Shrimp Fra Diavolo (Shrimp in Spicy Tomato Sauce)

This shrimp fra diavolo recipe is perfect for spice lovers and is slightly different than the traditional version.  French spices, fennel seed, and red wine are added to the spicy tomato-based sauce to create rich bold flavors in this well-loved spicy shrimp recipe.  

Perfect for a special occasion or midweek dinner - this dish comes together in under 30 minutes! Serve this over pasta, polenta, risotto, or zucchini noodles! Or serve as a stew with a few slices of crusty bread on the side for dunking...yum.

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Shrimp Fra Diavolo is a spicy shrimp pasta dish popular in Italian restaurants.  In English fra diavolo translates to brother devil.  The sauce is a spicy fun play on regular spaghetti sauce filled with simple ingredients and succulent shrimp.

 But I love to play with the classics and make them my own.....

So, this is my version of this dish.  Hopefully, it's your style: deep dark spice-packed tomato sauce paired with perfectly seared sweet shrimp. Let's make it!

Jump to:

• Why You Will Love This Recipe
• Tips and Tricks
• Ingredients You'll Need
• How to Make This Shrimp Fra Diavolo 
• Reheating and Storage 
• Recipe

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Packed with flavor.  This dish is packed with tomato, wine, and fennel seed flavors.  If you don't think you like fennel, ask yourself this:  Do you like Italian sausage?  If you say yes, you'll enjoy the fennel flavor in this sauce. 
• You control the spice level.  You can make this mild or spicy, really it's up to you.  I just make suggestions, you make the decisions. 
• Customizable.  Don't eat shrimp?  Use lobster, chicken, mushrooms, or zucchini instead!  
• Perfect year-round meal.  This a great recipe to cook any time of year - hot or cold outside, it's always a comforting dish.

Tips and Tricks

• Saute the shrimp in garlic and chili-flavored oil for extra flavor.  Don't skip this step!  It's a little more work but adds a TON OF FLAVOR to the shrimp.
• Use homemade crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce. If you grow tomatoes, make sure to make homemade crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce so that you have fresh garden tomato flavors year-round.
• Don't overcook the shrimp.  See this post about cooking shrimp if you need to learn more.  We will be cooking the shrimp two times in this recipe so make sure to SLIGHTLY undercook the shrimp when sauteing.

Ingredients You'll Need

For the Shrimp

• Shrimp - Raw shrimp.  Use any size you like, just make sure to watch them closely to prevent overcooking.   Again, if you're new to cooking with shrimp, read about cooking shrimp.
• Olive oil - to saute the shrimp and flavor the sauce.
• Herbs de Provence - If you can't find herbs de Provence you can use Italian seasoning or a mix of dried oregano, basil, and thyme.
• Salt and black pepper

For the Fra Diavolo Sauce

• Tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes -  Use homemade sauce if possible, otherwise use San Marzano tomatoes or Rao's tomato sauce for the best flavor. 
• Red wine or white wine -  The classic fra diavolo sauce calls for white wine. BUT I had an open bottle of dark red wine, so I thought I would test it out, and guess what--it was amazing!  The dark red wine adds depth of flavor to the sauce that white wine just can't create. I used a Lagrien, but you can use your favorite darker red.  Just make sure it's not a sweet wine.  If you prefer white wine I suggest using a dry white wine like sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio.  If you don't drink wine, you can use chicken stock with a splash of balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar.
• Fresh garlic - About 3-4 cloves of garlic to flavor the oil for cooking the shrimp and for flavoring the tomato sauce. 
• Shallot - To flavor the sauce.
• Fresh Basil and Fresh Parsley - To add to the sauce and garnish the dish.
• Herb's de Provence - I used this instead of the traditional oregano. It's a popular French spice blend usually containing thyme, basil, tarragon, savory, marjoram, oregano, and lavender. It pairs perfectly with seafood.
• Fennel seed - Another ingredient that is not traditional.  Adds another depth of flavor to the sauce that makes this recipe unique.
• Red pepper flakes (red chili flakes) - Adds the spicy component to the sauce.  If you like it extra spicy I suggest adding Calabrian chili peppers (ground or whole) for a spicier kick.  Adding too many chili flakes can add a bit too much-unwanted texture to the sauce. 
• Heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk -  Just a splash! I use coconut milk when I have it on hand because I love the subtle flavor it adds to the sauce. It balances all the flavors in the sauce well and adds just a touch of creaminess to the dish.  Use heavy cream if you do not have or like coconut milk.
• Kosher salt and pepper - The necessary staples.
• Parmesan cheese and fresh basil (to garnish if desired) - I was trained early on to never mix cheese with fish and seafood.  BUT times have changed and I'm pretty sure anything goes these days.  And parmesan cheese tastes damn good on this dish, so throw some on there and enjoy!

How to Make This Shrimp Fra Diavolo 

1. Marinate the shrimp.  Dry shrimp well.  In a medium bowl combine shrimp, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon herbs de Provence, ½ teaspoon chili flakes, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat the shrimp.  Set aside.
2. Flavor the oil.  Over low heat, add 5 tablespoons olive oil to a heavy large skillet.  Add chopped garlic, fennel seed, and the rest of the chili flakes. Gently simmer over medium-low heat until the garlic is fragrant (1-2 minutes), watch carefully to prevent burning the garlic, as it can happen quickly. 
3. Strain the oil. Strain the oil through a fine mesh strainer into a small bowl reserving the oil, garlic, fennel seed, and chilies.
4. Sear the shrimp.  Add 3-4 tablespoon of the flavored oil to the pan and adjust to medium-high heat.  Once to temperature, add the shrimp in a single layer and saute until just barely cooked, flipping halfway, about 2-3 minutes. (The cooking time will depend on the size of your shrimp. It's better to leave the shrimp slightly undercooked, they will cook more in the sauce later.)  Transfer cooked shrimp (and any juices) to a plate and set aside.
5. Make the sauce. Add the remaining chili oil to the pan and reduce to medium heat.  Saute the chopped shallots until translucent (1-2 minutes).  Add the herbs de Provence, reserved chilies, garlic, fennel and red wine. Simmer for 1-2 minutes or until reduced by half. Stir in the tomato sauce, salt, and pepper.  Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes. If the sauce looks thick, add ¼ cup water and simmer until the desired consistency is reached. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
6. Bring it all together.  Stir in the coconut milk or heavy cream, chopped basil, parsley, and cooked shrimp.  Then simmer for 1-2 more minutes or until shrimp are fully cooked. Serve immediately garnished with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Garnish and serve! Top with parmesan cheese and fresh basil or parsley and serve immediately

Reheating and Storage 

• Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Reheat in a skillet over medium heat until the sauce and shrimp are just heated through. Shrimp can overcook easily and become rubbery, so keep a close eye on this sauce while heating it.

Recipe