Garides Saganaki, or Greek Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta Cheese, is a one-skillet, easy recipe that’s packed with bright, fresh flavors. And it takes only 25 minutes! It’s low-carb on its own but I love serving it with crusty bread to mop up all the sauce.
You’re going to LOVE this easy Mediterranean shrimp recipe. The flavors from onion and garlic, fresh lemon juice and oregano, and salty feta cheese with savory tomatoes is out of this world.
This Greek shrimp dish is similar to a stew, so it’s great to serve with some crusty bread or pita, rice, grits/polenta, or pasta to make sure you can mop up the sauce.
There are many versions of garides saganaki out there, and I sought out to make the easiest possible version with the most readily available ingredients.
Some recipes use ouzo; this uses white wine instead (which can be omitted).
Some call for cooking the shrimp separately; this recipe poaches them directly in the tomato sauce for simplicity and more infused flavor.
And some call for baking or broiling the dish after stovetop cooking; this recipe cooks all in one skillet on the stovetop so you don’t have to worry about heating up your kitchen!
Ingredients and ingredient substitutions
- Raw Shrimp – I recommend large or extra large, but any size will do. I also recommend buying shrimp that’s been peeled and deveined already, but you can do this yourself, and you can leave the tails on if you don’t mind eating around them.
- Lemon zest and juice- this really is essential for the best flavor, but in a pinch you can omit it.
- Onion and garlic- I used a yellow onion, but red, white, or sweet will do.
- Spices: Dried oregano and crushed red pepper– you can use fresh oregano (double the amount) and omit the crushed red pepper if you’re sensitive to spicy flavor.
- Canned diced tomatoes- you can dice fresh tomatoes as well, or use crushed tomatoes.
- White wine- this is used with the lemon juice to deglaze the pan, and can be omitted or substituted with chicken stock, vegetable stock, or seafood stock if you prefer.
- Feta cheese- use a vegan substitute for a dairy-free version, or substitute with crumbled goat cheese, cotija cheese, or queso fresco for a similar flavor.
How to make Garides Saganaki
- First, pat the shrimp dry and marinate the shrimp with lemon juice and zest, salt, pepper, garlic, and olive oil. Let it sit while you cook the tomato sauce- no longer than about 10-15 minutes, as the shrimp will get tough if it sits in the lemon juice for too long.
- Sauté the onion in a large skillet, then add the garlic, oregano, and crushed red pepper.
- Deglaze the pan with white wine and more lemon juice, stirring any browned bits from the bottom.
- Add the diced tomatoes and bring to a simmer (careful of splatters!).
- Add the shrimp to the skillet and stir to coat. Cover the skillet and cook until shrimp are almost all the way cooked.
- Finally, top with crumbled feta cheese and allow it to melt and warm up for a few more minutes while the shrimp finish cooking. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with parsley if you want, and you’re done!
Tips and tricks
- If you have frozen shrimp, you can defrost it in a few different ways. 24 hours before you plan on cooking, place the shrimp on a plate and cover with plastic wrap and keep in your fridge. Or, for a faster way, run cool water over the shrimp for a few minutes or soak them in cool water until defrosted.
- Dry the shrimp well before marinating by patting dry with a paper towel. This will help the flavors develop more and the stew won’t be too liquidy.
- If you don’t have a lid for your skillet, you can finish cooking in the oven if your skillet is oven-safe, or you can simmer uncovered on the stovetop and be careful of splatters! See recipe notes for more details.
Other easy shrimp recipes
- Shrimp and Orzo Salad
- Shrimp and Grits
- Classic Shrimp Scampi
- Blackened Shrimp Tacos
- Shrimp and Zucchini Fritters
- Sautéed Shrimp with Garlic and Lemon
- Shrimp Etouffee (from Grandbaby Cakes)
Other easy Greek recipes
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Greek Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta (Garides Saganaki)
Equipment
- Large skillet with a cover
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs. large raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- juice and zest of one lemon about 1 teaspoon zest and 2 tablespoons juice
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small yellow onion diced (or 1/2 large)
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tablespoon fresh
- 28 oz. canned diced tomatoes preferably fire roasted
- 1/4 cup dry white wine such as sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, or pinot grigio
- 6 oz. feta cheese crumbled
- bread or pita, for serving optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, toss the shrimp with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the lemon zest, 1 tablespoon (or half) of the lemon juice, 1 clove of the minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Stir to coat and set aside.
- Sauté the diced onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet with a cover until softened and starting to brown (about 3 minutes).
- Add the remaining 2 cloves minced garlic, crushed red pepper (1/4 teaspoon), and dried oregano (1 teaspoon) to the onions. Stir and continue sautéing until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the white wine (1/4 cup) and remaining lemon juice (about 1 tablespoon) and stir to deglaze, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Add the diced tomatoes (28 oz.) , and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper to the skillet. Stir and bring to a simmer (you can cover if it gets too bubbly).
- Add the shrimp and any juices from the bowl into the tomato mixture and stir together. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until shrimp are almost cooked.
- Sprinkle the crumbled feta (6 oz.) on top and simmer uncovered for another 2-4 minutes, until shrimp are completely cooked and feta has melted (you can add the cover if it's splattering, but simmering uncovered will help it thicken a bit). Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil on top.
- Serve, preferably with crusty bread, crostini, pita, rice, grits, or pasta, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
- Don’t have a lid for your large skillet? If the skillet is oven-safe, you can add the shrimp to the sauce and sprinkle the feta on top, and bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes, until the shrimp is cooked and cheese is melted. Alternatively, you can simmer uncovered, carefully since it may splatter, stirring occasionally and potentially adding some water if the sauce thickens too much.
- For a dairy-free version, omit the cheese or use a vegan substitute.
- For a paleo/whole30 version, omit the wine and cheese.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and reflects one serving of the recipe (total servings indicated at top of recipe card). It does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
Julie Fleming
Made it after just coming back from Greece tasted even better than the dish I had In Greece
Elizabeth Lindemann
Thank you – this is high praise! So glad you liked it!
Sean
Looks delicious! just wondering if you’ve ever added orzo into the recipe? If so when would you add it?
I remember having it while I was in Greece and looking to recreate the dish.
Elizabeth Lindemann
I’ve never tried it, but that sounds delicious! You could do this two ways: 1) just cook the orzo separately and stir it in at the end when you add the shrimp, or 2) cook the orzo with the tomato mixture. I’ve never tried to cook the orzo with it, but here’s my best guess for how this would work well.
Use a large deep skillet so you have enough room, or a pot instead. When you add the tomatoes and juices, also add 1 3/4 cups water or stock (chicken, vegetable, or seafood), then bring to a simmer. Once it’s simmering, add 1 cup of orzo. Turn it to low, cover, and simmer until orzo is cooked, then stir the shrimp in and garnish with feta and serve! Normally, I would recommend a 2 cups water to 1 cup orzo ratio, but because you’re adding the tomatoes with the juices, I think 1 3/4 cups will be fine (but keep an eye on it, and add more liquid if you think it needs it). You may also have to add more salt/seasoning to the mix, to account for the added orzo. Also, I wouldn’t let the shrimp sit in the lemon juice mixture for too long, since the acidity from the lemon juice will make the shrimp tough over time, so don’t mix the shrimp up until the orzo is already underway cooking.
If you try this, I’d love to know how it comes out!
Melanie O'Kelley
Delicious!! Easy and will make again. I used a small can of diced tomatoes (15 oz) and chopped a fresh tomato. Used only lemon juice to deglaze pan. Was trying to make it thicker since I didn’t want to use bread, rice, pasta, etc with it. It was perfect, thanks!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! Thanks for sharing your adjustments to make it thicker!