Bursting with bright Mediterranean flavors, Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta is a vibrant, oven-to-table dish that brings together juicy shrimp, sweet tomatoes, and creamy feta in a way that’s simple to make and totally irresistible for weeknights or entertaining alike.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No-Fuss, One-Pan Wonder: Everything simmers and bakes together in a single skillet, which means less cleanup and more flavor in every bite.
- Fresh Mediterranean Flavors: Between the briny feta, fragrant herbs, and juicy tomatoes, each forkful transports you straight to the coast.
- Ready in Under an Hour: This beautiful, dinner-party-worthy meal can be on your table in just 40 minutes, start to finish.
- Versatile Crowd-Pleaser: Serve it over pasta, with crusty bread, or solo for a gluten-free feast—the possibilities are endless!
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll be amazed by how just a handful of fresh, pantry-friendly ingredients transform into a show-stopping dish. Each element in Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta adds its own personality, creating a deeply flavorful, colorful meal that’s so much more than the sum of its parts.
- Olive Oil: Use good quality olive oil for a fragrant foundation that brings richness to the sauce.
- Diced Onion: The onion softens and sweetens as it cooks, adding body and subtle depth to the tomato base.
- Minced Garlic: A little garlic goes a long way here, offering savory warmth that pairs perfectly with the shrimp.
- Petite-Diced Tomatoes (canned, with juice): These are your shortcut to a sweet, tangy, just-simmered sauce—no need for fresh! Using the juices adds even more flavor.
- White Wine: Wine brightens up the sauce and enhances the seafood—choose a dry white you’d happily drink.
- Fresh Parsley and Fresh Basil: These herbs provide a burst of garden-fresh flavor. Use flat-leaf parsley for best texture.
- Raw Jumbo Shrimp, peeled and deveined: Go big for the best texture, but you can use any size shrimp with adjusted cooking time.
- Italian Seasoning: This blend delivers extra dimension and a hint of Mediterranean magic with herbs like oregano and thyme.
- Salt and Pepper: Don’t skip seasoning; it brings all the flavors together.
- Crumbled Feta Cheese: Salty, creamy feta melts slightly in the oven, creating luscious bites throughout the dish.
- Optional: Pasta, rice, or crusty bread: The dreamy tomato sauce demands something to soak it up!
Variations
This Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta recipe is endlessly adaptable—think of it as your delicious blueprint for weeknight flexibility! Try one of these fun twists to suit your pantry, spice level, or dietary needs.
- Make it Spicy: Add a generous pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or finely diced Fresno chili with the garlic for a lively kick.
- Lean into Saganaki: Toss in a handful of sliced kalamata olives and finish with lemon zest for Greek-inspired flair.
- Use Different Proteins: Try scallops or chunks of firm white fish instead of shrimp, adjusting bake time as needed.
- Go Dairy-Free: Skip the feta (or use a vegan version) and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts for a creamy-salty bite.
How to Make Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta
Step 1: Sauté the Aromatics
Preheat your oven to 425°F. Drizzle olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet and warm it over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the pieces soften and become translucent—about 3 minutes. Toss in the garlic and let it sizzle for just a minute, until fragrant but not browned (burned garlic is a flavor you don’t want here!).
Step 2: Build the Tomato Sauce
Add your canned petite-diced tomatoes, including all those flavorful juices, straight into the skillet. Pour in the white wine to deglaze and brighten everything up. Bring to a lively boil, then lower the heat and allow the sauce to simmer for 5–10 minutes. You’re looking for the liquid to reduce and thicken a bit, intensifying all the savory-sweet flavors.
Step 3: Add Shrimp & Herbs
Remove the skillet from the stove. Stir in the parsley and basil, along with the dried Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Now, nestle the raw shrimp right into the tomato sauce, spreading them evenly so each one will cook through perfectly. This is when the dish starts looking downright beautiful!
Step 4: Top with Feta & Bake
Sprinkle the crumbled feta generously over the top—don’t be shy! Slide the skillet into your oven and bake for around 12–15 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the shrimp are opaque and pink, and the feta softens and gets just a little golden in spots. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp; they go from tender to rubbery fast!
Pro Tips for Making Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta
- Shrimp Selection Matters: Use raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp for the best results—frozen works too (just thaw completely before cooking for even doneness).
- Timing is Everything: Keep an eye on your shrimp during baking; as soon as they turn opaque and curl into a loose “C” shape, pull them out so they stay juicy and tender.
- Choose Your Feta Wisely: Seek out block feta in brine if you can—it crumbles beautifully and melts creamier than pre-crumbled versions.
- Let the Sauce Thicken: Don’t rush the tomato simmering step—the reduction builds that sweet-savory backbone that makes this dish truly craveable.
How to Serve Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta
Garnishes
Fresh herbs are your best friend here! A scatter of chopped parsley or basil over the top makes the colors pop and enhances the freshness. For an extra flourish, try a sprinkle of lemon zest or a quick squeeze of lemon juice just before serving—these bright notes bring the whole dish alive.
Side Dishes
This dish loves company! Pile Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta atop a bed of tender pasta, fluffy rice, or alongside crusty bread to soak up every last bit of sauce. For a lighter option, serve with a crisp green salad or roasted asparagus for balance.
Creative Ways to Present
For a showstopping main, serve the sizzling skillet right in the center of the table, family-style. Want an appetizer? Spoon the shrimp and tomato-feta sauce onto small crostini or in little ramekins for festive starters. Or, toss leftovers with orzo for a quick, elegant next-day pasta salad!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Let any leftovers cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta keeps beautifully for up to 2 days, making it a smart prep-ahead option for busy weeks.
Freezing
While the tomato-feta sauce on its own freezes well, shrimp can become a bit rubbery after freezing and reheating. If you want to freeze, make and freeze the sauce ahead, then add shrimp and bake fresh when ready to serve for best texture.
Reheating
Gently reheat leftovers in a skillet over low heat or microwave in short bursts, just until the shrimp are warmed through. Avoid overheating, as shrimp can toughen quickly—a splash of water or extra tomatoes can help loosen the sauce if needed.
FAQs
-
Can I use frozen shrimp for Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta?
Absolutely! Just make sure your frozen shrimp are fully thawed before adding them to the skillet. You can thaw overnight in the fridge, or quickly under cold running water. Thorough thawing helps the shrimp cook evenly and prevents excess moisture in the sauce.
-
What kind of feta works best in this recipe?
Look for block feta packed in brine if you can—it has a richer, creamier texture and crumbles easily over the top of the bubbling sauce. If pre-crumbled is all you have, it will still be delicious, but block feta really shines in this dish.
-
How do I know when my shrimp are perfectly cooked?
Shrimp are done when they turn opaque with pink and red accents and curl into a loose “C” shape. Watch closely—the difference between juicy and overcooked happens fast, sometimes in less than a minute!
-
Is Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta gluten free?
Yes! The dish itself is naturally gluten free. To keep the entire meal gluten free, serve with rice, gluten-free pasta, or your favorite GF bread for dipping into that wonderful sauce.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a foolproof but flavor-packed dinner, Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta is the answer! With its fresh herbs, succulent seafood, and comforting Mediterranean vibes, this dish will win a permanent spot at your table. Give it a try soon—I can’t wait to hear how you make it your own!
Print
Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
A delicious and easy-to-make Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta recipe that combines juicy shrimp, flavorful tomatoes, and creamy feta cheese for a Mediterranean-inspired dish.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) petite-diced tomatoes NOT drained
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
- 16 ounces raw Jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 (3.5 ounce) container crumbled feta cheese
Optional, for serving:
- pasta
- rice
- crusty bread
Instructions
- Preheat oven: to 425 degrees F. Heat oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cook onion: Add onion and cook until softened (about 3 minutes).
- Add garlic and tomatoes: Add garlic, cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and their juice, as well as the wine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let sauce simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- Prepare shrimp: Remove skillet from burner. Stir in parsley, basil, Italian seasoning, shrimp, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle feta over top.
- Bake: Place skillet in the oven; bake until shrimp are cooked through (about 12-15 minutes).
Notes
- You can use fresh or frozen shrimp for this recipe.
- Adjust baking time based on shrimp size.
- Shrimp are done when opaque with pink accents. Be cautious not to overcook.
- Experiment with herb combinations like oregano and thyme.
- Enhance flavors with kalamata olives, red onion, and lemon zest.
- Garnish with fresh parsley, lemon zest, and a spritz of fresh lemon juice.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 960mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 250mg
