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    Camarones a la Diabla Recipe (Deviled Shrimp)

    Published May 4, 2022. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    This zesty Camarones a la diabla recipe is cooked with an assortment of chiles and roasted vegetables for an extremely flavorful main seafood dish. If you love spice then this recipe is for you.

    I absolutely love Mexican food and all the complex depths of flavors that the cuisine has to offer. If you are like me and want to try some big bold flavored food then you should try out my Picadillo or Birria Tacos.

    deviled shrimp with lime

    Camarones a la Diabla

    Camarones a la diabla is a classic Mexican seafood dish that translates from Spanish to English as, “deviled shrimp.” Let me be the first to tell you that it is exactly that and is incredibly spicy. However, if you’re like me and prefer comfortable spice then you will enjoy my recipe.   

    These deviled shrimps consist of shrimp that are quickly sauteed and coated in a very spicy tomato and chile-based sauce. Be sure to follow the video below to see how I tone down the spice and pull as much flavor as possible using simple techniques.

    Ingredients and Substitutions

    ingredients to make camarones a la diabla
    • Shrimp – Any size shrimp will work for this recipe, but a larger shrimp such as 16-20 work best in my opinion.
    • Tomatoes – Using fresh tomatoes is best and a Roma tomato is a great all-year-round tomato.
    • Chiles – I like to use a combination of ancho, Arbol, and guajillo chiles, and you can use any of these together or just 1.
    • Onions – You can use yellow, white, red, or sweet onions for this recipe.
    • Garlic – This will help add flavor to the sauce and shrimp.
    • Oil – I like to use olive oil for this recipe, but any neutral-flavored oil will work.
    • Limes – This will help bring some much-needed acid to the dish and help relax the spiciness.
    • Cilantro – I like the bright lemon-lime flavors this adds to the shrimp.

    How to Make Camarones a la Diabla

    Follow these easy-to-make procedures and images to make this tasty Camarones a la diabla recipe:

    Add the tomatoes, onions, and garlic to a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and drizzle on olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

    tomatoes and onions on a sheet tray

    Roast the vegetables in the oven for a total of 25 minutes or until lightly charred.

    roasting tomatoes and onions

    With about 5 minutes left in the cooking process add the seeded chiles to the pan in the oven and cook for 5 minutes.

    adding dried chiles to roasted vegetables

    Transfer the roasted vegetables to a blender along with lime juice and cilantro and blend until smooth. Transfer the sauce to a medium-size pot over medium heat and keep warm.

    blending a spicy sauce

    In a separate frying pan or rondeau, brown the onions in olive oil, which takes about 10 to 15 minutes.

    caramelizing onions in a pan

    Stir in the minced garlic and cook just until fragrant and then add in the shrimp and constantly stir over medium-high to high heat for 1 to 1 ½ minutes.

    cooking shrimp in a pan

    Season with salt and lime juice and then pour in the sauce. See chef notes on leftovers.

    shrimp with a spicy sauce in a pan

    Serve garnished with cilantro and lime, and alongside some Mexican white rice.

    serving mexican white rice with camarones a la diabla

    Make-Ahead and Storage

    Make-Ahead: This recipe is meant to be eaten as soon as it is done cooking. You can keep this warm covered in the pot for up to 15 minutes before serving.

    How to Store: Cover and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This will freeze covered for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating and serving.

    How to Reheat: Add the desired number of shrimps to a medium-size saucepan and cook over medium heat just until hot. Note that whenever you reheat shrimp, they can easily overcook and sometimes become a little chewy.

    Chef Billy Parisi

    chef notes + tips

    • You may have up to 1 cup of sauce leftover and if you do it also goes great with pork and chicken. In addition, it freezes well covered for up to 6 months.
    • If the shrimp is too spicy you can stir in some more lime juice or thin it out with some water.
    deviled shrimp in a bowl with cilantro

    More Seafood Recipes 

    Be sure to follow me on FacebookYouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest, and if you’ve had a chance to make this then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below.

    Let's Cook - Chef Billy Parisi

    Video

    Camarones a la Diabla Recipe (Deviled Shrimp)

    5 from 6 votes
    This Camarones a la diabla recipe is cooked with an assortment of chiles and roasted vegetables for an extremely flavorful main seafood dish.
    Servings: 8
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes

    Ingredients 

    For the Sauce:

    • 8 cored and quartered Roma tomatoes
    • 2 peeled and quartered yellow onions
    • 6 garlic cloves
    • 4 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 seeded ancho chile
    • 1 seeded guajillo chile
    • 2 seeded chiles de arbol
    • Juice of 1 lime
    • 10-12 cilantro stems with leaves
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    For the Shrimp:

    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 peeled and julienne yellow onion
    • 2 finely minced garlic cloves
    • 2 pounds peeled and deveined 16-20 shrimp
    • Juice of ½ lime
    • Salt to taste

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 450°.
    • Sauce: Spread out the tomatoes, onion, and garlic onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and drizzle on the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
    • Roast in the oven for a total of 25 minutes and with 5 minutes left in the cooking process add the seeded chiles right to the pan in the oven and cook for 5 minutes.
    • Transfer the roasted vegetables and chiles to a blender along with lime juice and cilantro and blend on high until smooth. Adjust seasonings more with salt and lime juice if needed. Keep warm in a pot on low heat.
    • Shrimp: Add the oil to a large rondeau or frying pan over medium heat and cook the onions until browned and tender, which takes about 15 minutes.
    • Next, stir in the garlic just until fragrant, which takes about 1 minute.
    • Add in the shrimp and turn the heat to medium-high to high and cook for 60 to 90 seconds while constantly stirring.
    • Season with salt and lime juice and stir to combine.
    • Turn the heat off and then pour in the warm sauce and stir to combine. See notes.
    • Serve with optional garnish of chopped cilantro and lime wedges.

    Notes

    Make-Ahead: This recipe is meant to be eaten as soon as it is done cooking. You can keep this warm covered in the pot for up to 15 minutes before serving.
    How to Store: Cover and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This will freeze covered for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating and serving.
    How to Reheat: Add the desired number of shrimps to a medium-size saucepan and cook over medium heat just until hot. Note that whenever you reheat shrimp, they can easily overcook and sometimes become a little chewy.
    You may have up to 1 cup of sauce leftover and if you do it also goes great with pork and chicken. In addition, it freezes well covered for up to 6 months.
    If the shrimp is too spicy you can stir in some more lime juice or thin it out with some water.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 253kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 25gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 183mgSodium: 146mgPotassium: 624mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1994IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 98mgIron: 1mg
    Course: Main
    Cuisine: Mexican

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