Shrimp Fra Diavolo
Shrimp Fra Diavolo is an easy weeknight-friendly pasta dinner that is loaded with the best homemade tomato sauce spiked with Calabrian chilies! The heat from the peppers pairs beautifully with the sweet shrimp. I love tossing the sauce with pasta at the end or you can even serve it with crispy crunchy garlic bread!
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dry linguine or pasta of choice
- 1¼ pound large shrimp cleaned with tails-on
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 10-12 cloves garlic
- ½-2 tablespoons Calabrian chili paste
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 28 ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes, squished down (or diced)
- ¾ cup shrimp fish, or chicken stock (see notes)
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley divided
Instructions
- PASTA: Bring a large pot of water to boil. When boiling, generously salt the water and cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of stock, drain the rest.
- TOSS: Pat the shrimp dry using paper towels. Toss with the red pepper flakes and ½ teaspoon salt in a bowl. Heat a 3 quart nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for 45-60 seconds until the shrimp sears, flip and continue to cook for another 30-45 seconds or until the shrimp is opaque and cooked through. Remove the shrimp to a rimmed plate and continue cooking any remaining shrimp the same way.
- FRA DIAVOLO: Add the remaining 3 tbsp of oil to the skillet. Add the garlic and Calabrian chili paste, stir to combine and cook for 30 seconds. Then add the baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, tomatoes, and stock. Bring the tomato mixture to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens, stirring often.
- FINISH: When the sauce has thickened, add the shrimp to the skillet along with any juices that may have accumulated on the plate and 2 tablespoons of parsley. Toss to combine. When the shrimp have heated through, add the pasta and toss it in the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, use the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce to your liking. Taste and adjust with seasonings as desired. Serve topped with remaining parsley.
Notes
* Homemade stock: Keep the shells from peeled shrimp in a baggy in the freezer until you have the peels of ~2 pounds of shrimp. Add a drizzle of oil to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute shrimp shells with 2-4 cloves of smashed garlic for 2 minutes. Then add 3 cup water, a few sprigs of parsley, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and let simmer for 15 mins. Strain stock through mesh strainer. Use or freeze within 3 days.
