This Vegan Shrimp Scampi is ready in less than 30 minutes and guaranteed to be your new favorite weeknight pasta dish. It’s made with oyster mushrooms, a homemade garlicky, butter scampi sauce and tons of fresh Italian parsley. Enjoy this quick and simple vegan dinner tonight!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No processed vegan shrimp! Although there are a few vegan shrimp options available in the frozen food aisles of the grocery store, I wanted to create a homemade vegan shrimp that was healthier and easier to find. My homemade meatless shrimp is made with just one ingredient and is not only healthy, but the perfect flavor and texture for vegan shrimp!
- Gluten-free friendly. This vegan pasta is easily made gluten free with Cakebread Cellars gluten free Sauvignon Blanc as well as gluten-free pasta.
- Hearty. This dairy-free, vegetarian scampi is the perfect comfort food to make when you’re craving something rich, creamy, and filling! If you love hearty vegan dinners, try my Vegan Tater Tot Casserole and Creamy Vegan Gigi Hadid Pasta, too!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- White Wine – I used Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc in my scampi sauce. It has a sweet citrus aroma that balances the lemon juice in the vegan scampi sauce so nicely. It also helps balance the acidity of the dish with its crispness, making it incredibly flavorful and the perfect pairing. Enjoy a glass of the wine with your shrimp scampi, too, of course!
- Oyster mushrooms – Oyster mushrooms, also known as pearl oyster mushrooms or tree oyster mushrooms, are a funny-looking mushroom sold in the produce section of many grocery stores, such as Whole Foods. They have a mild savory flavor and are a great vegan substitute for shrimp, as they have a similar texture and can take on any flavor as they are very absorbent. If you can’t find oyster mushrooms, portobello mushrooms are the next best substitute.
- Pasta – You can use any type of pasta like linguine, spaghetti, or angel hair pasta. You can also use gluten free or grain free pasta, as needed or desired. I used Jovial’s gluten free spaghetti.
- Vegan butter – There are a number of vegan butters available on the market today, and any of them will work here.
- Fresh parsley – Fresh parsley is a required ingredient in this vegan shrimp scampi. I recommend using Italian flat-leaf parsley as it is better tasting and palatable than curly parsley. Dried parsley will not have the same effect or flavor and cannot be substituted.
- Lemon juice – Similar to the parsley, fresh lemon juice is a necessity in this scampi sauce. It brightens the flavor and cannot be substituted.
FAQS
Is white wine vegan?
Not all white wine is vegan because some wines use fining agents that contain casein or isinglass, which is made from fish bladder protein. Good news, however, is all Cakebread Cellars wines are vegan friendly, including their Sauvignon Blanc.
How do you thicken shrimp scampi sauce?
In order to thicken this scampi sauce, allow the sauvignon blanc to reduce for about 2 minutes or so. If you want your scampi sauce even thicker, you can add a small cornstarch slurry, but remember you want the sauce to be thin enough where it can evenly coat the pasta and vegan shrimp as well. I don’t find this scampi sauce needs it.
Can you eat the stems of oyster mushrooms?
Yes! The stems of oyster mushrooms are just as edible to eat as the caps. You can slice them and turn them into vegan scallops or add them to a homemade vegetable stock.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
- Measure ingredients before you start! Although this vegan scampi sauce is very easy to prepare, it does require frequent stirring and you won’t have much time to prep additional ingredients as you go. I recommend getting everything measured and ready before starting the scampi sauce so the cooking process is fun and relaxing.
- Toss the pasta in a bit of olive oil or vegan butter. After cooking the pasta to package instructions, toss it in a tablespoon of vegan butter or olive oil. This is going to prevent the pasta from sticking together while you prepare the vegan shrimp scampi sauce.
Vegan Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients
- 1 lb Pasta (I used gluten free spaghetti)
- 4 tbsp vegan butter
- 4 clove garlic minced
- 2 tbsp shallots chopped
- ½ cup Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper optional
- 1.5 cup oyster mushroom caps removed from stem
- ⅓ cup parsley fresh
- 4 tbsp lemon juice fresh
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Cook your pasta according to package instructions and set aside.
- Prepare the vegan shrimp. While pasta is cooking, remove the mushroom caps from the oyster mushrooms, setting aside the stems for another recipe.
- Prepare the garlic butter. In a large skillet, start the scampi sauce by melting 3 tablespoons of vegan butter over medium heat. Add in the minced garlic and chopped shallot and sauté in the butter until fragrant, stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes to prevent burning.
- Add in the homemade vegan shrimp. In the same skillet with the sautéed vegan butter and garlic, add in the oyster mushroom caps, as well as salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Sauté for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently until the oyster mushrooms are softened, similar to the texture of seafood.
- Set aside the vegan shrimp mixture. Transfer the vegan shrimp, garlic and shallot to a separate bowl, then finish preparing the vegan shrimp scampi sauce.
- Add in Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc. Lower the heat to low and add in the last tablespoon of vegan butter, half a cup of Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, and lemon juice. Mix well to incorporate and bring the liquid to a simmer until the wine has reduced in the scampi sauce, about 2 minutes.
- Add the vegan shrimp back in. Once the wine has reduced into the vegan scampi sauce, add the oyster mushrooms, garlic, and shallot back into the skillet with the scampi sauce and toss to combine.
- Finally add the pasta. Add the cooked pasta as well as the fresh chopped parsley and toss to fully coat in the vegan scampi sauce and evenly spread the vegan shrimp throughout.
- Serve. Serve vegan shrimp scampi immediately while hot, with optional vegan parmesan cheese, parsley and more crushed red pepper.
Notes:
- Not all white wine is vegan, so I highly recommend Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc for this recipe. It is not only vegan, but also gluten free.
- Oyster mushrooms, also known as pearl oyster mushrooms or tree oyster mushrooms, are a funny looking mushroom that is sold in the produce section of many grocery stores, such as Whole Foods. They have a mild savory flavor and easily absorb flavor. Oyster mushrooms act almost like sponges, soaking up any water. When cooked, they have a “meaty” texture.
- The butter lemon and wine may scorch and steam when they hit the pot. That’s ok, keep mixing!
Substitutions:
- You may sub portobello mushrooms for oyster mushrooms.
- You may omit the crushed red pepper.
- You may use any pasta of your choice.
- Fresh parsley and fresh lemon juice are required for this recipe.
Storage:
- This recipe is best served immediately. You may, however, store the pasta with the scampi sauce in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When reheating, gently reheat on a stovetop or microwave, mixing often. You may need to add more butter or oil to the pasta to properly lubricate it.
- This recipe does not freeze well.
