Camarones a la Diabla (Deviled Shrimp) features extra-large shrimp simmered to perfection in a spicy sauce of Mexican chilies, tomatoes, garlic and onions. It's a delightfully saucy, deeply flavorful dish that really lets the shrimp shine! Prepare this easy Camarones a la Diabla recipe any night of the week, and serve as an appetizer or entrée with rice or crusty bread for dipping.
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Why We Love This Recipe
Camarones a la Diabla is a wholesome and easy recipe to prepare with less than a dozen ingredients in only 30 minutes. Extra-large shrimp are quickly seared before being added to the sauce that's made in the same pan. We use peeled and deveined shrimp that's ready to cook, so prep time is much faster and easier.
Speaking of the sauce... This Camarones a la Diabla dish features an amazingly fiery, flavorful sauce made with simmered spicy chiles, fresh tomatoes, and vibrant aromatics. It includes a beautiful blend of sweet, smoky, and spicy chiles - Guajillo and Chile de Arbol.
Guajillo chiles are some of the most popular chili peppers used in Mexico. They are a mild, fruity and sweet tasting chili that is often used in making salsas, sauces and of course, Camarones a la Diabla. Dried guajillo chiles range from 2,500 to 5,000 heat units on the Scoville scale.
Chile de Arbol is a classic Mexican pepper that is often used in traditional sauces. It has a nutty and smoky flavor with medium to hot spiciness. Chile de Arbol range from 15,000 to 30,000 Scoville heat units.
Camarones a la Diabla can be served as hearty seafood appetizer or a satisfying main dish. And because of all this wonderful sauciness, these Deviled Shrimp are perfect to enjoy with rice or crusty bread!
How to Make Camarones a la Diabla
Rehydrate the dried chiles. Quickly boil water and remove from the heat. Submerge all of the dried peppers in the water, cover and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes. This softens the guajillo and Chile de Arbol peppers and enhances their bold flavors. Drain the chiles, then remove the stems and seeds once cool to the touch.
Blend the spicy sauce. Add the chiles to a blender along with the tomatoes, garlic, onion and seasonings. Puree until smooth.
Cook the shrimp. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add the oil. Once hot add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the shrimp over and sear for another minute or two. As soon as the shrimp turn light pink, use a slotted spoon to remove from the skillet and transfer to a holding plate or bowl.
Simmer the Camarones a la Diabla. Next, lower the heat to medium to and add the blended sauce to the skillet. Cook as you continuously stir for about 5-7 minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken a bit. Taste and add salt or sugar as you like. Then add the shrimp and cook for just another few minutes until heated through.
Serve Hot. Camarones a la Diabla is best when served warm immediately after being prepared. Garnish with lime wedges on the side and enjoy with your favorite Mexican-inspired sides.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Extra large shrimp (26/30) means that there are 26 to 30 shrimp in a pound. The numeric designation is a better title for shrimp than just a description since you know exactly what you are getting.
- If you are serving Camarones a la Diabla as a main course, figure about 6 ounces of raw headless shrimp per person. This is the number I used when determining the serving size of this Camarones a la Diabla recipe. If you are serving deviled shrimp as an appetizer, you can figure about 2 to 3 ounces of raw headless shrimp per person.
- Check your shrimp for any leftover shells pieces or dark veins. Even if you purchased peeled and deveined shrimp, there can often be stragglers that you will want to remove.
- Wear cooking gloves when you are handling the peppers to prevent irritation. Also, be careful not to touch your eyes or face. Thoroughly clean surfaces that touched the peppers, again, with gloves.
- If you want your shrimp less spicy, you can omit the Chile de Arbol and add more guajillo chiles. A pinch of crushed red pepper or more to taste, would add a little more spiciness if you want to increase the heat by only a small amount.
- Once the sauce is made, taste before adding the cooked shrimp and adjust seasoning to your liking. If the sauce is a bit too spicy, add sugar in ¼ teaspoon increments until the spice level is just right.
- You can substitute canned whole peeled tomatoes for the fresh Roma tomatoes. A typical 14.5 ounce can of whole tomatoes has about 5 to 6 tomatoes in it so you will have leftovers. Store the leftover tomatoes in their juice in a sealed container for up to 5 days. Do not store them in the can.
- You may also substitute 2 teaspoons minced garlic for the 2 garlic cloves.
- Deviled Shrimp is best when served and enjoyed soon after being prepared. Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container and kept in the fridge for a day or so. Briefly reheat on the stovetop, but note that the shrimp will not have quite the same texture or taste as when originally cooked.
What to Serve with Camarones a la Diabla
- Steamed white rice or Instant Pot Brown Rice.
- Enjoy with cooked cauliflower rice for a low-carb dinner.
- Elote - Mexican Street Corn
- Warm, crusty bread for dipping in the sauce.
Other Mexican Recipes You'll Enjoy
📋 Recipe
Camarones a la Diabla
Ingredients
- 7 dried guajillo chiles rinsed
- 3 dried Chile de Árbol peppers rinsed
- 3 Roma tomatoes coarsely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 small onion coarsely chopped
- Coarse kosher salt
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1-½ pounds extra large (26/30) raw shrimp peeled and deveined tail-on
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Granulated sugar optional
- Lime wedges optional
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring 6 cups of water to boiling. Remove from the heat and add dried guajillo and Chile de Árbol peppers. Submerge peppers. If more water is needed add hot tap water to cover the chilies. Cover and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes or until the chilies have softened. Drain the chilies and remove the stems and seeds. Discard the stems and set the seeds aside.
- Add the chilies, tomatoes, garlic, onion and 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt to a blender. Puree until smooth. Season to taste with kosher salt.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the shrimp and cook, turning once, for 1 to 2 minutes or until the shrimp is light pink. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a bowl.
- Lower the heat to medium. Slowly add the chili mixture to the skillet. Cook, stirring, 5 to 7 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the sauce is too spicy, add sugar, in ¼ teaspoon increments, until the sauce is to your liking.
- Add the shrimp to the sauce and heat, stirring, 3 minutes or until the shrimp is heated through.
- Serve with lime wedges, if using.
Marcie says
can you use frozen,thawed shrimp?