Mexican

Serving

Mexican Quick & easy

Camarones a la Diabla

Name: Camarones a la Diabla
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 600g (1.3 lb) large shrimp, peeled and deveined; 3 guajillo and 2 árbol dried chillies; 3 roma tomatoes and 1/4 onion; 2 cloves garlic and 1 chipotle in adobo; 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil; Cooked white rice, to serve

Shrimp simmered in a fiery, smoky red chilli sauce — bold and quick.

30 minutes

Serves 3

Dinner

14 min prep

23 min cook

Contains common allergens

Dairy Seafood Shellfish

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Good to know

Ready in under 30 minutes

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals

Instructions

6 steps

1
Soak the Chillies: Toast the dried chillies briefly, then soak in hot water until soft.
2
Blend the Sauce: Blend the soaked chillies with the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and chipotle until smooth.
3
Cook the Shrimp: Sear the shrimp in butter and olive oil for about 1 minute per side, then remove.
4
Cook the Sauce: Pour the chilli sauce into the pan and simmer for 6-8 minutes until thickened and deepened in colour.
5
Combine: Return the shrimp and toss for 1-2 minutes until just cooked through.
6
Serve: Spoon over white rice with warm tortillas on the side.

Camarones a la Diabla — plated and served — Serving moment. How Camarones a la Diabla looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

62/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 70

Kid-friendly 27

Weeknight-easy 86

Budget-friendly 64

Great leftovers 50

Pantry-friendly 68

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

325

Calories

49 g

Protein

11 g

Carbs

10 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Camarones a la diabla, or deviled shrimp, are shrimp bathed in a fiery red sauce built from rehydrated dried chiles like guajillo and arbol. The name nods to the heat, and the dish is a staple of Mexican coastal and seafood cooking, often served fast and bubbling at mariscos restaurants. The sauce is meant to be intense and clingy, coating each shrimp in deep red fire.

Listahan note

This version blends a smoky dried-chile sauce and cooks the shrimp only briefly so they stay tender, not rubbery. The heat is bold but balanced with garlic, tomato, and a touch of richness.

Technique cues

Cook the shrimp just until they curl into a loose C and turn opaque, because a tight O shape means they have overcooked into rubber.
Toast and soak the dried chiles before blending, since this softens their bitterness and lets the sauce taste deep instead of harsh.
Simmer the blended sauce on its own for a few minutes to cook out the raw chile flavor before the shrimp ever go in.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: While the dried chiles soak, peel and devein the shrimp and mince the garlic so the sauce can be blended and the shrimp cooked back to back.
Make-ahead: Make the chile sauce up to two days ahead and refrigerate it, then cook the shrimp fresh in minutes at dinner.
Leftover move: Tuck leftover shrimp and sauce into warm tortillas for tacos, or toss with rice for a quick next-day bowl.
Cleanup rhythm: Rinse the blender jar right away so the red chile sauce does not stain it, and wipe the pan while it is still warm.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

Large shrimp

the protein

Purpose: Shrimp cook in minutes and their sweetness is the perfect foil for the fiery sauce.

Handling: Peel and devein, leaving tails on for presentation, and pat dry before cooking.

Adaptation: Firm white fish chunks or scallops cook similarly in the same sauce.

Dried guajillo chiles

color and base flavor

Purpose: Guajillos give the deep red color and a mild, fruity flavor that anchors the sauce.

Handling: Stem, seed, toast briefly, and soak in hot water until soft before blending.

Adaptation: New Mexico or ancho chiles for a milder, slightly sweeter sauce.

Chile de arbol

the heat

Purpose: These small chiles bring the devilish fire the dish is named for.

Handling: Toast with the guajillos and add to taste, since they are potent.

Adaptation: Chipotle in adobo for smoky heat, or fewer arbols for a milder version.

Garlic

savory aromatic

Purpose: Plenty of garlic gives the sauce its savory backbone and keeps the chiles from tasting one-note.

Handling: Saute or blend with the chiles for a deeper, mellower garlic flavor.

Adaptation: Garlic powder in a pinch, though fresh is far better here.

Roma tomato

body and balance

Purpose: Tomato adds body and a gentle sweetness that tames and rounds the chile heat.

Handling: Char or blend raw into the sauce for a smoother, less sharp result.

Adaptation: A spoonful of tomato paste or canned tomatoes when fresh are pale.

Technique notes

Strain the blended sauce for a glossy, restaurant-smooth texture if you dislike bits of chile skin.
Finish with a knob of butter or a splash of cream to mellow the heat and give the sauce a silky sheen.
Add the shrimp to a sauce that is already hot and simmering so they cook fast and stay tender.

Ingredient swaps

Milder for kids: Drop the arbol chiles and use only guajillos, then stir in cream so the sauce is gentle and family-friendly.
Shellfish-free direction: Swap the shrimp for chunks of firm white fish or chicken thigh, adjusting the cook time accordingly.
Weeknight shortcut: Use chipotle in adobo blended with canned tomatoes to skip the dried-chile toasting and soaking.

Serve alongside

Cilantro-lime rice
Warm corn tortillas
Refried beans
Simple avocado salad
Mexican lager with lime
Tamarind agua fresca
Sparkling limeade

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate for up to two days, keeping in mind the shrimp firm up on reheating.
Reheat gently and briefly so the shrimp do not turn tough, ideally just warming them through in the sauce.
Freeze the sauce alone for up to three months and cook fresh shrimp into it after thawing.

Equipment

Blender
Heavy skillet
Fine-mesh strainer
Tongs

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