Shrimp scampi with asparagus and pasta in large pan next to bread and seasoning

Julianne De Witt/Mashed

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There's certainly no shortage of menu items to choose from at Olive Garden, whether you're a pasta lover or just there for the unlimited soup and salad. For those who want pasta but prefer something lighter, the Shrimp Scampi is an obvious choice. And Olive Garden's Shrimp Scampi is not only light but a delicious dish that you'll be thinking about at the most random moments, especially when it's inconvenient, like when you can't make it to the restaurant. Thankfully, we have just the solution for those times: developer Julianne De Witt's copycat Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi recipe. 

De Witt's copycat version of the Olive Garden classic stays very true to the original, with inclusions like angel hair pasta, asparagus, and those ever-important shrimp. "The delicate angel hair pasta and lemony butter sauce make this dish feel decadent but also light at the same time," De Witt describes. She also highlights just how easy this dish is to prepare, with everything taking less than 30 minutes. The end result is a bright yet filling meal that can feed a family of four and one that you could easily pair with an Olive Garden-inspired side dish (like those ever-famous breadsticks).

Gather the ingredients for this copycat Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi

Pasta, butter, raw shrimp, asparagus, diced tomatoes, and other ingredients for copycat Olive Garden shrimp scampi laid out

Julianne De Witt/Mashed

To make this copycat Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi, you'll first need angel hair pasta and kosher salt. Next, you'll need olive oil, shrimp, unsalted butter, garlic, shallots, dry white wine, asparagus, Roma tomatoes, fresh parsley, Italian seasoning, and lemon juice. Be sure to have some extra salt and pepper on hand to season your scampi to taste, along with optional grated Parmesan for serving.

Step 1: Boil a pot of water

Hand holding small bowl of salt over pot of water

Julianne De Witt/Mashed

Fill a large pot with water and let it boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the kosher salt.

Step 2: Cook pasta for the copycat Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi

Angel hair pasta in pot of boiling water

Julianne De Witt/Mashed

Add the angel hair pasta and cook for 3 minutes or until al dente.

Step 3: Heat the olive oil in a pan

Hand pouring bowl of olive oil into pan

Julianne De Witt/Mashed

While the pasta is cooking, in a large non-stick saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.

Step 4: Bring out the shrimp

Aerial view of uncooked shrimp in large pan

Julianne De Witt/Mashed

Add the shrimp to the pan.

Step 5: Cook until pink

Aerial view of cooked shrimp in large pan

Julianne De Witt/Mashed

Cook the shrimp, tossing occasionally, until both sides are pink and just opaque, about 2 minutes.

Step 6: Set the shrimp aside

Cooked shrimp in glass bowl on marble surface

Julianne De Witt/Mashed

Transfer the shrimp to a bowl and set aside.

Step 7: Drain the copycat Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi pasta

Cooked angel hair pasta in colander on marble surface

Julianne De Witt/Mashed

Once the pasta is done cooking, drain it and set it aside.

Step 8: Melt the butter

Aerial view of lightly browned butter in large pan

Julianne De Witt/Mashed

With the pan still over medium-high heat, add the butter to the saute pan. Cook the butter until it melts into a foamy, light brown puddle.

Step 9: Include the garlic and shallots

Melted butter in large pan with diced garlic and shallots in the center

Julianne De Witt/Mashed

Add the garlic and shallots to the pan.

Step 10: Cook the aromatics

Hand using wooden spoon to stir garlic and shallots in melted butter in pan

Julianne De Witt/Mashed

Cook the garlic and shallots, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes or until translucent.

Step 11: Deglaze with white wine

Hand holding measuring cup with white wine over large pan

Julianne De Witt/Mashed

Step 12: Reduce the copycat Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi sauce

Steam coming from buttery white wine sauce in large pan

Julianne De Witt/Mashed

Let the sauce reduce for 2 minutes.

Step 13: Cook the asparagus

Uncooked asparagus in a buttery sauce in large pan

Julianne De Witt/Mashed

Add the asparagus and cook for 2 minutes or until tender-crisp.

Step 14: Stir in the shrimp, tomatoes, parsley, Italian seasoning, and lemon juice

Unmixed shrimp scampi with shrimp and vegetables in melted butter and wine in large pan

Julianne De Witt/Mashed

Add the shrimp, tomatoes, parsley, Italian seasoning, and lemon juice. Stir to combine.

Step 15: Add seasoning

Hand holding pepper grinder over shrimp scampi in large pan

Julianne De Witt/Mashed

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 16: Toss in the pasta

Tongs tossing pasta into a big pan of shrimp scampi

Julianne De Witt/Mashed

Add the cooked pasta and toss to combine.

Step 17: Enjoy the copycat Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp scampi serving on plate next to small bowl of Parmesan

Julianne De Witt/Mashed

Serve with grated Parmesan if desired.

What to serve with this copycat Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi

Copycat Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi Recipe

Indulge in this copycat Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi, made extra perfect by the citrusy, garlicky, butter sauce coating the shrimp, pasta, and asparagus.

Shrimp scampi with asparagus and pasta in a large pan

  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 8 ounces angel hair pasta
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound shrimp (21-25 count), peeled and deveined
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 small shallots, minced
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • ½ pound asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, deseeded and diced
  • 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Salt, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste
  • Grated Parmesan, for serving
  1. Fill a large pot with water and let it boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the kosher salt.
  2. Add the angel hair pasta and cook for 3 minutes or until al dente.
  3. While the pasta is cooking, in a large non-stick saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
  4. Add the shrimp to the pan.
  5. Cook the shrimp, tossing occasionally, until both sides are pink and just opaque, about 2 minutes.
  6. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl and set aside.
  7. Once the pasta is done cooking, drain it and set it aside.
  8. With the pan still over medium-high heat, add the butter to the saute pan. Cook the butter until it melts into a foamy, light brown puddle.
  9. Add the garlic and shallots to the pan.
  10. Cook the garlic and shallots, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes or until translucent.
  11. Stir in the white wine.
  12. Let the sauce reduce for 2 minutes.
  13. Add the asparagus and cook for 2 minutes or until tender-crisp.
  14. Add the shrimp, tomatoes, parsley, Italian seasoning, and lemon juice. Stir to combine.
  15. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  16. Add the cooked pasta and toss to combine.
  17. Serve with grated Parmesan if desired.
Calories per Serving 640
Total Fat 31.5 g
Saturated Fat 15.6 g
Trans Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 243.6 mg
Total Carbohydrates 53.9 g
Dietary Fiber 5.1 g
Total Sugars 5.9 g
Sodium 861.7 mg
Protein 33.1 g

The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

What substitutions can I make in this copycat Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi recipe?

Shrimp scampi with asparagus and pasta on a white plate with metal fork

Julianne De Witt/Mashed

If your goal with this copycat recipe is to make shrimp scampi that's as close to the Olive Garden version as possible, then you'll want to follow it closely as written. That said, the beauty of making something at home is that you can customize it to your liking, and there are certainly a few swaps you can make here. Perhaps the easiest swap to make is to use a different kind of pasta, such as linguine or spaghetti. Though De Witt advises adjusting the cooking time accordingly  — thicker pastas will take longer to cook than thin, delicate angel hair. You could also add a cheesy flair to the dish by opting for cheese-stuffed ravioli instead.

Another approach would be to add some heat to the dish. As is, there's no spiciness in this shrimp scampi recipe, but De Witt notes that you could easily add in dried chiles for a kick of heat. A dash of cayenne pepper or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes when you add the Italian seasoning would incorporate just the right level of spice. Finally, instead of garnishing the finished product with Parmesan, you could add a little extra Italian flair by opting for pecorino Romano instead.

What's the best way to reheat shrimp scampi?

Anyone who has tried to reheat shrimp knows that it's not always the easiest, nor do you necessarily end up with amazing results. Shrimp can turn rubbery on a dime, but there are certain best practices for reheating shellfish that can reduce your risk of rubbery shrimp. A major one is avoiding the microwave. De Witt advises, "I don't recommend using the microwave as it can make the shrimp become overcooked and tough." 

Instead, reheating gently on the stove over low heat is the way to go, even when it comes to that delicate angel hair pasta. You may want to add a bit of extra butter or a fresh squeeze of lemon juice to help loosen up the pasta when reheating.

Sure, the stovetop is the best method for reheating shrimp scampi, but just how long can you hold on to those leftovers? If it's stored in an airtight container, the food can last two to three days in the fridge or up to three months in the freezer. 

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