Shrimp Saganaki – Greek Shrimp with Tomatoes & Feta
, Updated Jul 19, 2025
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This Shrimp Saganaki recipe is busting with flavor, easy to make and full of Mediterranean sunshine… Tender succulent shrimp in a rich tomato sauce flecked with salty, melting feta cheese. Enjoy as shared appetizer or serve with rice or orzo as a main dish.
Shrimp Saganaki is so much more than a classic Greek dish – it’s truly a feast for the senses. The the aroma of garlic mingling with tomatoes and herbs, the juicy shrimp and salty melted feta cheese will instantly transport you to a sun-drenched Greek island.
Yet this shrimp saganaki recipe is simplicity itself – just a handful of ingredients that cooked together create culinary magic! The interplay of textures and flavors – the succulent tender shrimp, melty creamy cheese, and rich tomato sauce are sure to seduce and delight you.
So what is Saganaki then?
“Saganaki” refers to the small two-handled pan used to cook this dish (sagani). While the iconic Greek σαγανάκι recipe features cheese – usually kefalotyri, graviera or halloumi – variations like garides saganaki (shrimp saganaki) are beloved across Greek taverna tables.
This version balances traditional flavors—with garlic, tomato, white wine or ouzo, and melted feta—for a restaurant-quality dish you can easily enjoy at home.
Shrimp saganaki is often served as a shared appetizer with plenty of crusty bread to dip into the delicious sauce. In my family we always ate it as a main course with rice.
Shrimp Saganaki Ingredients
- Shrimp (Prawns) – Use raw, peeled shrimp or prawns (tails on or off) for the best texture. They cook quickly and absorb all the bold Mediterranean flavors from the sauce. Frozen shrimp work beautifully and I will let you into a little secret… most shrimp available in supermarkets are actually previously frozen!
- Crushed or Diced Tomatoes – Canned tomatoes, strained tomatoes (passata) and tomato paste are your best friend! They form the rich, savory base of the sauce and soak up the garlic, herbs, and wine for extra depth. Use a good-quality brand for the brightest flavor. Add a pinch of sugar if your tomatoes are quite acidic.
- Garlic & Onion – This flavor duo builds the aromatic foundation of the dish. Fresh garlic is key and don’t be shy, add loads of it! Sautéed onion adds sweetness and balances the acidity of the tomatoes.
- White Wine (and Ouzo) – A little dry white wine adds depth of flavor. For a more traditional Greek twist, try ouzo to deglaze the pan – it adds subtle aniseed depth.
- Feta Cheese – Crumbled over the top and baked until golden and melty, feta gives this dish its signature salty creaminess. Choose a block of Greek feta in brine for best results—avoid pre-crumbled versions if possible.
- Herbs & Spices – A generous pinch red pepper flakes (for a little heat) and a sprinkling of freshly chopped parsley or thyme leaves is a must.
- Olive Oil – An absolutely essential ingredient in Greek cuisine, with no Greek meal considered complete without it. Feel free to drizzle plenty of extra virgin olive oil over the dish before broiling if you like!
How to make Shrimp Saganaki
- Heat the oil in a large oven-safe skillet. Sauté the onion over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring, until slightly softened. Stir in the garlic, salt, sugar, thyme, chill flakes and bay leaves and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add the strained tomatoes (passata), crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and wine and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 – 30 minutes, or until the tomato sauce has thickened.
- Stir in the shrimp, mixing into the sauce until they start to turn pink.
- Top with the crumbled feta and cook under a the broiler (grill) until the feta starts to color and melt.
- Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped parsley or fresh thyme. Serve as a shared appetizer with plenty of crusty bread or as a main dish over rice.
Recipe Tips
- Serving Suggestions: Scoop up every last drop with crusty horiatiko bread or baguette. Serve over orzo or rice to soak up the rich tomato-feta sauce. Pair with a Greek salad and lemon-dressed greens.
- To thaw frozen shrimp, place in a bowl and rinse with cold running water until they are completely defrosted.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container. Reheat in a pan or the microwave adding a little water to loosen the sauce if needed.
More recipes for shrimp lovers!
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Creamy Shrimp Pasta | Shrimp Alfredo
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Honey Garlic Shrimp – Ready in just 10 minutes!
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Shrimp Saganaki (Prawn Saganaki)
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion , finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tsp sugar (optional)
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup (250g) strained tomatoes (passata) or see notes
- 14 oz (400g) crushed tomatoes
- ½ can (125ml) dry white wine or vegetable stock
- 2 lb (900g) jumbo shrimp or prawns, peeled and deveined
- 7 oz (200g) feta cheese , crumbled
- chopped parsley or fresh thyme to garnish
- Salt and pepper to season to taste
Serving suggestions
- Crusty bread to serve as a starter
- Steamed rice to serve as a main
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large oven-safe pan. Sauté the onion over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring, until slightly softened.2 tbsp olive oil , 1 large onion
- Stir in the garlic, salt, sugar, thyme, red pepper and bay leaves and cook for a couple of minutes.3 cloves garlic, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp dried thyme, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, 2 bay leaves
- Add the passata, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and wine and bring to a simmer.2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 cup (250g) strained tomatoes , 14 oz (400g) crushed tomatoes, ½ can (125ml) dry white wine
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes until the tomato sauce has thickened.
- Stir in the shrimp (or prawns), mixing into the sauce until they turn pink, 2-3 minutes.2 lb (900g) jumbo shrimp
- Top with the crumbled feta (and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil if you like) and cook under a hot grill (broiler) until the feta starts to colour and melt.7 oz (200g) feta cheese
- Discard the bay leaves. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.Salt and pepper to season
- Garnish with chopped parsley or fresh thyme. Serve as a shared starter with plenty of crusty bread or as a main dish over rice.Crusty bread to serve as a starter, Steamed rice to serve as a main, chopped parsley or fresh thyme
Notes
- If passata is not available, you can use crushed tinned tomatoes or grated fresh tomatoes.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Warm gently on the stovetop, add prawns and feta, then bake until bubbly again.
- Add a splash of ouzo or mezcal to the pan for a smoky flavor.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
Just made this dish as eaten it a lot in Tavernas when in Cyprus. I used passata and a tin of Pomodoro Italian tinned tomatoes. I’ll make it when I’m next in Cyprus and use the very ripe fresh ones as such amazing flavour that can’t be replicated here in the UK. Loved this recipe!
Oh yes it is infinitely tastier with ripe fresh tomatoes! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Will be making this soon. I have it when we are in Cyprus and love it!
this recipe was delicious! I added some white cod along with the prawns. So good and the kids loved it too.
I did this dish with some changes, I did add the wine after I softened onion and garlic and bay leaves has been added then I have put wine to keep the taste in onion and garlic. If you add this with tomatoes you won`t be able to take out this taste!!! The dish over the rice is avesome!!!!
Can you substitute regular shrimp for prawns? I don’t have access to anything like that.
Yes you can 😘
Hi Lucy, I hope you and your loved ones are safe and well. I cam across this recipe whilst looking for a curried prawns recipe. I can remember making this decades ago but had forgotten about it. I would like to try adding Ouzo so would you mind telling me how much to add?
Thank you for your time.
Best regards
Michele
Sydney Australia
Hi Michelle, a splash would do! About a tablespoon – ouzo is really strong tasting
Reminds me of my holidays! So delicious 🙂
So delicious! We served it over rice too. Syn Free (using feta allowance)
Made this tonight. Used ouzo as suggested and very good. Thanks for a great recipe!
I am really intrigued by the prawn/feta/tequila/soy combo in this dish. It looks and sounds amazing and I am definitely going to try it. Just as an aside, I absolutely love your photography and was wondering if you'd share your secrets. Do you have any specialist equipment and which photo editing software do you use?
I have a good digital camera (Nikon D300), and a tripod (which I tend not to use as it limits the angles you can shoot from). To edit the images I use Lightbox and Photoshop software. For props I use whatever I cook with and serve on, but have collected lots of interesting bits and bobs over the years. And I collect anything that could be used as a background mostly from skips!
Hate to sound silly, but could you please tell me what passata is? Really want to try this recipe!
Not silly at all! Passata is also known as tomato purée in the Us – it’s smooth sieved tomatoes. If you can’t find it you can use crushed tomatoes, blended smooth
Sorry that should be LightROOM not Lighbox!