Greek Shrimp Saganaki with Feta and Tomato
Pan-seared shrimp baked in a tomato-wine sauce with feta cheese, garlic, and optional star anise. Fresh or thawed shrimp are browned quickly, then combined with a slow-simmered tomato base, topped with crumbled feta and parsley, and finished in the oven until the cheese softens. Serve warm with Greek pita bread.
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb shrimps, fresh, cleaned and dried
- 7 tbsp olive oil
- 1 piece onion, finely chopped
- 4 pieces garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tsp salt(optional)
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 cups canned chopped tomatoesfresh tomatoes1.5:1fresh vs canned
requires more cooking time
- 1 tsp sugar(optional)
- 3 ½ tbsp white dry wine, or Greek Ouzo(optional)chicken or vegetable broth1:1alcohol-free
removes acidity differently
- 2 pieces star anise(optional)
- 2 ¼ cups feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
Instructions
- 1
Prepare shrimps by cleaning and patting dry with paper towel; thaw if frozen.
- 2
Preheat oven to 400°F.
- 3
Heat olive oil in a pan over high heat and cook shrimps until brown on both sides and they change color.
- 4
Transfer shrimps to a plate and set aside.
- 5
In the same pan with the oil, cook the finely chopped onion until it starts to brown.
- 6
Add chopped garlic, stir and cook for one minute.
- 7
Add tomato paste, mix well and cook for two minutes.
- 8
Add mashed tomatoes, salt, ground black pepper and sugar.
- 9
Pour in wine or Ouzo, add star anise if using, mix the sauce well and let simmer slowly for ten minutes.
- 10
Transfer tomato sauce to a heat-resistant glass dish.
- 11
Add the cooked shrimps with their released juices to the sauce.
- 12
Sprinkle half of the crumbled feta cheese and half of the chopped parsley over the top.
- 13
Place the dish in the preheated oven for ten minutes.
- 14
Remove from oven, add remaining feta cheese and parsley, and return to oven for another ten minutes.
- 15
Serve when removed from oven or at warm temperature with flatbreads or pita.
Tips
Buy fresh gray shrimps for more intense flavor rather than frozen.
Pat shrimps completely dry before cooking to achieve better browning.
Keep all ingredients gathered and ready as the cooking process is fast.
Sugar in the sauce cuts the acidity of the tomatoes.
If your pan is oven-safe, skip the step of transferring sauce to a glass dish.
Shrimp juice released during cooking adds flavor to the final dish.
Crumble feta cheese with your fingers for better texture distribution.
Good to Know
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on stovetop or in oven.
Prepare and clean shrimps up to 8 hours ahead. Make tomato sauce base (through the 10-minute simmer) up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate; reheat before adding shrimps and baking.
Serve warm with Greek pita bread, flatbreads or any crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip drying the shrimps to avoid poor browning.
Do not overcook shrimps in the initial pan-searing step to avoid rubbery texture.
Do not skip the slow simmer of the sauce to avoid overly acidic flavor.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
removes acidity differently
requires more cooking time