also alter this recipe to use a different kind of pasta. If you do so, make sure to check the Instant Pot cook time for that type of pasta.
- Parmesan cheese: It makes everything better! Use finely grated, powdered parmesan.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Add Everything into the Pot
It doesn’t get much simpler than this. Add all ingredients except for parsley and parmesan into the Instant Pot, layering the ingredients in the order listed in the recipe card. Set the pressure to HIGH for 3 minutes making sure to leave a few minutes for the pressure to build. This should take about 5-8 minutes.
Step 2: Release the Pressure
When the cook time has completed perform a Quick Release (manually release the pressure valve, allowing the steam to shoot out the top of your Instant Pot). Make sure to do this as soon as your pasta is done cooking. The longer you leave it without releasing pressure, the mushier your pasta will get.
Step 3: Garnish your Meal
Sprinkle the pasta with your parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Completely submerge your dry pasta in the liquid inside the Instant Pot. Doing so will make sure that your noodles cook consistently.
- If you use a different kind of pasta that requires a longer cook time than angel hair, prep the shrimp separately. Cooking the shrimp in the Instant Pot for longer than 3 minutes could result in an undesirable texture
- If you need to prep your shrimp separately, simply sautee them in olive oil on the stove over medium heat until they turn pink.
Recipe FAQs
If you don’t have access to a fresh fish counter or just prefer to use frozen shrimp, you absolutely can!
Simply add the frozen shrimp to the top of your noodles (just as you would the uncooked shrimp) and cook for the same amount of time.
Your Instant Pot may take a few extra minutes to come to pressure as it will be thawing the frozen shrimp. However, the actual cook time will remain the same.
What is the Best Way to Reheat this Recipe?
This recipe is best served immediately after opening the Instant Pot. Even a half an hour later and your noodles will have soaked up almost the entire sauce.
However, if you have leftovers and want them heated up, I would simply throw them in the microwave with another drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. This will jazz up the noodles and emphasize the flavors of the sauces that they were cooked in previously.
You can also heat up your noodles in a pan on the stove if you’d like! I would also add olive oil and lemon to the pan, then place your noodles in the liquid and heat over medium-high heat until warmed through.
What Does Scampi Mean?
Scampi is actually an Italian word for small crustaceans that are members of the lobster family. They are also called Dublin Bay Prawns or Norway Lobsters.
According to the LA Times, the most likely reason for the name of this pasta dish is that Italian chefs in America prepared the dish and substituted shrimp for scampi. The chefs probably described the meal as “shrimp prepared scampi-style.”
This was then shortened to shrimp scampi, and the name stuck!
Nowadays, you can have shrimp scampi plain, without any noodles. This consists of simply cooking the shrimp in olive oil, wine, lemon and butter.
Our recipe calls for cooking the scampi with angel hair pasta, adding a delicious elegance to the meal and turning our simple recipe into a full entree.
If you liked this recipe for Instant Pot Shrimp Scampi, make sure to check out these other recipes I picked out just for you!
You’ll also love these Shrimp recipes!:
If you make this recipe at home, leave a review/comment on this post letting us know what you thought!
And don’t forget to share a photo of your finished product on Facebook and Instagram and tag @TheForeignFork and hashtag #TheForeignFork.
Instant Pot Shrimp Scampi
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups chicken broth
- ¼ cup white wine
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp chopped garlic
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp butter, cold
- 8 oz angel hair pasta, dry
- 1 lb medium shrimp, raw, shelled, deveined
- 1/3 cup parsley
- Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Pour your chicken broth, white wine, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and salt into the Instant Pot. Add your 2 tbsp of butter into the pot.
- Use your hands to break your angel hair pasta in half so that it can fit in the liner. Place the dry pasta in the liquid in the Instant Pot, using a wooden spoon to make sure that the noodles are submerged under the liquid.
- Place the raw shrimp on top of the noodles.
- Put the lid on the Instant Pot and secure it. Turn the pressure to HIGH and cook for 3 minutes. When the cooking cycle has completed, perform a Quick Release.
- Open the lid of the Instant Pot and stir. Chop up the parsley and mix it into the noodles. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- White wine: I like using pinot grigio when cooking with white wine, but you can also use Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, or any other crisp wine with a high acidity
- Lemon juice: Fresh-squeezed is always the best, but you can also use pre-bottled lemon juice as well
- Raw shrimp: I used medium-sized, thawed raw shrimp. If you would like to use frozen, raw shrimp you can do so. The cook time will not change on the recipe!
- Angel hair pasta: Use dry pasta. I used angel hair pasta for this recipe, but you can also alter this recipe to use a different kind of pasta. If you do so, make sure to check the Instant Pot cook time for that type of pasta.
- Parmesan cheese: It makes everything better! Use finely grated, powdered parmesan.
- Completely submerge your dry pasta in the liquid inside the Instant Pot. Doing so will make sure that your noodles cook consistently.
- If you use a different kind of pasta that requires a longer cook time than angel hair, prep the shrimp separately. Cooking the shrimp in the Instant Pot for longer than 3 minutes could result in an undesirable texture
Marc Krasner says
AMAZING!!!! This was so easy and so good! The Instant Pot is by far my favorite kitchen gadget. This recipe will definitely be in the rotation. FYI… you were correct… made this with frozen shrimp straight from the bag. 3 minutes… perfect! Also used whole wheat spaghetti which was also cooked perfectly. Thanks so much!!!
The Foreign Fork says
Thanks for the comment Marc, I really appreciate it!! I’m so glad that your meal turned out perfectly 🙂
Alyssa G says
We LOVE this meal! If I need to double it, do I double all the ingredients, and does the cook time stay the same?
The Foreign Fork says
Hi Alyssa, Yes that’s exactly how you’d double it. Enjoy!
RITA J MARION says
HI THIS WAS THE FIRST RECIPE I TRIED IN MY INSTANT POT. FORGOT TO PUT MORE LIQUID IN BECAUSE I DIDNT WANT WINE. DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO OPEN THE PRESSURE COOKER. OR EVEN HOW TO START IT. 2 HOURS LATER IT WAS MUSH. I KNOW WHAT I DID WRONG AND WILL DEFINITELY TRY AGAIN. I’VE LEARNED ALOT SINCE I FAILED. CAN’T WAIT TO MAKE IT RIGHT. I’M MORE ENCOURAGED TO JUST FROM READING THE COMMENTS.
The Foreign Fork says
Hey Rita! The first time using the pot is always SO confusing but im glad you figured it out!! Can’t wait to hear what you think 🙂
Gabby B says
The most simple yet most delicious shrimp scampi!!!!
The Foreign Fork says
Such a compliment, Gabby! Thank you!