Slow Cooker Shrimp in Purgatory

By Sarah DiGregorio

Published May 24, 2021

  • Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
5½ hours
Rating
4(852)
Comments
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This recipe is inspired by eggs in purgatory, a Southern Italian dish in which eggs simmer in a spicy tomato sauce. Shrimp aren’t commonly thought of as slow cooker material, but here, the sauce simmers for several hours, and the quick-cooking shrimp is dropped in just a bit before you want to eat. (You can use frozen shrimp; just thaw them first.) Cooking the sauce on high allows the onion and garlic to tenderize and melt into the sauce. The tomatoes and roasted peppers caramelize slightly as they simmer, so when fully cooked, the sauce should be a shade darker than when you started. The sauce holds well on the warm setting. Serve the shrimp in shallow bowls on its own, or over orzo, couscous or polenta and with crusty bread. Find a skillet version of this dish here.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 yellow or red onion, minced

  • 8 ounces roasted red peppers, drained and chopped (about 1 cup)

  • 2 tablespoons minced jarred Calabrian chiles or minced jarred cherry peppers, stems removed, or cherry pepper relish

  • 8 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

  • ½ to 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more as needed

  • ½ teaspoon fennel seeds

  • 1 (14-ounce) can whole or crushed tomatoes

  • Kosher salt and black pepper

  • 1 to 1 ½ pounds peeled, deveined shrimp

  • 1 tablespoon capers, drained

  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced

  • ½ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

17 grams carbs; 241 milligrams cholesterol; 355 calories; 9 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 16 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 828 milligrams sodium; 38 grams protein; 8 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker, combine the oil, onion, roasted red peppers, Calabrian chiles, garlic, oregano, red-pepper flakes, fennel seeds and tomatoes. (Crush the tomatoes by hand if using whole.) Season with ½ teaspoon salt and several generous grinds of black pepper. Stir well to combine, then cover and cook on high for 5 hours. (The sauce holds well on warm for up to an additional 3 hours.)

  2. Step 2

    Increase the heat to high if it has switched to warm. Stir in the shrimp, capers and scallions. Cover and cook until the shrimp are curled and opaque, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on size and quantity. Turn off the heat and taste the sauce. Add more red-pepper flakes and salt and pepper, if you like. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and serve, passing more Parmesan and red-pepper flakes at the table.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
852 user ratings
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Comments

Maggie's brother

Question: I don't eat shellfish, so I wonder if this would work well with a firm fish like cod, swordfish, or tilapia added at the end instead of shrimp? the sauce and method sound too good to miss out on.

HD

I love the shrimp in here and will make this. (I love slow cooker cooking.) I was wondering, however, about little meatballs dropped in the sauce and how good that might be. A mix of veal, pork, and beef . . . Thoughts?

Lynn

My bad...I wanted to make this for dinner tonight...and didn't carefully read the recipe ahead of time. So, I ignored the directions for using the slow cooker for 5 hours and simply sautéed the onion and garlic and then threw the rest of the ingredients (except shrimp, capers and scallions) and simmered for an hour and it was just terrific. We think this dish, plus a green salad and crusty bread is totally company-worthy.

David

Definitely ahould err on the higher amount of shrimp to get four servings.

Julie

Oddly I cannot find the amount of shrimp to use. And yes, no cheese on seafood.

mollie

Delicious! I used cooked frozen small shrimps so only heated them to warm, added extra can of tomatoes but other than that did recipe exactly and will make again!

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