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Fra Diavolo Sauce in a Pan
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4.58 from 7 votes

Fra Diavolo Sauce

This fra diavolo sauce is a spicy Italian tomato sauce made with fresh or canned tomatoes, red chili flakes, and oregano. It pairs perfectly with pasta and seafood!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 4 people (½ cup servings)
Calories: 179kcal

Equipment

  • large heavy skillet (12-inch minimum)

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 teaspoons red chili flakes Use less for a milder sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 garlic cloves, diced
  • 2 pounds fresh tomatoes (diced) or 28oz can diced or crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Instructions

  • 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.
    Cook Onions, Peppers + Garlic in Oil
  • Add the tomatoes, water, and oregano to the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer.
    Add Tomatoes, Water + Oregano
  • 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.
    Serve immediately along with fresh pasta or with seafood, refrigerate and use within 4-6 days, or freeze and use within a year. 
    Fra Diavolo Sauce in a Pan with Pasta

Notes

Yields: ~2 cups tomato sauce.
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.
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

Calories: 179kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 178mg | Potassium: 609mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2186IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg