Chef-tested recipe
Prawns simmered in tomato, ouzo, garlic, fennel, and chilli, finished with crumbled Greek feta
Garides saganaki is a Greek seafood dish of prawns cooked in a small pan with tomato and feta. Ouzo brings an anise fragrance that suits the shellfish, while onion, garlic, fennel, chilli, and oregano deepen the sauce. The prawns are seared briefly and returned only at the end so they remain juicy; the feta should soften into creamy pockets rather than disappear completely.
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Prep Time
- 20 mins
- Cook Time
- 25 mins
- Resting Time
- 5 mins
- Total Time
- 50 mins
- Cuisine
- Greek
- Course
- Main dish
- Cooking Method
- Pan-searing, deglazing, and tomato simmering
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Best Served With
- Best served with warm crusty bread, lemon-roasted potatoes, Greek salad, or steamed rice.
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
- Wide saganaki pan or frying panpaid link
- Box graterpaid link
- Chef’s knifepaid link
- Cutting boardpaid link
- Wooden spoonpaid link
- Digital kitchen scalepaid link
- Measuring jugpaid link
Ingredients
For the prawns
- Large raw prawns, peeled and deveined with tails left on: 700 g
- Fine sea saltpaid link: 5 g
- Freshly ground black pepper: 2 g
- Extra-virgin olive oilpaid link: 20 ml
For the tomato and feta sauce
- Extra-virgin olive oilpaid link: 50 ml
- Yellow onion, finely diced: 180 g
- Fennel bulb, finely diced: 120 g
- Garlic, finely sliced: 20 g
- Dried chilli flakespaid link: 2 g
- Ouzo: 60 ml
- Ripe tomatoes, coarsely grated: 700 g
- Tomato paste: 20 g
- Dried Greek oreganopaid link: 2 g
- Fine sea saltpaid link: 3 g
- Greek feta, crumbled: 180 g
- Flat-leaf parsley, chopped: 20 g
- Lemon juice: 15 ml
Preparation Overview
Peel and devein the prawns, leaving the tails for presentation, and dry them thoroughly. Grate the tomatoes on the large holes of a box grater, discarding the skins. Crumble the feta into pieces large enough to remain visible. Measure the ouzo before turning on the stove and keep the bottle away from the flame.
Method
Season the dry prawns with salt and black pepper.
Heat 20 ml olive oil in a wide frying pan over high heat. Sear the prawns for about 45 seconds per side, then transfer them to a plate while still undercooked.
Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining olive oil, onion, and fennel, and cook for 7 minutes until soft.
Add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for 1 minute.
Remove the pan briefly from any open flame, pour in the measured ouzo, then return it to the heat and simmer for 1 minute.
Stir in the grated tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, and remaining salt.
Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes until the sauce is thick enough to leave a trail when stirred.
Return the prawns and their juices to the pan and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, just until opaque.
Scatter the feta over the sauce, cover for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
Finish with parsley and lemon juice, rest for 5 minutes, and serve directly from the pan.
Beginner Technique Notes
Dry prawns sear more effectively and dilute the tomato sauce less.
Do not pour ouzo directly from the bottle near a flame. Measure it first and move the pan away from the heat when adding it.
Prawns form a loose C when cooked; a tight O often means they have overcooked.
Reduce the tomato sauce before returning the prawns because they need only a few final minutes.
Tips and Variations
Use shell-on prawns and make a quick stock from the shells when you want an even deeper sauce.
A pinch of crushed fennel seed can replace fresh fennel, though the texture will differ.
For an alcohol-free variation, omit the ouzo and add 30 ml prawn stock with a small pinch of crushed fennel seed.
Choose authentic sheep’s-milk or sheep-and-goat feta protected by its PDO designation when available.
Serving Ideas
- Bring the saganaki pan to the table while the sauce is still bubbling gently. Keep the prawns visible and scatter the feta and parsley across the top.
Storage
Refrigerate cooled leftovers in a covered container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently only until hot to avoid toughening the prawns. Do not freeze the finished dish because feta and prawns lose texture.
Nutritional Value
Allergen Notes
Contains crustaceans and milk. Ouzo contains alcohol, although some cooks off. Check feta and tomato paste labels for additives when managing other sensitivities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does saganaki mean?
It refers to the small two-handled frying pan traditionally used for dishes cooked and served at the table.
Can I omit the feta?
Feta is characteristic of garides saganaki. Without it, the dish becomes a tomato-braised prawn preparation.
Can I use canned tomatoes?
Yes. Use good-quality whole peeled tomatoes, crush them by hand, and simmer until thick.
Why are my prawns rubbery?
They were cooked too long. Sear them briefly, remove them, and return them only for the final minutes.
