This recipe is packed with flavor and uses very simple cooking techniques. Shrimp Diavolo is a classic, slightly spicy Italian dish (where you control the heat by determining how much chili flakes to add). It's perfect for a weeknight dinner but also fancy enough for company. You can serve it over pasta or do like we do at The Chopping Block and serve with a buttery garlic bread to sop up all of that delicious sauce!
Shrimp are tossed with olive oil, chili flakes and seasoned with salt and pepper. Once your pan is hot, add olive oil to coat the pan. Then add the shrimp to your pan. Once the shrimp start to turn colors, take them out. You don't want to overcook the shrimp now as you'll add them back to the pan later. Sauté the onions until they are caramelized. Then add the garlic for about 30 seconds. Garlic can burn very easily and then turns bitter. When you add the garlic, just wait until you start smelling it. Then stir in the crushed tomatoes, white wine and oregano. Bring the sauce pan to a boil and cook at a simmer for about 15 minutes, which will help thicken the sauce. Once the sauce has thickened, add your fresh herbs and shrimp back into the pan. It’s that simple!
In this recipe, I added dried oregano earlier in the recipe. This allows the dried herbs to rehydrate in the sauce. Dried herbs will taste better if you allow them to sit in a recipe and bloom. On the other hand, I added the fresh herbs at the end. Fresh herbs have a lot of flavor but can be delicate. You want to stay away from browning or over cooking fresh herbs. They are great to use as a finish to a dish!
Garlic bread is a great addition to dip into this meal. Gently heat the butter, olive oil and garlic in a saucepan until you start to really smell the garlic. Again, this will take about 30 seconds. Then brush the garlic butter between the slices of a baguette. Wrap the bread in foil and bake for about 15 minutes or until the bread is hot. Open the foil and continue to bake the bread for an additional 5 minutes to crisp the top.
This recipe is adapted from The Chopping Block's recipe.
Scroll down for a printable version of this recipe
1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
Pinch of kosher sea salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium-size onion, medium dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup canned, crushed tomatoes
1 cup white wine
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons fresh basil, torn into bite-size pieces
1. In a medium-size bowl, toss together the shrimp, 1 tablespoon olive oil, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Allow to marinate for about 20 minutes.
2. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté the shrimp until they are just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
3. In the same pan, gently sauté the onion until lightly caramelized around the edges, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook until aromatic, approximately 30 seconds.
4. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, white wine and oregano. Bring the sauce to a boil, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the sauce has slightly thickened.
5. Return the shrimp to the pan with the sauce, and add the basil. Stir well. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with Garlic Bread.
1/2 baguette
1/2 stick butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed with a garlic press
Salt and pepper to taste
If you want some hands-on experience making this dish, don't miss The Chopping Block's Italian Night Out class. The menu is truly amazing!
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