15 Minute Shrimp Scampi

I basically survived on 15 minutes meals last month. Between running around town snapping photos for upcoming spring menus in Nashville, working on a redesign for the blog, and everything else that everyday life throws into the mix, I have found myself getting home not really wanting to cook for an hour.

If you don’t ask my hips, pasta has been a lifesaver. This 15-minute shrimp scampi with tomatoes and white wine sauce is my most frequently made recipe meal of the year at my home so far, making an appearance nearly every week since 2018 rolled in.

I’ve slowly moved away from some of the more heavy pasta sauces (sorry, alfredo… I’m talking to you), and transitioned into more simple, well-balanced bases. Not only is it delicious, but happens to be so much more simple to make. I’m all for some lazy cooking on most weeknights.

As produce season rolls in (finally!), I can only imagine that this dish will become that much more delicious. We have some amazing tomatoes here in Tennessee, and I definitely have my eye set on trying this out with them first. During the off-season, I typically opt for some good quality canned crushed tomatoes. Muir Glen has a wonderful fire-roasted crushed canned tomato line. I use those for everything from simple pizza sauce to this pasta toss.

I’m doing my best to go back to cooking simply for dinner recipes this year. Not only because I’m apparently getting older and am tired all the time, but because I think it is the best way to truly learn how to elevate your cooking skills. Focusing on flavor, and less on complicated steps has been much like when I was learning more about photography and forced myself to carry a nifty-50mm lens alone for a good year. Doing this, I was able to make this dish and tweak the basic elements of acidity, fat, and texture in a way that really helped me to reconnect with what good cooking is all about.

With just a bit of lemon juice, crushed red pepper for the tiniest kick, plenty of fresh parsley, and a splash of white wine (you can even add it to the pasta sauce…), and this is probably one of the fastest meals you’ll find. You’re going to love it!