Juicy shrimp. Creamy feta cheese. Briny olives. Picture this: sweet, plump shrimp blanketed in tangy feta and gently baked in a vibrant tomato sauce studded with rich olives and kissed with garlic and peppery oregano. This Shrimp Saganaki recipe is hearty, fresh, and unmistakably coastal—made entirely in one pan, in under 30 minutes, with a flavor payoff that tastes like it simmered all day.
Marinate the Shrimp: Place the shrimp in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil and the lemon zest. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Toss gently to evenly coat the shrimp. Then set the bowl aside.
Sweat the Aromatics: Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large, high-sided oven-proof skillet (see note) over medium-low heat. Once shimmering, add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (but not browned), about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, crushed red pepper flakes and oregano. Season with ¾ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add Wine, then Tomatoes: Add the wine to the pan and increase the heat to medium. Cook until almost completely evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add the drained tomatoes, ¾ cup of the tomato juices and the honey. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Immediately reduce to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12-16 minutes, or until the liquid is significantly reduced.
Meanwhile, Preheat Oven: Arrange oven rack to the middle position and then close the door and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Layer Olives, Shrimp and Feta over Tomatoes: Sprinkle the Kalamata olives over the tomato mixture. Arrange the shrimp in one even layer over top, slightly nestling the shrimp into the sauce, but don't fully submerge them. Crumble the block of feta cheese evenly over the shrimp.
Bake Shrimp with Feta: Transfer the shrimp to the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the shrimp are opaque, pink, just firm to the touch and just cooked through – do NOT overcook the shrimp or they will turn rubbery!
Let Shrimp Saganaki Rest: Remove the pan from the oven and let the Shrimp Saganaki rest for 5 minutes.
Serve Shrimp Feta Cheese: Sprinkle fresh herbs generously over the top of the shrimp and feta, serve with lemon and crusty bread on the side, and enjoy immediately.
Notes
Baking Vessel: If you don’t have an oven-proof skillet, you can use a 9x13-inch baking dish. Make sure you lightly grease the baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. When you are done cooking the tomatoes, transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and layer the olives, shrimp and feta on top. Bake as directed above.
Baking time: The baking time listed is for 16/20 extra-jumbo (jumbo or extra-large) shrimp. You can use larger or smaller shrimp if you would like – just adjust the baking time up or down respectively. For example, colossal U15 shrimp will take approximately 10-13 minutes, while 21/25 shrimp will take approximately 6-8 minutes.
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I am not a certified nutritionist. All the nutritional information is generated by an online calculator and provided as a courtesy. The nutrition facts are an estimate based upon 4 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.