Spicy Shrimp in Tomato Sauce

This shrimp in tomato sauce recipe is an easy seafood dinner that cooks in less than 15 minutes. The sweet shrimp mixes so well with the spicy tomato sauce, that this may be your new favorite shrimp recipe!

It’s no secret, I could eat seafood all day every day!

Shrimp is one of my favorites because it cooks so quickly and it’s a great vessel for absorbing intense flavors, like this spicy tomato sauce

This shrimp in tomato sauce recipe (like all shrimp dishes) cooks in less than 15 minutes. It’s really a no-brainer for late nights.

How to defrost frozen shrimp

While shrimp is one of my favorites it can get a little pricey to have seafood dinners.

A great cost cutting option is buying frozen shrimp and defrosting it at home.

When you’re defrosting shrimp, there are a few things you want to make sure you do:

• Always defrost seafood/ meats in the fridge (rather than on the counter) overnight to prevent bacteria growth.

• If you don’t have time for an overnight defrost, you can put the shrimp in a bowl and cover them with COLD water and then let them defrost on the counter.
  • I know the cold water seems counter intuitive but it helps defrost the shrimp without lowering them to “danger zone” temperatures where bacteria thrive.

How to cook shrimp perfectly… every time

My golden rule for cooking shrimp is that you should always stick to the 6-7 minute time frame.

If you cook it for 9-10 minutes, it will be rubbery or dry.

If you go the 4-5 minute route it will be raw.

A good kitchen timer is your best friend when cooking shrimp.

For more tips on cooking shrimp and seafood in general, download my seafood cooking guide:

What should you eat with this shrimp?

This shrimp in tomato sauce can go with a lot of different side dishes. Since the flavors are bold, you want to pair it with something that has a more mild flavor. A creamy side dish is a great way to go with this one!

Healthy Side Dish Options:

• Polenta: This would definitely be my top choice! The creamy texture goes really well with shrimp. Try this with my cheesy rosemary polenta!
• Brown Rice: We use the pre-cooked, frozen kind. It’s super easy to heat up in the microwave or on a stove top. It’s way easier than cooking it from scratch. Keep an eye out for Grain Trust brand steamed brown rice next time you’re in the frozen aisle.

• Cauliflower & Potato Mash: A mix of yukon gold potatoes and cauliflower make the perfect mash. It still has the texture of mashed potatoes but it’s a little lighter. I recommend using almond milk and olive oil instead of heavy cream and butter. P.S. yukon gold or golden potatoes are better for this mash than Idaho because they are sweet and creamy. 
• Good crusty bread: To sop up all that tasty sauce of course!

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Shrimp in Spicy Tomato Sauce

Rate this Recipe:

3.37 from 11 votes

This shrimp in tomato sauce recipe is an easy seafood dinner that cooks in less than 15 minutes. The sweet shrimp mixes so well with the spicy tomato sauce, that this may be your new favorite shrimp recipe!

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Main Course

Prep Time3 minutes

Cook Time6 minutes

Resting time2 minutes

Total Time11 minutes

Servings2

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound shrimp, peel and deveined (10-12 shrimp) I love Argentine shrimp because they're super sweet, try these if you can find them
• 1/2 sweet or spanish onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup canned chopped tomatoes (puree in a blender)
• 1 tsp capers
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tbs flat or Italian parsley, chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

• Place the fresh or thawed shrimp in a bowl. Toss with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
• Heat a skillet to medium high heat. Once hot, add olive to the skillet and then add chopped onions. Cook onions (occasionally stirring) for 1-2 minutes until translucent and slightly browned. Add garlic to the pan can cook for 30 seconds.
• Add tomato sauce, capers, red pepper flakes and 1/4 tsp of salt to the skillet. Stir and let the sauce simmer for 1-2 minutes. Place each shrimp into the sauce one at a time (try not to dump excess "shrimp juice" from the seasoning bowl into the sauce). Push each shrimp down into the sauce. Cover and simmer for 6 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and add parsley to the shrimp. Stir and allow the shrimp to sit in the pan for an additional two minutes before serving. Enjoy!

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