Mushroom Scampi

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Updated Oct. 10, 2023

Mushroom Scampi — James Ransom for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.

Total Time: 30 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Rating: 4(951)
Notes: Read community notes

While most scampi recipes feature shrimp rather than the namesake small, lobster-like crustaceans, this mushroom version is a joyful meat-free alternative. All of the signatures are here – garlic, butter and white wine – and the mushrooms add a rich, earthy umami element. There is room to vary your mushrooms; while cremini or button mushrooms are great because they remain juicy and plump, oyster or shiitake mushrooms would add a pleasing, chewier texture. This dish is also parsley heavy; some is cooked with the mushrooms and the rest is added fresh, delivering a clean herbaceousness that brightens the dish. Eat with pasta, noodles or bread.

or to save this recipe.
Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
Subscribe
Share
Print Options
Include recipe photo

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

2tablespoons unsalted butter
2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1shallot, thinly sliced
1½pounds cremini or button mushrooms, halved, quartered if large
4garlic cloves, finely chopped
½cup dry white wine
½cup vegetable stock or water
1teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
¼teaspoon red-pepper flakes, or more to taste
Black pepper
½cup parsley leaves (tightly packed), roughly chopped
3 to 4tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 to 2 lemons)
Pasta, noodles or crusty bread, to serve

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium. Melt the butter and oil, then add the shallot, stirring until softened slightly, about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are soft but still plump, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and toss until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds.
Step 2
Add the wine, vegetable stock, salt, red-pepper flakes, a few pinches of black pepper and half the parsley. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the wine has reduced by half and thickened slightly, 3 to 5 minutes.
Step 3
Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Taste and season with salt, if desired.
Step 4
To serve, top with remaining parsley and eat with pasta, noodles or crusty bread.

Ratings

4 out of 5

951 user ratings

Your rating

Have you cooked this?

Private Notes

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.

Cooking Notes

Karen (Denver)1 year ago

Wilt in some baby spinach at the end and top with a few toasted pine (or wal-) nuts.

George1 year ago

sounds good using the sauce in a scampi recipe for mushrooms, but “scampi” in Italian means “large shrimp or prawns”. so maybe just call it “Mushrooms in Garlic/Butter Sauce”?

rhbphoto1 year ago

I make a similar dish, more of a ragu, and I like to use assorted mushrooms, punch up my veggies stock with porcini powder and use soy paste for the salt component. Serving over grilled bread with shaved cheese sounds inviting.

Jon Greebberg1 year ago

I noticed the same omission, but then I remembered, this is scampi. The correct amounts of butter/olive oil are, plenty.

A Reader1 year ago

What is the source of the 7 grams of protein per serving listed in the nutritional information? Are mushrooms that high in protein? Thank you.

Steveweis20011 year ago

Made this tonight. Substituted sweet onion for the shallot. Also used chicken stock as a substitute for the vegetable stock. This turned out great and got approval from the wife. We’ll be having it again.

David1 year ago

Had almost 1lb of oyster mushrooms and 1lb of cremini, so thought this would be a good dish to use them up. Also had lots of spinach so added a cup of finely sliced leaves with the wine and stock. Very tasty. No red pepper flakes in the pantry (no idea where they went) but added a bit of parmesan cheese. Had it over pasta with a glass of wine - very tasty. I will add this to the rotation, as it was super easy and delish.

LarryD1 year ago

I would add peas, myself

Luke1 year ago

This was a hit. Used cremini and served over skillet crisped gnocchi. Also tossed in a bunch of chopped swiss chard right before the wine.

Meredith1 year ago

I really liked this! Wasn't sure about the mushrooms/lemon combo but decided to try it. I had baby Bella mushrooms so that's what I used. Changed the order slightly by partially cooking the mushrooms first in the heated skillet with no oil (I think I learned that trick from NYT Cooking), put the mushrooms aside in a bowl, then went back to the step of heating the butter and oil and cooking the shallots. Added the mushrooms back in once the shallots were softened and followed the directions

EV1 year ago

I made this last week. I bought 4 kinds of mush (porcini, portabella, cremini, shitake) and followed the recipe to the letter. It was delicious and kept well for several days. Be careful not to chop too small if you're grilling; some of my shrooms fell through the grate!

Kathy1 year ago

I just made this, using half the mushrooms (it’s what I had) and onion in place of shallot. It’s got a stunning flavor, It’s going over farro with garlic shrimp on the side. A keeper to be sure.

Mama J1 year ago

Made this dish as the recipe says with these changes: used a handful of shittake to 1.5 cup cremini, and subbed chives for parsley. Used jovial gluten free spaghetti Enjoyed by 2 omnivores, 2 pescatarian gluten free,

mmkay1 year ago

This was ok but the flavor and texture of the cooked mushrooms reminded me of the ubiquitous canned Pennsylvania Dutchman mushrooms of my mother’s spaghetti sauce. I think the fresh mushrooms need to be browned a bit before they get added for a bit more flavor depth. Will try that next time.

YYCMichele1 year ago

Loved it! We didn’t have any vegetable stock but we did have chicken stock available. Low on Oyster mushrooms so we added a few shrimp. Used gluten free pasta. It tasted fantastic! Paired with a green salad and yogurt-lemon-dill dressing. Restaurant quality meal, made at home. Will definitely make it again!

InkieD1 week ago

This dish is much more like escargot de Bourgogne (butter, garlic & parsley) in taste and texture than shrimp scampi. This recipe will enter my rotation with a couple of changes. As Scratchcook wrote: Cook the mushrooms with 1/4 cup water until all liquid is gone, stirring over medium/high heat. Reduce heat and brown in 1 tablespoon butter. Remove from pan & follow recipe from step 1. Don’t add lemon juice. Plenty of flavor without it.

InkieD1 week ago

I meant medium/high heat. Stir the shrooms. Cook time 4-8 minutes.

Robert Prinzing1 month ago

I added 1.5 pounds of shrimp. I put them in just before the reduction was complete.

LJGenovese3 months ago

Delicious!! Served it over chickpea pasta. I cooked the mushrooms at least twice as long as recipe instructed. Next time, I’ll slice mushrooms smaller so they cook faster and distribute better throughout the pasta.

Beth4 months ago

Followed recipe exactly but it turned out a little watery - will reduce liquid longer next time.

Brenda5 months ago

Followed the recipe exactly. Used water instead of vegetable broth. Served over a bowl of creamy white beans. Perfect.

Lori5 months ago

There's no mention of cloves in the preparation. Did anyone add them?

varguez5 months ago

Way more espectacular than expected. Specially by the end when I tasted it before adding the lemons, I was like “it’s just ok” then added the lemons and served with farro and my head explote! Soooo good!! So fresh and balanced

Annmarie5 months ago

Not a bad recipe. It’s a good replacement entree for vegetarians. I added more spices (more red pepper flakes, ground sumac, and white pepper). I ‘sweated’ the mushrooms because mushroom water is unappealing. It’s tasty. Maybe next time I’ll make the sauce creamy…add some cheese or cream or something.

NYC_ARCHITECT_UES5 months ago

Finished the pasta in the reducing sauce (Roman style) and used the pasta water in place of stock to aid in creating a luscious sauce. Otherwise all as written, and a delightful, easy recipe with clear flavor. I agree it’s strange to call this ‘scampi’ but it’s a keeper.

Lauren Merry Vale5 months ago

I made this tonight and it was AMAZING. Perfect. Followed the recipe exactly as written, served it over pasta, and my partner and I devoured it. My partner is vegan and I am vegetarian, so this will be in the regular rotation for sure.

Catherine Stern6 months ago

I simply followed the recipe. I'd sauteed mushrooms the day before, intending to make a soup, but was intrigued and it looked like it would take less time. I boiled water, tossed in a couple of handfuls of egg noodles and while they boiled, this reciped came together in perhaps 10 minutes? I too, added baby spinach because I had it. This one is a keeper! Thank you for the suggestion of pine or walnuts. It's perfect the way it is, and easy to adjust.

Gary (New Haven)8 months ago

For a healthier alternative, substitute EVOO for the butter and finish with a tablespoon of truffle infused olive oil. The other gourmet twist is to finely puree some reconstituted porcini mushrooms and incorporate into the sauce.

Ashley9 months ago

Followed the recipe exactly. Really good, even my gf who is allergic to lemon juice couldn’t help herself.

JMc9 months ago

Red onions thinly diced/scallions. Skipped red pepper flakes, but put them on the table. Warmed up leftover black cod in juices and added to the finished dish. GF brown rice pasta. Yum.

Private notes are only visible to you.