The Better Than Takeaway Copycat Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi with Linguine

Better Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi Pasta

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Preparation time:15 Mins

Cooking time:18 Mins

Servings:4 generous servings

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (450 g) Linguine or Angel Hair pasta
• 3 quarts (2.8 L) water
• 2 tablespoons (30 g) fine Sea Salt (for boiling water)
• 5 pounds (680 g) Large Shrimp (21/25 count), peeled, deveined, tails removed
• 1 teaspoon (5 g) fine Sea Salt
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) freshly ground Black Pepper
• ¼ cup (60 ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ½ cup (115 g) Unsalted Butter, divided
• 6 large cloves (about 2 Tbsp/30 g) Fresh Garlic, finely minced
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) Red Pepper Flakes
• ½ cup (120 ml) Dry White Wine (such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
• ½ cup (120 ml) Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
• ¼ cup (60 ml) Fresh Lemon Juice
• Zest of 1 whole Lemon (about 1 teaspoon)
• ½ cup (30 g) Fresh Italian Parsley, chopped, divided

Instructions:

• Prep all ingredients: peel and mince garlic, chop parsley, juice and zest the lemon, and season the shrimp generously with salt and pepper. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt. Add the linguine and cook, subtracting 1 minute from the package instructions (we want it very al dente). Reserve 1 cup (240 ml) of the starchy pasta water before draining the pasta immediately.
• In the large skillet, melt the first ¼ cup of butter with the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté gently for 60 to 90 seconds until fragrant. Crucially, do not let the garlic brown.
• Increase the heat to medium-high. Pour in the white wine and allow it to rapidly simmer and reduce by half (about 2 minutes). Add the chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, and ¼ cup of the fresh parsley, bringing the sauce to a light simmer.
• Increase the heat to high. Add the seasoned shrimp to the simmering sauce. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side until the shrimp turn opaque pink and curl into a C-shape. Do not overcook.
• Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the remaining ¼ cup of cold unsalted butter, swirling the pan constantly until the butter is fully melted and incorporated, creating a glossy emulsion. Add the hot, drained linguine and about ½ cup of the reserved pasta water to the sauce. Toss vigorously with tongs to coat the pasta thoroughly. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, then serve immediately, finishing each plate with the remaining fresh chopped parsley.

Nutrition Facts

Calories	816 kcal
Protein	11.4 g
Fat	25.7 g
Carbs	72.8 g
Fiber	18.2 g
Sodium	10302 mg

Recipe Info

Category	Main Course
Cuisine	Italian-American

Ditch the Reservation: Mastering This Iconic Shrimp Dish at Home

There is perhaps no dish more synonymous with Italian-American comfort food than Shrimp Scampi. While nothing beats the ease of dining out, achieving that signature buttery, garlicky perfection right in your own kitchen is entirely possible, wonderfully quick, and infinitely rewarding.

This guide walks you through mastering the ultimate Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi, transforming a weeknight dinner into a luxurious 33-minute affair. Forget the waitlist—this classic Italian Shrimp Pasta, brightened by fresh lemon and savory aromatics, is about to become your new kitchen staple.

What Makes the Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi Recipe a Fan Favorite?

The enduring popularity of the Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi recipe lies in its simplicity and intense flavor payoff. Unlike heavy cream-based sauces, traditional scampi relies on an emuon of rich butter and bright citrus, carried by robust garlic. The restaurant version manages to capture that luxurious mouthfeel while remaining remarkably light, making it a satisfying yet accessible dish. It’s the perfect harmony of textures: tender shrimp coated in a glossy, clinging sauce, served over perfectly al dente linguine. When we talk about the Best Shrimp Scampi , we’re talking about achieving this masterful balance of richness and zest.

The Secret Ingredient That Elevates Our Copycat Version

While the olive garden shrimp scampi copycat recipe is built on traditional foundations—butter, garlic, and wine—the true secret to moving this from "good" to "restaurant-quality" lies in two crucial techniques. First, we use a generous amount of fresh lemon zest and juice; this provides a profound aromatic lift that sets our dish apart. Second, and most importantly, we employ the monte au beurre technique: finishing the sauce by swirling in cold butter off the heat. This process forces a beautiful, glossy emuon, ensuring the sauce is thick enough to cling beautifully to every strand of pasta, preventing the oil and liquids from separating. On top of that,, reserving the starchy pasta water is non-negotiable, as it is the key emufier used to adjust the sauce’s final consistency.

Sourcing the Scampi Staples: What You Need for the Ultimate Flavor

Creating the ideal scampi is as much about quality sourcing as it is about technique. Our elevated take on the olive garden shrimp scampi ingredients requires high-quality basics, particularly in the seafood and aromatics departments. This dish requires just 15 minutes of prep time, making organization (or mise en place ) essential for a smooth cook.

Choosing the Right Shrimp Size and Prep Method

For this Easy Shrimp Scampi Pasta , size matters significantly to prevent overcooking. We recommend using large (21/25 count) shrimp, ideally peeled, deveined, and with the tails removed. Smaller shrimp tend to dry out quickly because they require less than a minute of cooking time. Before they even hit the pan, ensure your shrimp are thoroughly patted dry and generously seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Seasoning the shrimp directly helps penetrate the seafood protein, adding depth, rather than relying solely on the sauce for flavor.

Building the Perfect Scampi Sauce Base: Butter, Wine, and Garlic Ratios

The foundation of the Olive Garden Scampi Sauce Recipe is a perfect balance of fats and aromatics. Start with a combination of extra virgin olive oil and the first portion of unsalted butter to create a rich, controlled medium for sautéing. We use six large cloves of finely minced fresh garlic—anything less dilutes the essence of scampi. Crucially, the garlic must be sautéed gently with red pepper flakes for only 60 to 90 seconds. Burnt garlic will inject bitter notes that ruin the entire dish. Next, we deglaze with dry white wine (such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc), reducing it by half to concentrate the flavor. If you require an olive garden shrimp scampi recipe without wine , simply substitute the wine with an equal amount of low-sodium chicken broth mixed with a tablespoon of white wine vinegar for the necessary acidity.

Essential Kitchen Tools for Rapid Pasta Perfection

Because this is a rapid-cook dish, having the right equipment ready is vital. You will need a large stockpot dedicated solely to the linguine, ensuring the pasta cooks evenly and quickly. The most critical piece is a large, heavy-bottomed skillet (a 12-inch sauté pan is ideal).

This large surface area allows the shrimp to cook in a single layer, preventing steaming, and provides enough room to vigorously toss and combine the pasta and sauce at the end. Don't forget durable tongs for mixing and a microplane for zesting the lemon—a step that drastically enhances the final aroma.

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Step-by-Step: Crafting Your Own Restaurant-Quality Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi

Executing the perfect Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi requires precision timing. We are aiming for a total cook time of just under 20 minutes, which means multitasking is key.

Preparing the Pasta and Prepping the Aromatics

Start by tackling the linguine. Fill your stockpot with water and, once boiling, season it liberally with salt—we must "season it like the sea" to ensure the pasta itself tastes good. Add the linguine and cook it al dente , subtracting exactly one minute from the package instructions. Just before draining, reserve at least a cup of the starchy cooking water. While the pasta cooks, the aromatics should be infusing: combine the first quarter cup of butter and the olive oil in the large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking gently until fragrant but never browned.

Achieving Tender, Never Rubbery Shrimp in Minutes

Once the garlic is fragrant, increase the heat slightly and deglaze the pan with the white wine, allowing it to reduce for about two minutes. Add the chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a portion of the fresh parsley. Now, add your seasoned shrimp to this simmering Olive Garden Scampi Sauce Recipe . This step happens fast. Cook the shrimp for just 1 to 2 minutes per side. They are perfectly done when they curl into a gentle C-shape and turn opaque pink. They will continue to cook slightly when tossed with the hot pasta, so pull them off the heat just before they look fully finished to ensure they are never rubbery.

Finishing the Lemon-Butter Sauce and Toss Technique

The key to a decadent scampi is the finish. Immediately remove the skillet containing the shrimp and sauce from the heat. This is where the magic of emufication happens: add the remaining quarter cup of cold, unsalted butter. Swirl the pan continuously until the butter is completely melted and incorporated, instantly thickening and glossing the sauce.

Add the hot, drained linguine directly to the skillet, along with about half a cup of the reserved starchy pasta water. Using tongs, toss the pasta vigorously to coat it completely. The starch helps the sauce cling perfectly, transforming it into a cohesive dish.

Adjust the seasoning and add more pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, until the sauce reaches your desired clingy consistency.

Expert Tips and Troubleshooting for Flawless Scampi Results

To ensure your Easy Shrimp Scampi Pasta rivals any restaurant offering, keep these professional tips in mind: Always use cold butter for the finishing swirl—it helps create a tighter emuon than warm or melted butter. Beyond using the right size, remember that seasoning the pasta water is your only chance to flavor the linguine itself, which contributes significantly to the dish's overall savory profile. For those concerned about olive garden shrimp scampi nutrition , while this version uses high-quality fats, using the exact portion size (four servings) helps manage richness, and the high protein content from the shrimp provides good satiety.

Elevating Your Meal: Serving Suggestions and Recipe Variations

Salvaging a Split Sauce or Overcooked Shrimp

If you find your lemon-butter sauce breaking or "splitting" (where the oil separates from the liquids) while finishing, don't panic. Quickly remove the skillet from heat and add a teaspoon of hot reserved pasta water while aggressively whisking or swirling the pan. This sudden temperature difference and introduction of starch often helps the emuon reform.

If you unfortunately discover your shrimp are rubbery, adding a large handful of fresh chopped parsley and aggressively seasoning the dish can help shift the focus back to the bright, rich sauce, slightly masking the dry texture.

Storing Leftovers and Reheating Without Drying Out

Leftover scampi stores well in an airtight container for up to three days. The main challenge when reheating is preventing the already cooked shrimp from seizing up and becoming tough. To reheat, avoid the microwave, which will guarantee rubbery shrimp.

Instead, place the leftovers in a sauté pan over low heat and add a tablespoon or two of chicken broth or water. Stir gently until the sauce reactivates and warms the dish through. This added moisture helps protect the shrimp and refreshes the sauce.

The Best Sides to Pair with Rich Shrimp Scampi Pasta

Scampi is a naturally rich dish, meaning the best pairings offer a contrasting texture or acidity. To capture that true Olive Garden atmosphere, serving this with warm, freshly baked garlic breadsticks is mandatory for sopping up every last drop of the glorious sauce.

For balance, pair it with a light, crisp side salad dressed simply with a bright vinaigrette. As for beverages, a chilled, crisp Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc will complement the bright lemon notes beautifully.

Making It Gluten-Free or Substituting Chicken

This versatile recipe adapts easily to dietary needs. For a gluten-free preparation, simply substitute traditional linguine with your favorite gluten-free pasta variety, or opt for a low-carb alternative like spiralized zucchini noodles (zoodles). If you want to use the rich flavor profile of the Olive Garden Scampi Sauce Recipe but prefer a different protein, you can easily create a Chicken Scampi. Use thinly sliced boneless, skinless chicken breast. Sauté the chicken first until golden brown, remove it from the pan, build the sauce base as instructed, and then return the cooked chicken pieces to the sauce just before tossing with the pasta.