Camarones a la Diabla

Camarones a la diabla is a classic Mexican dish served in restaurants across Mexico, but its origin is in the town of Veracruz, a city and port located in the Gulf of Mexico.

Camarones a la diabla are pan-fried prawns smothered in a spicy red sauce. The sauce is commonly prepared with Mexican dried chilies such as guajillo, pasilla, ancho, or arbol chili, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and spices. The heat of the sauce can vary, as you can add as many or as few chilies as you want.

For our recipe, we are using Gran Luchito Chipotle Paste, which is already packed with all the Mexican dried chili flavor that you need to make this dish. The chipotle paste provides the smokiness, heat, and spices necessary to make these Camarones a la diabla easy to prepare for busy midweek dinners.

What are the key components of Camarones a la diabla?

Prawns or shrimps: Large king prawns or shrimps are the main ingredients for this recipe. Fresh, raw prawns are the best choice, shelled and deveined. Alternatively, you can use frozen prawns, but make sure to thaw them completely before cooking.
Mexican dried chilies: Guajillo, pasilla, ancho, and arbol chilies are the most commonly used. For our recipe, we use Gran Luchito Chipotle Paste, which is already spicy enough and packed with all the Mexican chili flavor.
Onion and garlic: These are the main components in Mexican cooking, and they are used to give depth of flavor to sauces.
Tomatoes: They help to balance out the spiciness of the chilies in the sauce, as well as giving more body to the sauce.

Here are our top tips when preparing Camarones a la diabla at home:

If you like your Camarones a la diabla extra spicy, you can add more chipotle paste to the mix.
Make sure not to overcook the shrimp, as they will become tough and rubbery.
Serve Camarones a la diabla with a side of steamed white rice, or our recipe for Mexican rice, or arroz primavera. These sides are great to soak up the diabla sauce.

Prep time

15MINS
Cook time

20MINS
Total time

35MINS
Ideal for

Dinner
Make it

Mexican
Serves

3

This recipe uses

Chipotle Paste

Soft Taco Wraps

Ancho BBQ Fajita & Taco Mix

Found in the
Mexican Section

Ingredients

Ingredients:
For the sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 vine tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and whole
1 tablespoon Gran Luchito Chipotle paste
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter

For the prawns:

600 grams (1.3 pounds) shrimp
1 teaspoon Gran Luchito BBQ Fajita & Taco Mix
2 cups steamed white rice
1 ripe avocado
Handful of coriander
1 packet Gran Luchito Soft Taco Wraps

How to make it

Heat up half of the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the tomatoes, onion, and garlic cloves. Stir and cook until the tomatoes, and onion softens, and the garlic gets a bit of colour. Add the chipotle paste and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes, then remove from the heat.
Place the fried vegetables and pan juices into a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
In a clean frying pan, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the shrimp and season with the BBQ fajita & taco mix, salt, and pepper. Cook until the shrimps are pink on both sides, a couple of minutes on each side.
Pour the sauce over the shrimp and cook for an additional minute or two, or until the sauce is heated through, add the butter in to get a glossy-looking sauce and extra flavor.
Serve the shrimp while still warm with the steamed white rice, avocado slices, coriander, and warm soft tacos on the side. Enjoy!

What To Serve With Camarones a la Diabla

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FAQs

What does the phrase "Camarones a la diabla" mean?

In English, camarones a la diabla translates to "devil shrimp." The dish is called this because it is traditionally made with a fiery-hot red sauce.

What type of shrimp is best for making Camarones a la diabla?

Large and firm shrimp are the best option for this recipe, as they hold up well to the spicy sauce. Look for wild-caught shrimp if possible, and avoid using pre-cooked shrimp as they may become overcooked when simmered in the sauce.

What is the best way to serve Camarones a la diabla?

Camarones a la diabla can be served with rice, beans, tortillas, or other Mexican side dishes. It's also delicious on its own as an appetizer or main dish.