Shrimp Fra Diavolo, an Italian-style dish with a kick, is a delicious and impressive Italian-style meal. The tender shrimp are tossed in a spicy, garlicky tomato sauce.
Do you want a meal that impresses…with a little bit of kick? Shrimp Fra Diavolo is a great choice! This dish is Italian-inspired and features tender shrimp swimming in a spicy, garlicky tomato sauce. This dish is known as “Fra Diavolo”, which means “brother devil” in Italian. You can adjust the spice to your liking by making it at home. This dish is quick and easy. It’s great for entertaining guests and simple enough to make for a weeknight dinner. This recipe will impress everyone.
Ingredients in Shrimp Fra Diavolo
Fra Diavolo sauce, a spicy Italian tomato-based sauce used for seafood and pasta, is also known as “Brother Devil”. Although the origin stories of this sauce are varied, it is most likely Italian American. It was created in New York City at Italian restaurants in the early 20th century. Grotta Azzurra in New York City claims it has been serving Lobster Fra Diavolo ever since 1908.
A twist on the lobster version of this dish, Shrimp Fra Diavolo, is more affordable and has become a popular choice on restaurant menus. This spicy sauce adds a punch! It can be made at home and customized to your taste. This is what you will need to make this dish.
- Large shrimp
- Butter
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- White onion
- White wine (or any broth)
- Fire-roasted tomatoes
- Red pepper flakes or chopped Calabrian peppers
- Dry Oregano
Calabrian peppers and pepper flakes can be used.
Two heat options are available for Shrimp Fra Diavolo. Calabrian chilli peppers are a great choice if you can find them. They are a wonderful addition to any dish, adding heat and flavour. Red pepper flakes can be used to flavour this dish, but they are also available in powder form.
- Calabrian Pepper is a type of chilli pepper grown in Calabria in Italy. It is often used in Italian cooking. They have a sweet, subtle, and fruity taste with just the right heat. They are highly recommended!
- Where can I find them? You can buy chopped or crushed Calabrian Peppers next to pickles and olives in most grocery stores. Or, you can order them online. If you don’t have any, you can chop the whole peppers. However, wash your hands well. These chopped Calabrian peppers are what we use.
- Are they not available? Red pepper flakes are a better alternative. Red pepper flakes aren’t as flavorful as Calabrian peppers, but they add a simple heat punch.
You can adjust the heat to suit your taste.
This Shrimp Fra Diavolo recipe is amazing. You can adjust the heat and spice to your liking. These are some tips:
- One teaspoon of chopped Calabrian Chilis makes for a medium-spicy dish. This recipe is equivalent to 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of red chilli flakes.
- Start with a low base and then increase the amount to your liking. You can always add spice, but it’s impossible to remove it. Be conservative in the beginning.
- Each person can add heat to the dish.
For the best flavour, choose fire-roasted tomatoes.
Canned fire-roasted tomatoes are another key ingredient in this Shrimp Fra Diavolo dish. This is what you need to know about this variety.
- Fire-roasted tomatoes can be described as canned tomatoes that have been roasted on a high flame before being canned. Many brands sell them. Look for them in the canned tomatoes section at your local grocery. Muir Glen is our favourite.
- Fire-roasted tomatoes are sweet and slightly smoky straight out of the can.
- What is a substitute? Make sure to use the best quality canned tomatoes and simmer the sauce for 15 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon of each sugar or smoked paprika to enhance the flavour.
Ingredients
- One pound large shrimp deveined (peeled and unpeeled).
- Butter 2 Tablespoons
- 1 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt, div.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup minced yellow onion
- 1/4 cup white or broth (or any other type)
- 14-ounce crushed fire-roasted tomatoes*
- One teaspoon chopped and crushed Calabrian peppers**, 1/2 to 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes for medium spice, plus additional to your taste.
- 2 teaspoons dried Oregano
- For an optional serving option, 8 ounces of pasta (such as spaghetti, linguine, or EasyAng Hair Pasta) or crusty bread are all options
Instructions
- Use a paper towel to dry the shrimp. As noted above, prepare the white onion and garlic.
- Heat the butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Cook the shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt for about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn them over with tongs to cook until they are almost done. The juices from the skillet can be left in the pan.
- Turn heat to medium. Add olive oil, minced garlic, and minced onions. Cook the garlic until it turns golden, about 1 to 2 minutes. To deglaze the pan, add the wine and scrape the pan until smooth. After the wine has almost evaporated, add the tomatoes and Calabrian peppers, red pepper flakes or red pepper flakes, Oregano, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil. Check the seasonings and add more peppers if necessary. Let the mixture simmer partially covered for 7-10 minutes, or up to 15 minutes if the tomatoes have not been fire-roasted.
- Mix in the shrimp. Cook for approximately 1 minute before serving. Serve over pasta or crusty bread.
Notes
*Fire-roasted tomatoes are sweet and slightly smoky straight from the can. They’re readily available at most grocery stores. To enhance the flavour, you can substitute the best quality crushed tomatoes with 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika.
