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This classic shrimp fra diavolo recipe is a bold, spicy Italian-American dish made with plump shrimp, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a kick of red pepper flakes. It's a quick seafood pasta that comes together in under an hour and is perfect for a cozy dinner or a special occasion.
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What is fra diavolo?
Pronounced, fra-dia-voh-loh, fra diavolo translates to "among the devil: or "brother devil." It's a type of spicy tomato sauce that is typically made with fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic, white wine, and oregano.
However, what sets this recipe apart from other tomato-based sauces, such as Marinara Sauce or Italian Sunday Gravy, is the inclusion of red chili flakes and/or fresh chiles. These add lots of heat and a satisfying kick.
Most recipes are served with seafood and linguine. However, for this version, I combine everything for a quick and easy meal that can be served on its own.
Notes About the Ingredients
- Shrimp - I make this dish with jumbo shrimp that have already been peeled and deveined. You can choose to leave the tails on if you want. Either fresh or frozen shrimp will work, but if you buy frozen, make sure you thaw it completely and drain any excess liquid.
- Tomatoes - When I tested this recipe, I loved the extra smoky zip that fire-roasted tomatoes gave it. I was able to find ones with garlic, and that worked perfectly! Regular fire-roasted tomatoes will work just fine, and plain canned diced tomatoes will have a milder flavor.
- Wine - When cooking with wine, a decent one that you would drink is perfect. Pinot grigio is my favorite, but chardonnay or even sauvignon blanc will also work. If you don't want to cook with wine or don't have it on hand, I recommend substituting it with chicken broth with a splash of lemon juice for acidity.
- Pasta - Fra diavolo is traditionally served with either linguine or spaghetti. For a more delicate dish, use angel hair, and for a hearty pasta, I recommend fettuccine. You can also try making homemade pasta for an extra special dish!
Variations to Try
- Seafood - Instead of shrimp, use lobster, or simmer fresh mussels or clams in the fra diavolo sauce.
- Spice - This dish has a good amount of heat without being too overpowering. You can always bump up the heat or reduce the amount of crushed red pepper flakes to adjust the level of heat.
- Gluten-Free - Use your favorite gluten-free pasta!
How to Make a Classic Shrimp Fra Diavolo
Cook Pasta - First, cook the linguine in a large pot of boiling salted water over medium-high heat until it's al dente. Read more about how to cook pasta with my fail-proof tips!
Season and Sear Shrimp - While the pasta cooks, pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture and season on both sides with the salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat with olive oil, and work in batches to sear the shrimp. Make sure you add the shrimp in a single layer and don't overcrowd the pan. They will take about 1-2 minutes on each side to brown.
Start the Sauce - Add the remaining olive oil and saute the onions until they start to soften, then add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook until they become fragrant.
Finish Sauce - Add the white wine to the pan to deglaze, and scrape the bottom to remove any stuck-on bits from browning the shrimp.
Reserve ½ cup of water from cooking the linguine before draining it, and add it to the sauce with the diced tomatoes. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce for a couple of minutes until it reduces a little bit.
Toss and Serve - Add the shrimp back to the sauce with any juices on the plate and let the shrimp heat through. Toss with the linguine and garnish with fresh herbs!
Amanda's Expert Tips
- Patting the shrimp dry will remove excess moisture, giving you the best sear on the shrimp. Get the pan SUPER HOT and only put the shrimp in the pan in a single layer.
- Scrape any stuck-on bits off the bottom of the pan after you add the white wine. These add a lot of flavor to the sauce!
- Adding the water you cook the pasta in to the sauce helps to flavor it and helps the sauce stick to the pasta.
Glossary
If you don't recognize a tool or skill I mentioned, you can look it up in my Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information!
Frequently asked questions
To make the fra diavolo sauce less spicy, reduce the amount of crushed red pepper flakes and use regular canned diced tomatoes instead of fire-roasted.
A fra diavolo sauce is very similar to an arrabiata sauce. Arrabiata is a thicker, marinara-style red sauce, while fra diavolo, on the other hand, is a tomato-based sauce that is more chunky.
This pasta will keep for 3-5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can reheat it in the microwave or stovetop over medium-low heat.
More Easy Seafood Recipes
If you loved this bold and spicy Shrimp Fra Diavolo, here are a few more quick and flavorful seafood recipes to keep in your weeknight dinner rotation:
- Roasted Italian Salmon - Tender salmon fillets roasted with garlic, herbs, and lemon for a simple yet elegant main dish.
- Easy Shrimp and Scallop Scampi - Juicy shrimp and scallops cooked in a buttery garlic sauce with a splash of white wine-perfect over pasta or with crusty bread.
- Dijon Panko Crusted Salmon - Crispy on the outside, flaky on the inside-this salmon is topped with a tangy mustard crust that packs flavor in every bite.
- Mussels Marinara - Steamed mussels in a rich marinara sauce with garlic and herbs-serve with pasta or toasted bread for a cozy seafood dinner at home.
Recipe
Shrimp Fra Diavolo with Linguine
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound linguine
- 2 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 5 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 cup diced yellow onion, approximately 1 medium
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic, approximately 2-3 cloves
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ cup dry white wine, pinot grigio or chardonnay
- 2 14-ounce cans fire roasted tomatoes
- chopped fresh parsley or basil, optional (for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the linguine in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
- While the pasta cooks, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat on the stovetop and add 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Work in batches to sear the shrimp for 1-2 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Remove from the skillet to a plate.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil along with the diced onions. Saute for 3-4 minutes until they start to soften.
- Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano and saute for 1-2 minutes until lightly browned and fragrant.
- Deglaze the skillet with the white wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any stuck on bits.
- Stir in the fire roasted tomatoes and ½ cup of the water from cooking the pasta. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced.
- While the sauce is simmering, drain the remaining water from the pasta and set it aside.
- Add the shrimp back to the sauce and simmer until heated through. Toss the shrimp and sauce with the linguine and serve garnished with chopped fresh parsley or basil.
Hanna Sands
I love this recipe and think about it this dish often! Super easy and quick to make dinner to make
Amanda Scarlati
Thanks Hanna - I'm glad you loved it!