How Many Calories Are in Olive Garden’s Shrimp Scampi?

Olive Garden’s shrimp scampi is a popular menu item loved for its tender shrimp in a rich and creamy garlic sauce served over linguine. But this indulgent Italian favorite also comes with a hefty calorie count. So how many calories are actually in Olive Garden’s shrimp scampi? Let’s take a closer look at the nutrition facts.

Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi Nutrition Facts

According to Olive Garden’s nutrition information a serving of shrimp scampi contains

• 490 calories
• 18g total fat
• 7g saturated fat
• 0.5g trans fat
• 165mg cholesterol
• 1120mg sodium
• 52g total carbohydrates
• 4g fiber
• 5g sugar
• 29g protein

These nutrition facts are for the restaurant’s regular dinner portion The serving provides nearly a quarter of the average adult’s recommended 2000 daily calories

Just a single serving also contains almost an entire day’s worth of the American Heart Association’s recommended saturated fat intake (no more than 16g for men and 12g for women). The sodium content is exceptionally high at 1120mg – about half of the daily 2300mg limit.

So Olive Garden’s shrimp scampi is quite high in calories, fat, and sodium despite being relatively low in sugar. The protein content is notable at 29g per serving. But overall, this popular pasta dish is very calorie-dense.

Calorie Sources in Shrimp Scampi

What makes this shrimp pasta so high in calories? Here’s a breakdown of where those nearly 500 calories come from:

Creamy Alfredo Sauce

Olive Garden’s signature Alfredo sauce is loaded with butter, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, and egg yolks. All of these ingredients pack a lot of fat and calories. Just a couple tablespoons of Alfredo can contain over 200 calories.

Cheese

In addition to the Alfredo sauce, shrimp scampi is topped with a blend of melted cheeses like parmesan, romano, and asiago. These full-fat cheeses contribute more saturated fat and calories.

Pasta

A hearty portion of linguine pasta, the base of the dish, accounts for a good amount of the carbs and calories. Olive Garden uses white pasta with minimal fiber.

Shrimp

The shrimp provides protein, but large fried shrimp can still be high in calories, especially when coated in butter or oil. A typical shrimp scampi portion may have 8-12 jumbo shrimp.

Breadsticks

Olive Garden’s unlimited signature breadsticks served before the meal can add 200 or more extra calories, especially when dipping in creamy Alfredo sauce. It’s easy to fill up on bread before the main dish arrives.

So every component of this indulgent pasta dish contributes calories, from the creamy sauce and cheese to the fried shrimp, starchy pasta and warm breadsticks. It all adds up to a meal packed with nearly half of your daily caloric needs.

Healthier Options at Olive Garden

Fortunately, Olive Garden does offer lighter options that can help lower the calorie count:

• Whole wheat pasta – Choose fiber-rich whole wheat instead of white pasta to reduce carbs and calories by around 80 per serving.

• Grilled chicken – Opt for grilled chicken breast instead of fried shrimp to slash fat and calories.

• Ask for light sauce – Request light Alfredo sauce or sauce on the side to control how much you get.

• Easy on the cheese – Top with just a dusting of parmesan instead of heaps of melted cheese.

• Salad first – Start with a low-cal salad topped with dressing on the side to help fill up before the main dish.

• Share a meal – Split one order of shrimp scampi as an appetizer for the table. You’ll get to enjoy the flavors while limiting portions.

• Doggy bag it – Take leftovers home for lunch tomorrow rather than cleaning your plate.

Making small tweaks can reduce the calories, fat, carbs, and sodium in this indulgent dish. Balance shrimp scampi with lighter menu choices and watch portions to keep your meal relatively healthy.

Shrimp Scampi Calories at Other Restaurants

Olive Garden isn’t the only chain offering shrimp scampi. Here’s how its calorie count compares to similar dishes at other popular restaurants:

• Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi – 640 calories
• Longhorn Steakhouse Shrimp Scampi – 710 calories
• Outback Steakhouse Shrimp on the Barbie – 610 calories
• Carrabba’s Shrimp Scampi – 420 calories
• The Cheesecake Factory Shrimp Scampi Pasta – 800 calories

Red Lobster’s shrimp scampi has 150 more calories than Olive Garden’s. Longhorn Steakhouse and The Cheesecake Factory have shrimp scampi dishes with over 700 calories. Carrabba’s offers a lighter option at 420 calories.

Among the major chains, Olive Garden falls somewhere in the middle calorie-wise for shrimp scampi. Your best bet is choosing restaurants that offer whole wheat pasta, grilled shrimp, and lighter sauces to trim the calories.

The Bottom Line

At 490 calories per serving, Olive Garden’s shrimp scampi packs nearly half the calories an average adult needs daily. It’s exceptionally high in saturated fat and sodium as well. But ordering whole wheat pasta, grilled shrimp, and lighter sauce can reduce the calorie density. Balance indulgent shrimp scampi with lighter menu choices and watch your portions if you want to enjoy this pasta dish relatively guilt-free!

Frequency of Entities:

Olive Garden: 9
calories: 15
fat: 6
saturated fat: 4
trans fat: 2
cholesterol: 2
sodium: 3
carbohydrates: 3
fiber: 2
sugar: 2
protein: 3
shrimp scampi: 11
Alfredo sauce: 5
butter: 2
heavy cream: 2
parmesan cheese: 3
egg yolks: 1
cheese: 2
pasta: 3
linguine: 2
breadsticks: 2
whole wheat pasta: 2
grilled chicken: 2
salad: 1
The Cheesecake Factory: 1
Red Lobster: 1
Longhorn Steakhouse: 1
Outback Steakhouse: 1
Carrabba’s: 1