Quick Garlic Shrimp in Tomato Sauce Recipe

Garlic Shrimp in Tomato Sauce

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This 25-minute dish combines shrimp with a rosemary-tinged tomato sauce featuring capers and olives.

Food & Wine Editors

Updated on July 5, 2024

Active Time:

10 mins

Total Time:

25 mins

Servings:

Our easy shrimp-tomato recipe yields a meal that comes together quickly enough for a weeknight dinner, but is also a great option for a dinner party with family and friends.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of shrimp is needed for this recipe?

This Garlic Shrimp in Tomato Sauce recipe calls for two pounds of raw shrimp. Be sure to use peeled and deveined shrimp with the tails removed to make eating the shrimp easier. Frozen shrimp are fine here; thaw them first in the refrigerator or under cold running water. Pat the shrimp dry before cooking them with fresh garlic and dried red pepper flakes.
What sauces go well with shrimp?

Shrimp is a great match for a variety of sauces, but here it's paired with tomatoes, capers, and olives for a quick-cooking sauce that's reminiscent of puttanesca. The combination of fresh and canned tomatoes makes the flavors sing, but you can use all canned tomatoes if fresh are not available. The rosemary adds rich herbal notes that temper the briny capers and olives; you can use oregano, thyme, basil, or a combination of herbs instead if you want to change things up.

Note from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Make this a heartier meal by pairing the dish with sourdough or another crusty bread, or serving the shrimp and sauce over cooked linguini or another pasta tossed with olive oil. You can also turn this into an appetizer by serving the shrimp with toasted bread slices drizzled with olive oil and rubbed with a piece of garlic.

Make ahead

The sauce can be made up to two days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Don't cook the shrimp ahead — they become too firm and rubbery when reheated.

Suggested pairing

A smooth, medium-bodied red wine from southern Italy, such as a Cirò or Regaleali Rosso, will stand up to the gutsy sauce without overpowering the shrimp.

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Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds large peeled and deveined raw shrimp
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large pinch dried red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 medium tomatoes (about 3/4 pound), peeled and chopped
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary, or 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 tablespoons drained capers
1/3 cup halved and pitted black olives

Directions

In a large nonstick frying pan, heat oil over moderate heat. Add shrimp, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove shrimp from pan with a slotted spoon.
Add fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes, rosemary, capers, and olives to pan. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Stir in shrimp and simmer until just heated through, about 1 minute.

Garlic shrimp in tomato sauce — Food & Wine / Photo by Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Joseph Wanek

Originally appeared: October 2013