Inspiration: I’ll admit, one of my favorite things about recipes that call for wine is that we get to enjoy the rest of the bottle with dinner. Now that spring is here, we’ve been craving meals that pair well with white wine and have been going through white wine like crazy. It just tastes so good right now!

What we Loved: This recipe had a great, spicy kick! B and I both thought that there was just enough spice for it to be an integral part of the dish without being overpowering. I really love spicy foods, but I always hate when a dish is too ridiculously spicy to actually taste what you’re eating. The spice level with this one was just perfect! Combined with the light flavors of the shrimp, vegetables, and fresh basil, this was really a great springtime meal with a nice edge. We enjoyed it with some broccolini and a few glasses of sauvignon blanc.

Helpful Hints: The original recipe calls for the basil to be mixed into the sauce, but I always feel like the flavor of basil changes a lot when it’s mixed into a hot dish. We like the fresh and crisp qualities of basil when it’s used as a topping or garnish, but if you’d like to mute the flavors a little bit, you could chop the basil much smaller and mix it into the sauce.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo
Source: Giada De Laurentiis

I only made a few changes to the recipe. Here’s the recipe as I made it.

1 lb shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
Extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1/3 cup dry white wine (I used sauvignon blanc)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
Handful of fresh basil leaves, sliced

1. Toss the shrimp in a bowl with the salt and red pepper flakes. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a saute pan, add the shrimp, and saute until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and set aside.

2. Add the onion to the same pan, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, the wine, the garlic, and the oregano. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes.

3. Return the shrimp to the pan, tossing to coat.

4. Serve, topped with the fresh basil.