Camarones a la Diabla is a classic Mexican shrimp recipe made with tender shrimp cooked in a bold, spicy sauce made with dried chiles, tomatoes, garlic, and spices.
Camarones a la Diabla is a beloved seafood dish throughout Mexico’s coastal states, from Veracruz and the Gulf coast to Colima, Nayarit, Jalisco, and Sinaloa along the Pacific.
You’ll often find it at seafood restaurants served with Mexican white rice, tortillas, and fresh garnishes.
I love how this recipe turns simple ingredients into a flavorful dish. The shrimp cooks quickly, and the homemade chile sauce adds a delicious smoky and spicy flavor that can be adjusted to your taste.
Ingredients
- Shrimp. You can use large shrimp, prawns, or any size available.
- Dried chiles. This recipe uses guajillo chiles and chile de árbol.
- Tomatoes. Fresh ripe tomatoes help balance the heat from the chiles.
- Onion and garlic. These aromatics add depth and flavor to the chile sauce.
- Spices. Salt, black pepper, and cumin (optional).
- Butter. You can substitute it with olive oil or your favorite cooking oil.
How To Make Camarones a la Diabla
Start by removing the stems and seeds from the dried chiles. Then boil the tomatoes until they become soft. Once the tomatoes are tender, turn off the heat and add the chiles to the hot water.
Push them down with a spoon so they are fully submerged, then let everything rest for about 10 minutes, or until the chiles have softened.
Transfer the tomatoes and softened chiles to a blender along with the garlic, onion, cumin, and one cup of the cooking water. Blend until you have a smooth red sauce.
Set it aside while you prepare the shrimp.
Next, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper
Cook until they just start to change color. Be careful not to overcook them at this stage, as shrimp can quickly become rubbery.
Pour the diabla sauce over the shrimp and add a pinch of salt. Let everything simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the shrimp beautifully.
Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed, then turn off the heat. Serve your camarones a la Diabla with your favorite sides and enjoy!
Kitchen Notes
- Toast the chiles. For a deeper, smokier flavor, lightly toast the dried chiles on a comal or dry skillet for a few seconds per side before soaking them.
- Handle hot chiles carefully. Wear gloves when removing the stems and seeds from the chiles, or wash your hands thoroughly afterward to avoid irritation.
- Don’t overcook the shrimp. Cook the shrimp just until they turn pink, then let them finish cooking in the sauce. Overcooked shrimp can become tough and rubbery.
- Adjust the heat. Chile de árbol is quite spicy, so use fewer peppers for a milder sauce or add a few extra if you like more heat.
- Try different chiles. Guajillo gives the sauce its rich color, but you can replace some of it with ancho, morita, or mulato chiles for a slightly different flavor profile.
How We Serve It in Mexico
Rice: Camarones a la Diabla are traditionally served with arroz a la mantequilla. While this cilantro lime rice is more popular in Mexican restaurants abroad.
Pasta: If you prefer a creamy side, Mexican macaroni salad is a great choice. Its creamy dressing helps balance the heat of the shrimp sauce.
Tortillas: Warm corn tortillas are perfect for scooping up the spicy sauce or turning every bite into a taco.
Drinks: Since this is a spicy dish, serve it with a cold agua fresca, such as horchata or mango agua fresca, to help cool the heat and complete the meal.
Store And Reheat
You can make the diabla sauce up to 3 days in advance and keep it refrigerated, or freeze it for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw the sauce, cook the shrimp, and finish the recipe as directed.
Store leftover camarones a la Diabla in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing the cooked shrimp, as the texture won’t be as good after thawing.
Reheat gently in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through. If the sauce has thickened too much, add a splash of water to loosen it.
Questions and Answers
Is this recipe spicy?
Yes. Traditional camarones a la Diabla are meant to be spicy because of the dried chiles. For a milder version, use fewer chile de árbol or remove their seeds before soaking them.
Do I need to leave the tails on the shrimp?
No. I usually leave the tails on because they add a little extra flavor and look nice when serving, but you can remove them if you prefer.
Can I use frozen shrimp?
Yes. Thaw the shrimp in cold water, pat them dry, and cook them as directed in the recipe.
Can I use store-bought salsa?
Yes. A spicy red Mexican salsa work well as a shortcut, but the flavor won’t be the same as the homemade.
More Mexican Shrimp Recipes
Mexican Camarones a la Diabla
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb large raw shrimp (peeled, deveined, and with tails left on)
- 3-4 chile de árbol (stems and seeds removed)
- 4 guajillo chilies (stems and seeds removed)
- 2 medium tomatoes
- ½ small onion
- 2 garlic cloves (peeled)
- ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds (optional)
- 3 Tablespoons butter (or olive oil)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Add tomatoes to a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and add the dried chiles. Push them down into the hot water with a spoon and let them soak for about 10 minutes, or until softened.
- Transfer the tomatoes and softened chiles to a blender with the onion, garlic, cumin seeds, and 1 cup of the cooking water. Blend until smooth.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp, season with salt and pepper, and cook until they just start to change color, about 1 minute.
- Pour in the diabla sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the shrimp.
- Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Toast the dried chiles briefly on a comal or dry skillet before soaking them for a deeper smoky flavor.
- Handle dried chiles carefully. Wear gloves when cleaning them or wash your hands well afterward.
- Adjust the spice level by adding more or fewer chile de árbol peppers. You can also replace some with milder chiles like ancho, morita, or mulato.
- For extra flavor, add a pinch of oregano or garnish with fresh cilantro before serving.
- Make extra diabla sauce and store it for another meal. It keeps well and makes this recipe even quicker next time.
Nutrition Information
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I made these Camarones a la Diabla last night and wow! they were absolutely incredible. The sauce had the perfect balance of heat and flavor, bold but not overwhelming, and it brought back so many memories of home and family meals. I loved how clearly you explained each step; it made the recipe feel approachable and comforting, even with such big flavors. This is definitely going into my regular rotation. Thank you so much for sharing this.
If you have a stick blender, it will do nicely for blending the chilis and tomatoes in the same pot and with a lot less cleanup.
Also, the Diabla Sauce is good with any type of meat. Carny Asada a la diabla is one of my all time favorites.
Such a great tip, thank you for sharing it! And yes, that diabla sauce really does go with everything… carne asada a la diabla sounds incredible.
If you have a stick blender, it will do nicely for blending the chilis and tomatoes in the same pot and with a lot less cleanup.
Many recipes use the water for blending from the boiling process (chilies/tomatoes) is there a reason it’s not done with this recipe? Thanks
Hi Steve, no reason at all, I think is just a personal preference and an old habit. I only recommend not using the chilies soaking water when you buy chilies per weight as those sit there in large bags opened for long time and might have some dirt. But it will be enough if you rinse them with water before placing them to soak, then you surely can use the water :)
Easy to make but will definitely make an extra batch with less chili for the wife (white girl… LoL).
Amazing and easy recipe, my camarones a la diabla were perfectly spicy, not too much, neither too little. The video helped a lot because I could see how easy is to make and went ahead and bought all ingredients. Served my shrimps with steamed rice. Thank you!