Aji Verde Shrimp Scampi — When Peru Meets Italy in Your Skillet

Shrimp scampi is one of those dishes everyone has an opinion about. Too buttery. Not enough garlic. Too much lemon. Not enough wine. Everybody's got a version.

Here's ours: swap the parsley for aji verde, and watch the whole thing come alive.

It's not a stretch. Aji verde is built from cilantro, garlic, and green aji pepper — exactly the flavor profile that makes scampi work. The verde just does it better: brighter, with a gentle heat and a creaminess that coats the shrimp instead of sliding off.

This is a 20-minute weeknight dinner that tastes like you put in actual effort. Peru meets Italy in one skillet, and neither one loses.

Aji Verde Shrimp Scampi Recipe

Serves: 2–4
Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 lb large shrimp (16/20 count), peeled and deveined
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons Aji Verde sauce
• ½ cup dry white wine (pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc)
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Fresh cilantro for garnish
• Crusty bread or linguine, for serving

Instructions

1. Season the shrimp. Pat dry with paper towels — this is the step everyone skips and shouldn't. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Sear in batches. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add shrimp in a single layer. Cook 60–90 seconds per side until pink and just curled. Remove to a plate. Don't overcrowd the pan.
3. Build the sauce. Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the same pan. Once melted, add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
4. Deglaze. Add white wine and let it reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan.
5. Add the verde. Stir in aji verde sauce and lemon juice. Let it come together for 30 seconds — the sauce will thicken slightly and turn a gorgeous pale green.
6. Return the shrimp. Toss the shrimp back in the pan and coat well. Cook 30 seconds more — just to warm through. Don't go longer or the shrimp will tighten up.
7. Serve. Over linguine or with crusty bread to catch every drop of the sauce. Garnish with cilantro.

The Verde Difference

Standard scampi gets its herb notes from flat-leaf parsley. Fine. Verde gets them from cilantro, green aji pepper, and garlic — and brings a subtle heat that parsley never could. The result is a sauce with more dimension: herby and garlicky upfront, with a warm finish that lingers.

If you're cooking for someone who says they don't like cilantro, make this anyway. The verde doesn't taste like a handful of raw cilantro — it tastes like the best version of scampi they've ever had. You can tell them later.

Tips

• Dry the shrimp. Moisture is the enemy of a good sear. Paper towels, always.
• Don't skip the wine. It lifts the sauce and balances the butter. Use something you'd actually drink.
• More verde = more flavor. Start with 3 tablespoons and add another at the end to taste.
• Over pasta? Reserve ¼ cup pasta water before draining. Add a splash to loosen the sauce if needed.

Shop Aji Verde Sauce →