Shrimp Scampi Pasta: Tony Roma’s Copycat

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If you look back far enough on this blog, you will see I’ve attempted shrimp scampi pasta twice before. The first time was a bit of a bust, because of a bad choice I made as a substitute for white wine in the recipe. The second time wasn’t bad, however, it really wasn’t exactly like the version made by Tony Roma’s. Over the years, I think I’ve gotten better at modifying recipes and researching for ideas to mimic my favorite recipes. Therefore, once more, I’d like to take a shot at making Tony Roma’s version of shrimp scampi pasta, specifically the one in Malaysia.

The description in their menu for this dish was, “Shrimp lightly sautéed with tomato pesto and a hint of chipotle, garnish(ed) with fresh basil. Served over linguine and topped with Parmesan cheese.” With this description as a starting point, I approached this recipe piece by piece. The keywords were tomato pesto, and chipotle. I also needed to make sure I use basil, linguine, and parmesan in the pasta.

I wanted an authentic tomato pesto recipe, and used the one by Your Guardian Chef as a base. However, I was a bit wary about the huge amount of olive oil, so I tweaked the ingredients a little, based on another recipe by Mel’s Kitchen Cafe. Authentic Sicilian-style pesto alla Trapanese uses fresh, uncooked tomatoes, and the ideal tomato variant to use are plum tomatoes such as cherry/grape tomatoes or Roma. These tomatoes are preferred because of their sweetness, and thankfully easily available in local supermarkets. Red pesto usually also includes almonds (instead of pine nuts), but if I recall correctly, Tony Roma’s shrimp scampi pasta doesn’t seem to include it in the sauce itself. I’ve chosen to omit the almonds in the pesto, but upon reflection, I might top the pasta with toasted almond slices next time to elevate it a little.

The tricky component to figure out was the chipotle element. A copycat recipe by Pekin the Chef uses chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and I was able to get the one by La Costena online. I minced the whole can with all the sauce in my food processor, and froze the leftovers in 1-tablespoon dollops. A single 7.5oz can should yield about 8 tablespoons (1 cup).

This recipe is it for me. Even without doing the optional steps in the recipe, this pasta is just how I expect a good shrimp scampi pasta to be. The tomato pesto in this recipe is so good and versatile, I might just use it in other pasta recipes, like an elevated version of Spaghetti with Hot Dogs. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.

Step by Step

As an optional step, roast the tomatoes. In a roasting pan or baking sheet, add the tomatoes and drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss until evenly coated, and arrange in a single layer.

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees C (fan/air fryer 180 degrees c). Roast the tomatoes for 20 minutes, then let cool.

As another optional step, make shrimp-infused olive oil. In a skillet, add ½ cup of olive oil and the reserved shrimp shells. Turn on the heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp shells are deep red in color and the oil is aromatic, 10 minutes. Strain the oil, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan for making the pasta, and let cool. Discard the shells.

Now, make the pesto. In a bowl or food processor jug, add the tomatoes, garlic, tomato paste, parmesan, vinegar, and salt. Pulse until finely chopped and combined. It’s ok if the pesto is a bit chunky.

While pulsing or running the blender on low, slowly stream in the olive oil, until it emulsifies and thickens.

Add the basil and pulse until combined. Set aside until ready to use.

Next, cook the pasta. In a large stock pot over medium high heat, bring the water to a rolling boil. Add the salt, and return the water to a boil.

Add the linguine and cook, stirring a little at the beginning to prevent from sticking, until al dente according to package instructions.

About 5 minutes before the pasta is done, make the sauce. In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat the olive oil.

Thoroughly pat dry the shrimp. When the pan is very hot, add the shrimp and sear, 1½ minutes.

Add the garlic, then flip the shrimp over. Continue cooking for another 1½ minutes.

Lower the heat to medium. Add the pesto and saute, stirring, about 1 minute.

Add the minced chipotle peppers, tomatoes, and stir to combine.

When the pasta is done, reserve about ¼ cup of pasta water, and drain in a colander.

Now add the linguine and reserved pasta water to the pan and cook, tossing to incorporate for 3 to 5 minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in the chopped basil and toss to blend.

Serve immediately, topped with additional Parmesan, tomato slices, and basil leaves if desired. Top with toasted almond slices for a truly authentic pesto alla Trapanese pasta.