Shrimp Saganaki Recipe: Greek Shrimp with Feta Cheese

Below you’ll find the most common questions and answers about making this recipe. If you have a question you’d like answered, please drop it in the comments section below!

Saganaki refers to a category of traditional Greek appetizers named after the pan in which they’re cooked and served. A saganaki or sagani pan is a small, heavy-bottomed frying pan (skillet) with two handles for easy carrying and serving.

The most common Greek recipes made in a saganaki pan include cheese saganaki, mussels saganaki, and shrimp saganaki. Greek saganaki recipes are best when served right in the skillet with plenty of crusty bread for scooping, dipping and mopping!

Shrimp Saganaki, also known asgarides saganaki or seafood saganaki, is a traditional Greek dish consisting of shrimp cooked in a savory tomato sauce with feta. This one-pan baked shrimp dish with tomatoes and feta is usually served as an appetizer with plenty of artisan bread for sopping up the delicious, rich tomato sauce.

What size shrimp works best?

Jumbo or extra-large shrimp (16/20) will produce the best texture because they stay plump juicy during oven baking.

You absolutely can. Fun fact, unless you live on the coat, most of the shrimp you find at the grocery store case has been previously frozen. Truly fresh, never-frozen shrimp is genuinely rare. But, when using frozen, just make sure to thaw the shrimp completely and pat them very dry before nestling into the tomato sauce. Any excess water will thin out your beautiful tomato sauce, so don’t skip this step.

No, you sure don’t—tails are optional. If you’re looking for easy eating, remove the tails from the shrimp. But, if you’re after a more dramatic presentation, leave the tails on.

No, not at all. However, traditional authentic saganaki recipes utilize Ouzo, which lends a lovely, subtle anise flavor. I like to use a dry white wine as it’s easier-to-find and lends aromatic complexity. However, you can just swap the wine out for shrimp stock or broth if you prefer—just don’t skip the fresh lemon juice at the end.

You can just leave them out entirely. The combination of fire roasted tomatoes, garlic, Greek seasonings, and feta still gives plenty of Mediterranean flavor.

Bummer! Unfortunately, this almost always comes down to using pre-crumbled feta, versus of a fresh block cheese.

While those tubs of pre-crumbled feta sure are convenient, they’re also coated in a powder that keeps the pieces from sticking together, but it also prevents the cheese from properly melting into that rich, creamy texture you want.

Take away: Buy a block of feta in brine and crumble it yourself for the most luxurious texture and taste.

It’s important to note that feta provides the signature flavor shrimp saganaki is known for. However, if you don’t mind a flavor variation, goat cheese makes a good creamy alternative. Or halloumi is an excellent tangy alternative with a dense, squeaky finish. Just note that swapping out the feta will create a noticeably different final dish—though it will still be delicious.

Honestly that depends upon your personal tastes. However, I think this Greek shrimp dish as written has a very gentle and subtle warmth from the crushed red pepper flakes, nothing overwhelming. But, feel free to omit the flakes entirely for milder, kid-friendly version or add more if you love spicy heat.

A large, high-sided, oven-safe skillet works wonderfully since this will allow you to sauté, simmer, and bake all in the same pan. However, if you don’t have an oven-safe skillet that large, simply transfer your simmered sauce to a greased 9×13-inch baking dish before topping with the shrimp and feta.

Shrimp are perfectly cooked when they turn opaque and pink in color, curl gently into a loose “C” shape, and feel *just* firm to the touch. If the shrimp curl into a tight “O” shape, this indicates you’ve overcooked them and the delicate meat will likely taste rubbery.

If you would like to save some time, you can prepare the tomato sauce the day before serving, but the final shrimp and feta dish should be cooked just before serving.

To make the sauce in advance, follow the shrimp and feta cheese recipe below and cook the tomatoes according to the instructions. Then, remove the sauce from the heat and allow it to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container and storing in the fridge until ready to use.

Tip: Do not marinate the shrimp in advance! Shrimp meat is delicate, therefore it’s important you do not marinate the shrimp any longer than 30 minutes!