Skillet-Smoked Shrimp Scampi over Quinoa
When I was pregnant, shrimp basically became its own food group in our house. I ate it every week — always over quinoa because I had gestational diabetes and pasta was off the table (literally). What started as “Shrimp Sundays” quickly turned into a full-on ritual. Once I wasn’t pregnant anymore — and wine was officially back on the menu — I gave my old standby a glow-up.
Enter: Skillet-Smoked Shrimp Scampi over Quinoa. It’s buttery, garlicky, smoky, and honestly just feels fancy, even though it’s super simple. Think restaurant-level shrimp scampi… but you get to eat it in your slippers with a glass of Chardonnay in hand.
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The Ingredients
Like all good shrimp scampis, this one starts with butter — a lot of butter — and enough garlic to make your neighbors jealous. The sauce gets a splash of Freakshow Chardonnay (because cooking wine should be drinkable), plus lemon juice, crushed red pepper, and a touch of cayenne for a little kick.
The shrimp soak up all that magic before hitting the smoker, which gives it that perfect smoky depth that’ll have everyone asking what your secret is. Don’t have a smoker? No problem. The oven or grill totally work too.
Pile it high over a warm bed of quinoa, then finish with freshly grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of parsley. It’s everything you love about shrimp scampi — just a little lighter, a little fancier, and a lot more flavorful.
The Method
Timing is everything here. You want the shrimp to marinate just long enough to absorb flavor, but not so long that the lemon starts “cooking” them before they ever see heat. Once they hit the smoker, though? That’s where the magic happens. The butter melts, the garlic sizzles, and the wine and smoke turn into a sauce that’s downright drinkable (please don’t, but also… I get it).
If you’re making it on the grill or in the oven instead, don’t stress — you’ll still get all the garlicky goodness without needing to smell like hickory for two days.
Pairings
This dish is a full meal all on its own — buttery shrimp, smoky sauce, and fluffy quinoa. But if you must add something, a hunk of crusty bread to soak up that sauce is the way to go.
To drink, pour yourself a glass of the same Chardonnay you cooked with (always a rule in my kitchen). Or, if you’re feeling fun, try it with a light sour beer — it plays surprisingly well with the citrus and garlic.
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Skillet-Smoked Shrimp Scampi over Quinoa
Equipment
- Smoker We used Traeger
Ingredients
Shrimp Ingredients
- 2 pounds large or extra large frozen shrimp peeled and deveined
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- ¼ cup dry white wine Freakshow Chardonnay or similar
- 1 small lemon
- 1 head garlic peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper or lemon pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt or garlic salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper optional
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
Quinoa Ingredients
- 3 ¾ cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups quinoa
Garnish
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ⅓ small lemon optional squeeze for serving
Instructions
- Marinate the Shrimp: In a large bowl, toss shrimp with garlic, crushed red pepper, black pepper, salt, cayenne, onion powder, and lemon juice. Let marinate in the fridge for 15–30 minutes — just enough time to pour yourself that glass of wine.
- Preheat the Smoker: Fire up your smoker and set it to 275°F. Lightly oil a cast iron skillet.
- Arrange the Shrimp: Place shrimp in a single layer, spiraling them inward like a little seafood masterpiece.
- Smoke: Smoke for 15 minutes, then scatter butter chunks around the pan and pour in the wine. Crank the heat to 450°F and let cook for another 15–20 minutes — until the shrimp are opaque, juicy, and just starting to caramelize at the edges.
- Cook the Quinoa: Meanwhile, bring chicken broth and quinoa to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes until fluffy.
- Serve: Spoon quinoa into bowls, top with shrimp, drizzle with that buttery sauce (aka liquid gold), and finish with Parmesan, parsley, and a squeeze of lemon.
Notes
To make this in the oven, preheat to 400°F and prepare the shrimp in your cast iron skillet the same way (tossed in garlic, spices, and lemon juice).
Bake uncovered for 10 minutes, then add the butter and wine. Return to the oven and roast another 8–10 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and the sauce is bubbling. You’ll miss the smoke, but the flavor is still incredible — buttery, garlicky, and bright.
welcome!
Hi, I'm Margot Searls and my hope is to turn around recipes from my table to yours. The food you put on your table can truly turn your lifestyle around for the better—hence Turned Around Table.
