Shrimp Fra Diavolo features sautéed shrimp tossed in a spicy tomato sauce spiked with white wine. It’s a quick & easy delicious pasta recipe perfect for the weeknight dinner table.
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I’m back with another quick & easy pasta recipe for you!
This spicy tomato shrimp pasta will be on your dinner table in 30-minutes flat. It’s got a bit of heat to it, and a lovely briny goodness from the shrimp.
Plus, it’s not heavy and overpowering like some rich pasta dishes can be. Just light, delicious and oh so flavorful – with white wine, plenty of garlic and fresh parsley.
Shrimp Diavolo is a bit like clam linguini’s evil cousin – all the seafood goodness but amped up with fiery heat.
Reader
Love
Recipe was a hit with family. I was a bit skeptical since most Italian food I have eaten with tomatoes had no appeal to my taste buds. The simple ingredients made this easy to fix and tasted awesome. The wine made all the difference. Shrimp was so good and flavored by searing and mixing with sauce. I’m ready to eat this again! Kudos kudos kudos
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What does Fra Diavolo mean in Italian?
- “Fra Diavolo” means “Brother Devil” in Italian. This Shrimp in fra diavolo sauce is given the name for its spicy flavors.
Ingredient notes
- Shrimp – I used a bag of frozen shrimp that were partially peeled but had the tails still attached. like having a bit of the peel left on. I think that it adds more flavor to the dish. However, you can use also shrimp that are fully peeled.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- Olive Oil
- Garlic
- Canned Tomatoes
- White Wine – Here are 13+ of my favorite white wines for cooking.
- Parsley
- Sugar
How to make it
- Get a large skillet super hot. Then quick saute the shrimp until pink throughout. Set them aside. Tip: Here’s how to tell when shrimp are done.
- Lower the skillet heat to LOW so that the garlic wont scorch. Slow saute it until golden.
- Add wine, tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and let the tomato mixture simmer to allow the flavors to meld.
- Return the shrimp to the skillet and toss with linguini and a bit of reserved pasta water.
Is fra diavolo spicy?
As written, this recipe is about a “medium” on the heat level. I like things spicy, and if you’re going to serve people something called devil shrimp, it’s my belief that you’d better come bringing some heat!
However, I’ve also made this dish for my good friend Barb and her daughter. They’re both pretty sensitive to spicy dishes so I cut the red pepper flakes back by half and it was all good! You can also leave the red chili flakes out entirely if you’d like.
Tips and tricks
- Cook your linguine just until al dente (tender with a slight bite). Don’t worry about it being underdone—it’ll finish cooking when it’s tossed in the warm sauce.
- The key to a perfect pasta sauce is the leftover pasta cooking water. This starchy water helps emulsify and thicken the sauce and ensures that it clings to the pasta noodles. Add a splash at a time after tossing everything together to give it that restaurant-quality silky texture.
Variations
- Lobster fra diavolo: Swap in lobster for the shrimp to make a lobster fra diavolo.
- Basil: Add some fresh basil to your finished dish for a pop of extra flavor.
- Alcohol-free: You can substitute the wine with seafood stock, low-sodium chicken broth, or a splash of pasta water with an extra splash of lemon juice to replace the missing acidity.
- Add vegetables: Consider adding diced zucchini, roasted cherry tomatoes, or baby spinach to the pan just before adding the crab to turn this dish into a heartier meal.
How to store
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- To reheat, warm the leftovers in a skillet over low heat. Add a splash of water or broth to the pan to loosen the sauce, if needed. Reheat it just until it’s warmed through, as cooking it too long can make the shrimp rubbery.
- I don’t recommend freezing this dish because shrimp tends to lose its delicate texture and flavor once thawed.
What to serve with it
- MORE → the BEST sides for pasta
- MORE → side dishes for shrimp
Erin’s wine pairings
- White Wine – Pinot Grigio or dry sparkling wine such as Prosecco will be awesome with this dish.
- Red Wine – Dolcetto or Barbera would make a good option for this dish – Look for fruity reds that are lower in alcohol.
More shrimp recipes
More quick pasta recipes
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Full Recipe
Shrimp Fra Diavolo
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound linguine
- 1 pound large shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (divided)
- 6 Tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- 14 cloves garlic (minced, divided)
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (drained)
- 1 cup dry white wine (or vermouth)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley (minced)
- Salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the 1 pound linguine, according the package directions, then drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid.
- Meanwhile, combine the 1 pound large shrimp, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 2 TBSP olive oil, and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Toss to blend.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and arrange in a single layer. Let cook without stirring until the bottoms turn pink, about 30-45 seconds. Flip the shrimp over and cook until pink throughout.
- Transfer the shrimp to a bowl and set aside.
- Add 3 TBSP olive oil and 3 TBSP of the minced garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, over low heat, until the garlic is light golden, about 7-10 minutes.
- Mix in remaining 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon sugar, 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes and 1 cup dry white wine. Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer until thickened, about 8 minutes.
- Stir reserved shrimp and accumulated juices, remaining garlic and ¼ cup fresh parsley into the sauce. Simmer until the shrimp are heated through, about 1 minute. Add linguini and toss to combine, adding pasta cooking liquid if needed to loosen the sauce.
Notes
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Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
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To reheat, warm the leftovers in a skillet over low heat. Add a splash of water or broth to the pan to loosen the sauce, if needed. Reheat it just until it’s warmed through, as cooking it too long can make the shrimp rubbery.
-
I don’t recommend freezing this dish because shrimp tends to lose its delicate texture and flavor once thawed.
-
Swap in lobster for the shrimp to make a lobster fra diavolo.
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Add some fresh basil to your finished dish for a pop of extra flavor.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2019. It was updated in 2026 to add new content. The shrimp diablo pasta recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
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