Shrimp saganaki (shrimp with tomatoes and feta)

Shrimp saganaki is a delicious Greek dish combining shrimp cooked in a tomato sauce with feta cheese on top. It's really easy to make, with lots of great flavor. It's comforting yet not to heavy and perfect for sharing.

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One of the things I love about many Mediterranean cultures is the practice of having smaller sharing plates (whether tapas, mezze or other names). In many cases it's to have a range as an appetizer, while other times it's more for lighter snacking. But you can also easily combine a number to make a full meal.

The bonus for me is you get to try many more different flavors and have a mix of different types of dishes. Shrimp saganaki is one I have enjoyed a few times in Greece when we've been picking out things for just such a meal. 

What does saganaki mean?

The name "saganaki" actually refers to the cooking vessel rather than the food itself. The name comes from the Turkish word "sahan" meaning "copper dish". In Greece, a sagani refers to a pan with two handles. The ending "aki" is the diminutive ending so the name is in effect "little frying pan" or "little skillet". 

Saganaki refers to a few dishes cooked in a small pan with the most common one (and what you would generally think of if you just say "saganaki") being a pan-cooked cheese. But there are also other dishes, with this shrimp variation, garides saganaki, being another popular one.

Ingredients in shrimp saganaki

This dish uses a relatively short list of mainly common ingredients. A few notes on the main ones:

• Shrimp/prawns - try to use medium or large shrimp (prawns) for this. They should be peeled and deveined (cleaned) but you can leave the tail on, as I have here. 
• Tomatoes - you can use either fresh or canned tomatoes for this, but make sure they are ones with a good flavor whichever you choose. 
• Onion - a sweet onion or red onion is probably best here, but others would also work. Some like to also add some chopped spring onions towards the end, too.
• Garlic and oregano - these add to the flavor of the sauce and are classic flavors in Greek dishes.
• Red pepper flakes - a touch of heat is less common in Greek cooking on the whole but a little red pepper flakes give a gentle bit of spice here that pairs so well.
• Ouzo or white wine - traditionally, you use ouzo which is a traditional spirit with an anise flavor. If you can't find it, pernod is similar. If you are less keen on the anise flavor, white wine works well instead. But I'd recommend one or the other to give a rounded depth of flavor to the sauce.
• Olive oil - the classic oil for cooking in Greece, which also adds a lovely flavor.
• Feta cheese - this goes on top at the end to add extra flavor, in particular a slight saltiness. 
• Parsley - this adds a little touch of herby freshness and color at the end.

While it's not necessarily in all versions, and is more at the end anyway, a touch of lemon juice before serving helps give an extra bit of freshness, too.

How to prepare Greek shrimp with tomatoes and feta

You'll find a few variations in how to prepare this dish, but in all cases it is pretty quick and easy. Some choose to pre-sear or separately cook the shrimp then add it into the sauce later. But personally I find it easiest to cook this all in one pan and cook the shrimp in the tomato sauce. 

You start by softening the onion in olive oil, then add the garlic, cook briefly then add the ouzo/wine, tomatoes and seasonings. Add a little salt and pepper but remember, feta is salty so only add the smallest amount of salt. Most also add a little sugar to help balance the acidity of the tomatoes. 

Cook down the sauce a little so you reduce the liquid and everything is well softened, then add the shrimp. Press the shrimp down into the sauce and once you see them starting to change color around the sides, flip them over. They will cook relatively quickly and you can tell when they are cooked as the color will change and they become opaque. 

Finally, add in the parsley, top with crumbled feta and broil/grill to gently brown the top. Your cheese may melt into the sauce, but the flavors mingling is all good! 

What to serve with shrimp saganaki

First of all, I highly recommend serving some crusty bread with this to help mop up all that wonderful sauce. It has so much flavor, you don't want to lose a drop! I say crusty as the bread may disintegrate into the sauce if it doesn't have the crust to help hold it together, but use as you have. 

If you prefer to serve it as a main rather than an appetizer, some serve the shrimp over pasta, then you could add a salad alongside. But you could also include it as part of a range of mezze and sides, such as with some other seafood dishes like calamari, sides like potatoes or Greek green beans. You could also add some meat dishes in there too like keftedes (meatballs). 

Shrimp saganaki is a delicious classic Greek appetizer with a wonderful combination of shrimp, a gently spicy tomato sauce and creamy feta. It's easy to make, packed with flavor and such a great addition to many a meal.

Try these other favorite Greek dishes:

• Youvetsi, a lamb or beef and orzo stew that's easy, comforting and a big favorite in our house.
• Spanakorizo - a simple spinach rice that makes a great side or vegetarian main.
• Tiropita - flaky cheese filled pastries, so tasty to snack on.
• Plus get more Greek recipes and appetizer recipes in the archives.

See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store. 

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