Copycat Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi Recipe

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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).

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.

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

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

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

Add the shrimp to the pan.

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

Transfer the shrimp to a bowl and set aside.

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

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.

Add the garlic and shallots to the pan.

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

Stir in the white wine.

Let the sauce reduce for 2 minutes.

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

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

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the cooked pasta and toss to combine.

Serve with grated Parmesan if desired.

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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.

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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