Name: Seafood Fra Diavolo
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 pound mixed seafood, thawed if purchased frozen ((Mixed seafood usually includes shrimp, scallops, mussels and calamari)); 1/4 cup olive oil; 1 onion, diced; 2 teaspoons red chili flakes (Use less for a milder sauce); 1/4 teaspoon sea salt; 4 garlic cloves, diced; 2 pounds fresh tomatoes (diced) or 28oz can diced or crushed tomatoes; 1 cup water; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/2 pound spaghetti (Use gluten-free spaghetti if needed)

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This decadent seafood fra diavolo is made with an easy, homemade spicy tomato sauce, pasta and shrimp. Perfect for date night!

Seafood fra diavolo with pasta, seafood, and tomatoes in skillet.

Years ago, just before I headed to see a traveling Broadway production of Cats, I tasted seafood fra diavolo for the first time.

It was a memorable night!

Over the years, I’ve been on a mission to recreate as many versions as possible of that fabulous seafood pasta dish, including this shrimp fra diavolo and scallop fra diavolo.

Seafood in spicy pasta sauce is one of my favorite meals ever.

This version, a mixed seafood fra diavolo, might just be my favorite yet! Why? Because it’s so incredibly EASY!

What Is Fra Diavolo?

Fra Diavolo means “brother monk” or “devil monk,” and refers to a spicy Italian tomato sauce.

Apparently (maybe?) the monks liked their sauces packed with heat.

Is This Fra Diavolo Sauce Spicy?

If you follow the recipe as written, yes, it is a rather spicy sauce. It’s a fra diavolo sauce, after all.

That said, if you’re not sure what type of heat level you’d like, this sauce is also delicious with much less (or even no) heat, so feel free to modify the heat level to your liking.

Where Can I Buy Mixed Seafood?

It’s usually fairly easy to find bags of mixed seafood in the freezer section. These mixed seafood bags typically include things like shrimp, bay scallops, mussels and calamari (squid).

The seafood mix in the photo below is from Aldi, but I’ve also seen these mixed seafood bags regularly at Trader Joe’s and more traditional grocery stores.

Frozen shrimp, calamari, bay scallops and mussels in bag labeled "Seafood Mix." — Frozen Seafood Mix

Do I Need to Thaw the Seafood Before Cooking?

Yes. Either place the seafood in a bowl in the refrigerator the day before, or do a quick thaw in cold water while you prepare the pasta sauce.

How to Make the Fra Diavolo Sauce

Start by adding oil to a large, heavy pan. I like to use this Lodge 12″ carbon steel skillet, but a Dutch oven would work well too.

Cook an onion and red pepper flakes until the onion softens. Then add garlic and cook until fragrant.

Add diced or canned tomatoes, water and dried oregano.

See the Recipe Notes for tips on which type of tomatoes will give you the texture sauce you prefer.

Simmer the tomato mixture until it thickens.

At this point, taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning as desired.

Simmer Fra Diavolo Sauce Until Thickened — Simmer Until Thickened

Prepare the Seafood Fra Diavolo

While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When the water reaches a rolling boil, add the seafood and cook for two minutes.

Strain out the seafood, put it in a bowl, and place the bowl in the fridge while you continue cooking.

Seafood mix of shrimp, mussels, scallops and calamari in bowl. — Cooked Seafood Mix

Next, cook your pasta.

Add spaghetti to the same pot of boiling water, and cook according to the package directions.

Strain the pasta and and toss it with the fra diavolo sauce. Add the cooked seafood and toss again.

Serve this pasta right away, along with a crisp glass of chilled wine.

Seafood fra diavolo with pasta, seafood and tomatoes on plates with forks.

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5 from 1 vote

Seafood Fra Diavolo

This decadent seafood fra diavolo is made with an easy, homemade spicy tomato sauce, pasta and shrimp. Perfect for date night!

Author: Sarah Trenalone

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time35 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 2 people

Calories: 964kcal

Freezer Friendly?

Will It Keep?

Equipment

large heavy skillet (12-inch minimum)

Ingredients

1 pound mixed seafood, thawed if purchased frozen (Mixed seafood usually includes shrimp, scallops, mussels and calamari)
¼ cup olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 teaspoons red chili flakes Use less for a milder sauce
¼ teaspoon sea salt
4 garlic cloves, diced
2 pounds fresh tomatoes (diced) or 28oz can diced or crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ pound spaghetti Use gluten-free spaghetti if needed

Instructions

Fra Diavolo Sauce:

Add the oil, onions, chili flakes and salt to a large, shallow pan. (Use a 12" pan or larger, see recipe notes.) Cook the onions over medium heat until they begin to brown (~5 min).
Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute, or until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the tomatoes, water, and oregano to the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer.
Simmer the tomatoes for 20-25 minutes, or until most of the water has evaporated and the sauce has thickened.
Taste the sauce and add more chili flakes, salt, or oregano if desired. Simmer 1-2 more minutes if you added more seasoning.
While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the mixed seafood and cook for about 2 minutes. (If the seafood mix includes shrimp, cook until the shrimp turn pink.)
Use a mesh sieve, skimmer or slotted spoon to remove the seafood from the water into a colander. Rinse with cold water to stop the seafood from cooking. Place the seafood in the fridge until your sauce is ready.
(Do not discard the hot water.)
Add spaghetti to the large pot of boiling water.
Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
Add the cooked spaghetti to the pasta sauce and toss to coat.
Add the seafood to the pasta and toss again. Serve immediately.

Notes

Serves: This serves two people generously. For more modest portions, store half the pasta sauce for later and use ¼ lb. spaghetti.

Pan Size: Some readers have reported that their 12″ pans were too small for the volume of sauce. You may find a heavy Dutch oven works best for you, although I’ve always had success with my 12″ carbon steel pan.

Prepare Ahead: The sauce can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated for 4-6 days, or frozen and used within a year.

Smoother Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes: Canned tomatoes are peeled, and will yield a smoother sauce with less texture. If you’re using fresh tomatoes and want an extra-smooth marinara, you have two options:

1. Peel the tomatoes first. Use a knife to mark an X on each tomato, and then blanch them in boiling water until the tomato peel loosens (~15-30 seconds). Peel, and then proceed with the recipe. Crush tomatoes with your hands instead of dicing.

2. Blend the sauce. After cooking, add the sauce to a blender or use an immersion blender to blend the peels into the sauce.

Varieties of tomatoes: For the thickest sauce, use San Marzano tomatoes (or other varieties of Roma tomatoes). However, this recipe works well with juicy tomatoes also.

Nutrition

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