Shrimp saganaki is one of those dishes that tastes like you fussed over it for an hour, when really it’s a single skillet and twenty minutes of your evening. Plump shrimp go into a garlicky, oregano-scented tomato sauce, and then salty feta gets scattered over the top and left to soften into creamy pockets right where it lands.
I make this on nights when the fridge feels thin but I still want something that feels like a proper meal. It comes together fast enough for a Tuesday but tastes like something you’d order at a taverna table with a view of the water. Serve it straight from the pan with warm bread for scooping up every bit of that sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on or off
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled into chunks
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Crusty bread, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a wide, oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes until soft, then stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and oregano. Simmer for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and turns a deeper red.
- Season the sauce with salt and pepper, then taste it—canned tomatoes vary a lot in acidity, so adjust now.
- Pat the shrimp dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Nestle them into the sauce in a single layer, spooning a little sauce over the top of each one.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, just until the shrimp turn pink and opaque and start to curl. Don’t walk away here; overcooked shrimp turn rubbery fast.
- Scatter the crumbled feta evenly over the top of the shrimp and sauce. Cover the pan and let it sit off heat for 2 minutes, just until the feta softens and starts to melt at the edges.
- If you want a bit of color on the cheese, slide the uncovered pan under a hot broiler for 1-2 minutes instead of covering it—watch closely so it doesn’t scorch.
- Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and a scatter of fresh parsley. Serve immediately, straight from the skillet, with crusty bread on the side.
Tips
- Buy shrimp already peeled and deveined if you can—it cuts real prep time and this dish is meant to move fast once the shrimp hit the pan.
- Swap in a can of fire-roasted tomatoes for a smokier depth of flavor if that’s what you have on hand.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 2 days, but reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat—the microwave tends to make shrimp tough.
- If your feta is very salty, rinse it briefly under cold water and pat dry before crumbling it over the dish.
- For a heartier dinner, spoon the shrimp and sauce over orzo or rice instead of serving with bread alone.
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
- Calories: 310 kcal
- Protein: 28 g
- Carbs: 10 g
- Fat: 18 g
Prep: 10 min · Cook: 10 min · Serves: 4