Easy Shrimp Fra Diavolo
Summary
This easy Shrimp Fra Diavolo combines tender shrimp with San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, white wine and crushed red pepper, then tosses it all with fettuccine for a spicy Italian dinner that comes together quickly.
Easy Shrimp Fra Diavolo
Shrimp Fra Diavolo sounds like something you'd have to go to an Italian restaurant to order, but it's actually surprisingly easy to make at home. I make mine with large shrimp, San Marzano tomatoes, plenty of garlic, dry white wine and crushed red pepper for that signature kick.You can easily adjust the heat to your taste, and because the ingredient list is relatively simple, this is a great way to make an impressive Italian dinner without spending hours in the kitchen.
Ingredients
Method
- Prepare the tomatoes. Pour the San Marzano tomatoes and their juices into a large bowl. Using your hands, gently crush the whole tomatoes, leaving some texture for a slightly chunky sauce. For a smoother sauce, you can process the tomatoes in a blender or food processor instead.
- Season the shrimp. Pat the shrimp dry and season both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Partially cook the shrimp. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook briefly, just until they begin to turn opaque, about 1–2 minutes per side. Don’t cook them completely; they’ll finish cooking in the sauce. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and set aside.
- Build the sauce. Add about 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to the hot skillet. Add the thinly sliced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic turns golden brown and becomes fragrant. Be careful not to burn it.
- Deglaze with the wine. Pour in the dry white wine and scrape the bottom of the skillet to loosen all the browned bits. Let the wine cook briefly as it reduces.
- Add the tomatoes. Pour the crushed San Marzano tomatoes and all their juices into the skillet. Add the kosher salt and stir well. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, allowing it to reduce and develop flavor.
- Cook the pasta. While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Do not add oil to the pasta water. Add the fettuccine and cook it about 1–2 minutes less than the package directions so it is still slightly underdone. The pasta will finish cooking in the sauce.
- Reserve the pasta water. Before draining the pasta, reserve at least 1 cup of the starchy cooking water. Transfer the partially cooked fettuccine directly into the tomato sauce.
- Finish the pasta in the sauce. Add about one ladleful of reserved pasta water and toss the fettuccine thoroughly with the sauce. Continue cooking for another couple of minutes, until the pasta is al dente and has absorbed some of the sauce. Add additional pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
- Finish with the shrimp. Return the partially cooked shrimp to the skillet along with any juices that accumulated on the plate. Toss everything together and cook for about 1 minute more, just until the shrimp are cooked through. Avoid overcooking them.
- Serve. Remove from the heat and sprinkle generously with chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
For less heat: Reduce the crushed red pepper flakes to taste.
Don’t discard the pasta water: The starchy water helps the sauce coat the fettuccine and lets you adjust the consistency at the end.
Don’t fully cook the shrimp at the beginning: Partially cooking them and finishing them in the sauce helps prevent overcooked, rubbery shrimp.
