Grilled Shrimp Scampi Foil Packets

Name: Grilled Shrimp Scampi Foil Packets
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1/2 lb thin spaghetti noodles (uncooked); 1 stick unsalted butter; 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 cup dry white wine; 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth; red pepper flakes; kosher salt; black pepper; 1 lb raw large shrimp (peeled, deveined); 1 lemon (quartered); fresh parsley (for garnish)

With non-stick foil, you can make grilled shrimp scampi in 30 minutes without having to boil your pasta in advance.

Disclosure: This recipe was sponsored by Reynolds Wrap®. All opinions are my own.

One of my favorite pasta dishes is shrimp scampi. It’s a rather simple dish with a luscious lemony garlic butter sauce served over noodles.

Made the traditional way, you end up with at least two pots and pans – one for boiling the noodles and one for cooking the shrimp and sauce.

I love to push the envelope and try new things on the grill just to see if they’ll work. Today, I experimented with foil packets to see if I could cook pasta in a foil packet. My mind was blown when it actually worked.

My foil packet method, on the other hand, leaves you with no dishes and easy cleanup thanks to Reynolds Wrap® Non-Stick Foil. Win!

How to cook noodles with foil
Ingredients
How to fold a foil packet
How to grill shrimp scampi
How to serve grilled shrimp scampi
Storage
Frequently Asked Questions
Other foil packet recipes
Newest Recipes
Grilled Shrimp Scampi Foil Packets Recipe

How to cook noodles with foil

When I go camping, I love cooking dishes that people wouldn’t normally expect like seafood paella foil packets, where the rice cooks right inside the foil.

I figured, if it works for rice, maybe it will work for pasta.

In the past, I used to boil my pasta at home and bring it to the campsite. While that works okay, the pasta tends to stick to itself, so it’s not as great as when it’s freshly cooked.

In order to cook noodles in a foil packet, I recommend using thin noodles. Either thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta, because both cook faster. Using Reynolds Wrap® Non-Stick Foil prevents the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the packet.

The cooking liquid is going to be a combo of white wine, chicken broth and butter. (If you don’t do wine, just replace it with more broth).

Ingredients

Thin Spaghetti Noodles: No need to cook the noodles. They’ll be cooked on the grill in the foil packet.
Unsalted Butter: Shrimp is naturally high in sodium, so if you’re watching your sodium intake, use unsalted butter and low-sodium chicken broth in this recipe. You’ll reduce the sodium by about 500 grams per serving.
Garlic
Dry White Wine: Crisp wines like Sauvignon blanc work well. Chardonnay is also good. It has buttery and oaky notes.
Low-sodium Chicken Broth
Red Pepper Flakes
Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
Large Shrimp: Save time by using raw shrimp that is already peeled and deveined.
Lemon
Fresh Parsley

Substitutions: If you want a strong seafood flavor, use seafood broth or clam juice instead of the chicken broth. If you prefer not to cook with wine, substitute it with more chicken broth.

See the full recipe card below for servings and a full list of ingredients.

How to fold a foil packet

With some recipes, you can get by fine using one layer of foil, but I recommend using two sheets for this grilled shrimp scampi recipe.

Here’s why. When you fold the foil over the pasta and liquid, you’re going to create steam, which will escape and drip out. If you add another sheet of foil over the original packet, you’ll collect the steam in that layer, making cleanup a breeze.

This recipe is for four foil packets, so start by tearing off eight 16-inch sheets of foil. I’m using non-stick foil to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom.

Stack two sheets on top of each other with the dull side facing up. The dull side is the non-stick side. You should have four stacks.

Because we’re working with liquid, lay the sheets on a rimmed sheet pan. This will create a slight concave, keeping the liquid from spilling out.

How to grill shrimp scampi

I recommend grilling your foil packets over medium-high heat. If you’re using a gas grill or charcoal grill, aim for a temperature between 375-400F degrees. For pellet grills, set the temp to 400F degrees.

If you’re cooking on a grate over a campfire, the grill is ready when you can hold your hand a few inches over the grate for 3 seconds before having to pull it away.

You can also prepare this in a 400F degree oven.

STEP ONE: Lay your foil sheets on the counter as described above. Break the noodles into thirds and divide evenly among the foil.

STEP TWO: Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 clove garlic onto each pile of pasta.

open foil packet with cooked noodles, raw shrimp and butter

STEP THREE: Add 1/4 cup wine and 1/2 cup broth to each packet. Season with pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

sheet of foil with noodles, butter and broth on top

STEP FOUR: Bring the long edges together over the pasta. Fold over a half of an inch a couple of times. Fold the short edges in a couple times, as well. Using the bottom layer of foil, fold each long edge in and then fold in the short edges. (This will help keep the liquid from dripping out)

STEP FIVE: Place the packets on the grill grate. Cook for 20 minutes, rotating once.

Grilled Shrimp Scampi Foil Packets on grill

PRO TIP: After 20 minutes on the grill, carefully open one pouch to check the noodles. They should be tender with a little chew. If they're too tough, cook them a few more minutes.

STEP SIX: Once the noodles are tender, carefully open each packet. Add one quarter of the shrimp, one tablespoon butter and the juice from one lemon wedge. Reseal the foil packet and return to the grill for 10 more minutes.

How to serve grilled shrimp scampi

Carefully open the packet. Garnish with fresh parsley leaves and enjoy.

open foil packet with grilled shrimp scampi inside

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. It can be reheated in the microwave. Just be sure not to put foil or anything metal in the microwave because it will spark.

GCG Pro Pitmaster Tips

Use peeled, deveined shrimp to save time
Place the foil on a rimmed sheet pan so the liquid doesn’t spill out
Double wrap the pasta to lock in the broth and wine

Frequently Asked Questions

Which shrimp is best for shrimp scampi

The shrimp section at the grocery can be a little intimidating. First, you’ll find cooked shrimp and raw shrimp. You definitely want raw shrimp for this dish.

Then, there is peeled, deveined, unpeeled, tail-on. So many choices. You can’t go wrong with any of those. It all comes down to how much work you want to do and how much money you want to spend.

No matter what, I always buy deveined shrimp, because deveining it myself is so time consuming.

Once you find deveined shrimp, you can choose between peeled or unpeeled. The unpeeled shrimp are usually less expensive, because it requires less work on the production side. I often buy unpeeled shrimp because I like the flavor the peels add to dishes, but they do require you to peel them as you eat them.

For grilled shrimp scampi, I like using peeled, tail-on shrimp. The tails still provide added flavor to the broth and are a lot easier to remove as you eat.

Does shrimp size matter?

Now that you’ve picked your deveined, peeled, tail-on shrimp, it’s time to choose the size. This is really a matter of preference and again, cost. The larger the shrimp, the higher the price.

The bags will be marked by shrimp count per pound. Small shrimp generally yield 51-60 shrimp per pound. If you choose that size, use about 14 shrimp per foil packet.

If you go with the medium (41-50 shrimp per pound), use about 10 shrimp per foil packet.

Large yield 31-35 per pound, which is about 8 succulent shrimp per foil packet.

The jumbo shrimp yield 16-20 per pound.