Shrimp Marinara

Cue the Italian music, and prepare for a cozy night in with a shrimp marinara recipe that’s savory, satisfying and delightfully simple. Our homemade sauce for shrimp comes together in your slow cooker and tastes like you’ve been tending to it all day. The marinara is a no-fuss, tomato-based sauce with aromatics like garlic and herbs. Its bright, straightforward flavor complements the tender shrimp, which are added near the end of cooking.

As a great alternative to a heavy, red meat-based Italian gravy, shrimp marinara makes for a delicious weeknight dish or a weekend spread. Just add crusty bread and a Caesar salad. One bite, and this pasta dish will surely make your list of favorite Italian recipes.

Ingredients for Shrimp Marinara

• Shrimp: Make sure your shrimp is fresh before you buy it. Avoid shrimp with a strong ammonia smell or shrimp that smells overly fishy. Pass on shrimp with shells that appear slimy or cloudy. Buying frozen shrimp is generally a safe bet as they are usually frozen immediately after harvesting, which preserves their fresh-from-the-sea flavor. Buy peeled and deveined shrimp to save time, or learn how to clean shrimp yourself.
• Tomatoes: Canned Italian diced tomatoes are often steam-packed fresh and include aromatics like basil, oregano and garlic. You can even use the best San Marzano tomatoes and dice them up yourself.
• Tomato paste: With its depth of umami flavor and thickening qualities, tomato paste adds richness to this slow-cooked sauce for shrimp.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic is key to any great tomato sauce. Its pungent raw flavor softens after a few hours in the slow cooker, so feel free to add another clove or two if you’re a garlic lover. Make garlic prep a breeze with our hacks for peeling garlic.
• Herbs: Parsley, oregano and basil are common herbs in Italian and Mediterranean cooking. This recipe uses a combination of fresh and dried. Fresh herbs are generally milder than their dried cousins, but you can usually use them interchangeably; our fresh-to-dried herb conversion guide can help.
• Seasonings: Traditional marinara seasonings are very simple. This recipe is no different, as it only uses salt and pepper. For the best results, use kosher salt, which has a clean flavor, and freshly cracked black pepper.
• Pasta: This recipe calls for easy-to-find spaghetti, but the sauce for shrimp would work over almost any pasta.
• Parmesan cheese: The sprinkle of cheese is totally optional but highly recommended. That nutty, salty finish on warm, tomato-y sauce is the stuff dinner dreams are made of.

Directions

Step 1: Slow-cook the marinara

In a 3-quart slow cooker, combine the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, water, minced garlic, fresh parsley, salt, oregano, basil and pepper. Cover and cook on low for three to four hours.

Step 2: Add the shrimp

Stir in the shrimp. Cover and cook on high for 15 to 25 minutes, until the shrimp turn pink. Serve with spaghetti. Sprinkle with cheese if desired.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t add the shrimp any earlier than this recipe suggests, as they easily overcook.

Taste Recipes

Shrimp Marinara Variations

• Different sauce: Use a store-bought sauce to cut your cooking time in half, or make your marinara sauce on the stovetop. (This is a great recipe for using up canned marinara sauce, too.)
• Another pasta: Experiment with different pasta shapes, such as rigatoni, farfalle or penne. Something like fettuccine is excellent if you want to use fresh pasta vs. dried pasta.
• Aromatics: Saute chopped white or yellow onion in olive oil, then add it to the other ingredients in the slow cooker.
• More seafood: Add 1 pound of cleaned and debearded mussels to the sauce instead of shrimp. The mussels are cooked once their shells open completely, which takes 15 to 25 minutes. Discard any remaining shut after 30 minutes.
• Stovetop shrimp marinara: This sauce can be easily made on the stovetop. Once it comes together, add the uncooked shrimp in the last five minutes.

How to Store Shrimp Marinara

Leftover shrimp marinara can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to three days. To reheat, gently heat leftovers over low heat on the stovetop or microwave until heated.

Shrimp Marinara Tips

Taste Recipes

What’s the best way to thaw frozen shrimp for shrimp marinara?

To safely and gradually thaw frozen shrimp, place it in the fridge the day before you want to use it. Put bagged shrimp in a bowl or on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any leaks.

How do you know when the shrimp is cooked?

Timing is everything when it comes to perfectly cooked shrimp. Cooked shrimp turn pink and hold a curved C shape. Once you see that, it’s time to remove them from the heat.

What can you serve with shrimp marinara?

Ooey, gooey, cheesy garlic bread goes well with a comforting dish of shrimp marinara. Or opt for a lighter touch like an Italian salad with lemon vinaigrette. Still can’t decide? Let this collection of Italian side dishes inspire you.