Curated recipes from 193 countries  •  New seasonal Mediterranean issue out now
Dinner Ideas — Global Recipe Journal
Regions All Regions Mediterranean & Italy East & South Asia Latin America & Caribbean Middle Eastern Nordic & European African Heritage North America Oceania & Pacific Browse Atlas

Overview

Garides Saganaki

Shrimp Saganaki, Greek Shrimp with Feta

This garides saganaki recipe bakes shrimp in a rich tomato and white-wine sauce, finished with crumbled feta and fresh parsley. One serving is about 330 g.

Saganaki is the name of the small two-handled pan the dish is cooked and served in, and garides saganaki — shrimp in that pan — is a fixture of Greek tavernas, especially by the sea. The combination is a natural one: tomatoes, olive oil, oregano and feta are the flavours of a Greek summer, and the shrimp cook in minutes in the bubbling sauce. It is usually served as a shared starter or a light main, always with bread for the sauce.

Pairs well with: Crusty bread for the sauce and a glass of white wine.

Provenance

Greece flag Greece

Greek Taverna Classic

Mediterranean & Italy

Time Dedication

45m

15m prep • 30m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

369 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 330 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Medium (One Pan)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Hearty Midday Main

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Occasions: Summer dinners, seaside meals, shared starters, taverna nights Cost: Medium — about $5–6 per serving at home
Tags: Seafood Cheese Savory Rich
Garides saganaki in a white bowl — shrimp in a rich red tomato sauce with melted feta cheese

Greek Taverna Classic

Photo: C messier, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Medium — about $5–6 per serving at home (USD)

Made the taverna way: tomato sauce simmered until thick, shrimp seared briefly, then baked under feta until just cooked.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 45m
P

Prep Stage: Shrimp, Sauce & Feta

15 Mins • Peeling & Chopping

Peel and devein the shrimp and pat them very dry — wet shrimp steam instead of searing. Chop the onion and garlic, crumble the feta, and have the tomatoes, wine and parsley ready beside the pan.

Maestro Tip: Pat the shrimp dry twice: once after rinsing, and again just before they go in the pan. Dry shrimp brown; wet shrimp boil.

  1. 1

    Soften the Onion and Garlic

    6 minutes Medium heat, about 160°C (320°F)

    Heat half the olive oil in a wide ovenproof pan and cook the onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, until fragrant.

    Do not let the garlic brown — brown garlic turns bitter and will flavour the whole sauce.

    Done when: The onion is soft and pale gold, the garlic smells sweet.

  2. 2

    Build the Tomato Sauce

    12 minutes Simmer, about 90°C (194°F)

    Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then add the crushed tomatoes, wine, oregano and chilli flakes. Simmer until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

    Taste the sauce before the shrimp go in: it should be rich and well seasoned, because the shrimp cook too fast to fix it later.

    Done when: The sauce is thick, deep red, and leaves a trail when you drag a spoon through it.

  3. 3

    Sear the Shrimp

    3 minutes Medium-high heat, about 180°C (350°F)

    Push the sauce to one side, add the rest of the oil, and sear the shrimp for about 1 minute a side, just until they turn pink at the edges. They will finish cooking in the oven, so do not cook them through here.

    Give the shrimp space in the pan — crowded shrimp steam, and steamed shrimp turn rubbery.

    Done when: The shrimp are pink at the edges but still translucent in the middle.

  4. 4

    Top with Feta and Bake

    8 minutes 200°C (400°F)

    Nestle the shrimp into the sauce, scatter the feta over the top, and bake until the shrimp are opaque and curled into a C shape and the feta has softened, about 8 minutes. The shrimp must reach 63°C (145°F) at the thickest part.

    Pull the pan out the moment the shrimp curl into a C — a tight O means they are overcooked.

    Done when: The shrimp are opaque and C-shaped, the feta is soft and the sauce bubbles at the edges.

  5. 5

    Rest, Then Finish with Lemon and Parsley

    3 minutes Warm, about 60°C (140°F)

    Let the pan rest for 2 minutes, then squeeze over the lemon juice and scatter the parsley.

    The rest lets the sauce settle and the feta melt a little further without the shrimp overcooking.

    Done when: The sauce is glossy, the feta is soft, and the parsley is bright green.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve straight from the pan, while the sauce is still bubbling, with plenty of crusty bread to mop it up.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

369

kcal / serving

Protein

33g

Complete AA

Carbs

16g

Complex

Fats

19g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 330 g)
Energy369 kcal
Protein33 g
Carbohydrates16 g
Fat19 g
Fibre3.0 g
Sugar9.1 g
Sodium1090 mg
Per 100g
Energy112 kcal
Protein10 g
Carbohydrates4.8 g
Fat5.8 g
Fibre0.9 g
Sugar2.7 g
Sodium330 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Shrimp supplies lean protein, iodine and selenium, tomatoes add vitamin C and lycopene, and feta adds calcium.

High Protein, Lean Shrimp

One serving carries about 32.9 g protein from the shrimp and feta, which makes this a genuinely filling dinner.

Tomatoes' Lycopene

Cooked tomatoes are a source of lycopene, and cooking them in olive oil helps the body absorb it.

Iodine and Selenium

Shrimp naturally supply iodine and selenium, two minerals the body needs in small amounts every day.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Crusty Bread

Bread is not optional here — the tomato sauce is the best part, and only bread gets the last of it out of the pan.

Lemon Potatoes

Roast potatoes with lemon and oregano turn the pan into a full taverna meal and soak up the sauce too.

Vegetables

Greek Salad

Cool cucumber, tomato and onion with a little olive oil refresh the palate between rich, hot spoonfuls.

Drinks

Dry White Wine

The same dry white wine that went into the sauce is the natural partner at the table — its acidity matches the tomatoes.

Complete menu

Start with garides saganaki and crusty bread, follow with a Greek salad and lemon potatoes, and finish with fresh fruit and coffee.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Do Not Overcook the Shrimp

Shrimp go from tender to rubbery in under a minute, so pull the pan out as soon as they curl into a C shape. This is general food information, not medical advice.

Very Salty Sides

Feta and canned tomatoes already make this dish salty, so salty olives or cured meats on the side push one meal too far. This is general food information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA satisfying, protein-rich dinner — about 369 kcal and 32.9 g protein per serving.
  • ChildrenMild and easy to eat once the chilli is left out; cut the shrimp into small pieces for young children and serve the sauce with bread.
  • ElderlySoft shrimp and sauce are easy to chew, but the dish is salty, so a modest portion with salad suits older eaters.
  • Pregnant womenShrimp must be fully cooked through and served hot; avoid it if your clinician has advised against shellfish, and keep the portion modest. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Breastfeeding womenA protein-rich meal that supports recovery; the shrimp should be fresh and cooked right through. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • AthletesAbout 32.9 g protein per serving makes this good recovery food — pair it with bread or potatoes for the carbohydrate to match.
  • Weight gainHigh in protein and only moderately energy-dense, so it suits weight gain when served with bread and potatoes.
  • Weight lossHigh in protein and filling at 369 kcal, so it works well for weight loss — keep the bread modest and load up the salad instead.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesLow in carbohydrate (about 15.9 g per serving), but the bread served alongside adds a lot — count the bread, not just the pan. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • High blood pressureAbout 1090 mg sodium per serving, mostly from the feta and canned tomatoes, so keep other salty foods out of the same meal. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Kidney diseaseHigh in protein (about 32.9 g) and sodium, so portions should stay modest on a kidney diet. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • GoutShrimp is moderate in purines, so keep to one serving and drink water with the meal. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Stomach issuesThe tomato sauce is acidic and can bother a sensitive stomach; a smaller portion with bread is gentler. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseOlive oil and shrimp are a heart-friendly combination, but the feta adds saturated fat and salt, so one serving with salad is the right balance. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Fatty liverModerately energy-dense, so keep to one serving and avoid a second helping of bread. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Food allergiesContains shellfish (shrimp) and milk (feta). Tell your guests before serving — shellfish allergy can be severe. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Special therapeutic dietsNot suitable for a low-sodium or shellfish-free diet; ask your clinician whether shrimp and feta fit your plan.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool quickly and store in a covered container, sauce and all.
In the fridge
Keeps 2 days in the fridge at 4°C (40°F) or below.
In the freezer
Up to 1 month, though the shrimp soften on thawing; freeze the sauce alone for best results.
How to reheat
Reheat gently on the hob until steaming hot, to 74°C (165°F); do not boil, or the shrimp turn rubbery.
Freezing recommended
Only the sauce — freeze the sauce, and cook fresh shrimp when serving.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour or ammonia smell, slimy shrimp, or a dull grey colour.

More recipes to explore

A whole Greek moussaka in a glass baking dish, its bechamel top baked golden brown with darker patches Greece flag Greece 2h
Dinner •Greek Classic

Greek Moussaka

Greek moussaka is a layered bake of fried aubergine and potato, a cinnamon-spiced beef sauce, and a thick bechamel that turns deep gold in the oven. It is the dish most Greek tavernas are judged by, and it is made for sharing at a slow family dinner. One serving is about 412 g.

Comfort & Warmth

A hearty layered bake built around aubergine, potatoes and a spiced meat sauce under a creamy bechamel topping.

Pairs Well With
Serve with a crisp Greek salad, warm bread and a glass of red wine.
Greek salad (horiatiki) with a slab of feta sprinkled with oregano, Kalamata olives, tomato wedges, cucumber and red onion on a white plate Greece flag Greece 20m
Lunch •Aegean Table Classic

Greek Salad

This Greek salad recipe is the real horiatiki: chunky ripe tomatoes, peeled cucumber, red onion and green pepper, with Kalamata olives and a whole slab of feta on top, dressed with extra-virgin olive oil and dried Greek oregano. There is no lettuce and no heavy dressing — just summer vegetables at their best, ready in twenty minutes. One serving is about 411 g.

Fresh Summer Lunch

Crisp garden vegetables, salty feta and Kalamata olives under good olive oil — a bright, satisfying lunch with no cooking at all.

Pairs Well With
Crusty bread & grilled fish
Quick Prep (<30m)
Golden spanakopita triangles sprinkled with fresh dill, served on a white plate with a small bowl of tzatziki Greece flag Greece 1h 20m
Lunch •Greek Bakery Classic

Spanakopita

This spanakopita recipe is the Greek spinach pie found in every bakery in Greece: paper-thin filo brushed with olive oil, layered over a filling of wilted spinach, salty feta, ricotta, leeks and a generous handful of fresh dill, then baked until the top shatters and the inside stays soft and savoury. It is the pie Greeks eat for lunch, take on picnics and set out on a mezze table. One serving is about 220 g.

Crisp Filo, Spinach & Feta

Layers of olive-oil-brushed filo wrapped around a spinach, feta, dill and leek filling, baked until golden and crisp.

Pairs Well With
Greek salad, tzatziki & lemon wedges
A terracotta bowl of thick white tzatziki with cucumber and a black olive, with a spoon Greece flag Greece 25m
Snack & Tea •Greek Meze Classic

Tzatziki

This tzatziki recipe is the real Greek version: thick strained yogurt, cucumber grated and squeezed bone dry, raw garlic, a thread of olive oil and a handful of dill. No cooking at all — just grating, squeezing and stirring — and the result is cool, creamy and sharp enough to cut through grilled meat. One serving is about 120 g.

Cool & Creamy

Thick Greek yogurt folded with grated cucumber, garlic and dill — the cool white dip at the heart of every Greek meze.

Pairs Well With
Spoon over grilled meat, or serve as a dip with warm pitta and raw vegetables.

The Dinner Gazette

Never wonder what’s for dinner again

One email a week with easy dinner ideas from around the world — ingredients, steps and nutrition, tested in our kitchen first.

Delivered every Thursday morning. Unsubscribe anytime.