Copycat Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi

Succulent shrimp, crisp asparagus and juicy tomatoes come together in a creamy garlic sauce that drips from every forkful of al dente pasta. No, you’re not dreaming! And you’re not at a fancy bistro, either. You’re at home enjoying a homemade helping of copycat Olive Garden shrimp scampi. This spot-on copycat recipe captures everything we love about shrimp scampi.

The slightly sweet shrimp marry perfectly with the rich butter sauce that’s infused with tons of amazing garlic and white wine flavor. Additionally, the fresh vegetables jeweled amid the tender pasta offer a pleasing break in this otherwise indulgent dish.

Flavor aside, we love how easy it is to make this copycat shrimp scampi from Olive Garden recipe. Other than boiling the pasta, everything happens in a single pan. And the whole dish comes together in under 30 minutes!

Copycat Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi Ingredients

• Shrimp: Shrimp can be an intimidating ingredient for beginners (especially if you peel and clean shrimp yourself), but this recipe makes preparing shrimp easy. Larger shrimp are less likely to overcook, so we recommend using 16/20 shrimp (which contain 16 to 20 shrimp per pound). These shrimp also have a nice meaty texture that pairs well with the veggies.
• Angel hair pasta: Olive Garden uses angel hair pasta, a delicate pasta that works well with light sauces like scampi. If you’re not concerned with making a 100% authentic copycat recipe, feel free to swap in spaghetti or linguine.
• Butter and olive oil: Butter adds richness to scampi sauces, while olive oil adds a slightly peppery note.
• Garlic and crushed red pepper flakes: These ingredients are essential in any good scampi sauce. Garlic obviously provides the garlicky essence, and the crushed red pepper flakes add a hint of heat. You can adjust the spice level by increasing (or decreasing) the amount of red pepper flakes used.
• White wine: Use a dry white wine, like a sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio. As with many recipes that involve cooking with wine, the wine will simmer until it’s reduced by half, so most of the alcohol will burn off during the cooking process.
• Asparagus: Thin asparagus is best for this copycat Olive Garden shrimp scampi recipe. The veggie is cooked only briefly, so thicker asparagus may not cook through in time.
• Tomatoes: The Olive Garden recipe for shrimp scampi is made with chopped tomatoes, so we follow suit and use Roma tomatoes in our recipe. Of course, you can use heirloom or cherry tomatoes if that’s what you have on hand.
• Lemon juice: Lemon juice perks up the acidity and really makes the tomatoes and asparagus pop.
• Heavy whipping cream: This recipe doesn’t use much heavy whipping cream, but adding a few tablespoons to the sauce contributes to its creamy texture.
• Parmesan cheese: We finish the copycat shrimp scampi from Olive Garden with a healthy dose of grated Parmesan to add a cheesy, savory finish.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the pasta

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain any remaining pasta water.

Editor’s Tip: Saving pasta water is the secret to creating a full-textured scampi sauce. The pasta’s starches leech out into the water as it cooks, making the pasta water a perfect way to thicken the sauce to the perfect consistency.

Step 2: Cook the shrimp

TMB STUDIO

Heat 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp, and season them with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until the shrimp start to curl, one to two minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, and set aside.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t overcook the shrimp! Perfect, juicy shrimp are cooked until they just start to turn pink on all sides. This happens much quicker than expected, so don’t walk away during this step.

Step 3: Make the sauce

TMB STUDIO

To the same skillet, add the olive oil. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, one to two minutes. Stir in the white wine. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to medium. Simmer until the wine reduces by half, five to eight minutes.

Step 4: Add the asparagus

TMB STUDIO

Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the asparagus, lemon juice, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until the asparagus is crisp-tender, two to three minutes.

Step 5: Add the butter and cream; combine all ingredients

TMB STUDIO

Stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and cream.

TMB STUDIO

Then add the shrimp, pasta and tomatoes. Stir in the pasta water, a little at a time, until the sauce is thickened, three to four minutes.

Serve the pasta topped with Parmesan cheese.

TMB STUDIO

Recipe Variations

• Bread the shrimp: Traditional shrimp scampi is not breaded. However, if you love the crispy shrimp from our copycat Cheesecake Factory shrimp scampi recipe, feel free to add a breading. Simply coat the shrimp with all-purpose flour and grated Parmesan cheese before adding them to the pan.
• Make it with chicken: Swap in boneless skinless chicken breasts to turn this into a chicken scampi recipe.

How to Store Copycat Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi

Store leftovers of the Olive Garden shrimp scampi recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will last up to three days.

How do you reheat copycat Olive Garden shrimp scampi?

To reheat copycat shrimp scampi from Olive Garden, add a splash of water to loosen the sauce and gently heat the leftovers on the stovetop until heated through. You can reheat shrimp scampi in the microwave, but be warned that the whole house will smell like microwaved shrimp!

Copycat Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi Tips

TMB STUDIO

Can you make copycat Olive Garden shrimp scampi without wine?

To make a wine-free shrimp scampi, simply substitute chicken broth (or seafood broth to keep the dish pescatarian-friendly). You can also increase the amount of lemon juice, as we do when making this wine-free Ina Garten shrimp scampi recipe.

What do you serve with copycat Olive Garden shrimp scampi?

Serve the Olive Garden recipe for shrimp scampi with a basket full copycat Olive Garden breadsticks. If you’re trying to avoid pasta, serve the scampi sauce over rice or cauliflower rice.