The definition of Fra Diavolo is “brother devil,” and whenever you have that kind of language being tossed around in the food category it means this is going to be SPICY. So since I am the least spicy person I know, I’m not sure what compelled me to make this shrimp pasta fra diavolo version. My sister is the spice-loving one in our family, but for some reason I decided to make an exception for this…maybe because I love the exotic name? And since I am the cook and the Southern husband is the clean-up crew, I was able to take it just to the edge of my spice tolerance level. Meaning that mine has just enough naughty heat to make you sit up and take notice, but it won’t have smoke coming out of your ears. If you are a spicier person than I am, or you are my sister, dial up those red pepper flakes!
The sauce is a mixture of tomatoes and onion and white wine and those red pepper flakes – super simple to simmer up. Butterfly up some shrimp, which means peeling them and then cutting them almost in half down the center. It’s not essential if you don’t want to do it, but it makes the shrimp curl up in a pretty way. You can then pop them right into the simmering tomato sauce until they are just cooked through. Meanwhile, cook up a pot of pasta – I love angel hair for this recipe, because its delicate strands don’t overpower the dramatic flavors in the rest of the dish. Once everything is done, toss the pasta with the sauce and dish it up, making sure everyone gets their fair share of shrimp. I like to scatter some chopped scallions on the top for a little extra zing and color.
Let’s take a closer look!
Spicy, wonderful deliciousness, on your plate in less than 20 minutes. Never mind the name of this dish – it tastes like a plateful of heaven to me!
PrintShrimp Pasta Fra Diavolo
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: Dinner
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 sweet onion, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper (or more if you like things spicier!)
- 1 14 ounce can chopped tomatoes with their juice
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and butterflied
- 12 ounces angel hair pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Chopped scallions for garnish
Instructions
- Add oil to a large deep skillet and heat over medium heat. Add onion and stir until it starts to get tender, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add pepper, tomatoes and white wine and simmer for 5 minutes. Add shrimp and simmer until shrimp are just cooked through, about another 5 minutes.
- While the sauce is cooking, prepare the pasta according to package directions and drain.
- When the shrimp are done, stir in the butter until it is melted. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss well.
- Divide among plates, scatter scallions on top and serve.
Oh my gawsh, who doesn’t love a little “devil” in their pasta?! Not this girl! Shrimp Fra Diavolo is one of my favorite pasta dishes and yours looks sensational! Pinned! Cheers to a wonderful holiday weekend!
Right back at you – hope it is devilishly good! :)
Made this for supper tonight. Fabulous! Easy, quick and delicious. Thanks for a great recipe.
I’m so glad you liked it, and thanks so much for telling me how it came out – I love hearing it! :)