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This easy Mediterranean shrimp recipe comes together in minutes in one skillet with garlic, feta, lemon and fresh dill. It’s a flavorful dinner that fits perfectly into a Mediterranean diet lifestyle!
There’s a specific kind of magic that happens when a short list of ingredients makes an actual delicious dinner in under 20 minutes. This is the magic of my new weeknight Mediterranean shrimp recipe!
If you’ve been around for a while, you’ll know that I’m currently writing a Mediterranean diet cookbook (my third!), so this way of eating is often on my mind. This recipe is the perfect Mediterranean diet dinner idea: all you have to do is sauté garlic and shallot, then add the shrimp and feta and let the oven do its thing. Add a squeeze of lemon and fresh dill and it’s a true chef’s kiss!
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe keeps the ingredient list focused, and every item earns its place:
- Shrimp: I use 1½ pounds, deveined, tail on or off. I usually like using tail on because it looks the best, but tail off is easier to eat.
- Garlic and shallot: It’s absolutely worth mincing and sautéing these two aromatic vegetables, and they take only 30 seconds to sauté.
- Dried oregano and smoked paprika: These add delicious depth to the recipe (the latter is my secret weapon: see my smoked paprika recipes).
- Red pepper flakes: Optional, but just a pinch gives a nice complexity without being spicy.
- Feta cheese: The cheese softens slightly in the oven, similar to my baked feta salmon pasta.
- Lemon: This adds a bright finish that ties everything together!
- Fresh dill: I like adding torn sprigs across the top. I’m obsessed with dill!
How to Make Mediterranean Shrimp
The technique here is a quick stovetop-to-oven method. What’s nice about this method is while I love to make sauteed shrimp, it does require a bit of finesse to make sure they come out perfect and not overcooked. The baked method is also easier to cook a larger amount of shrimp at once! Here’s what to do:
1. Start your aromatics. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Warm a very large cast iron skillet over medium heat, then add the olive oil, minced garlic, and shallot and sauté for 30 seconds.
2. Season the shrimp. Turn off the heat and add the shrimp to the skillet along with the spices and salt. Stir, then scatter the feta crumbles over the top.
3. Bake. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 7 to 10 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and opaque. Start checking early: the size of the shrimp makes the exact timing vary.
4. Finish and serve. Carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Garnish with lemon juice, lemon zest and fresh dill and serve immediately.
A Few Tips
Don’t skip patting the shrimp dry. Wet shrimp release steam in the oven and can come out with a rubbery texture.
Use a very large oven-proof skillet: cast iron is great if you have it! I have a 12-inch cast iron skillet which is shown in these photos.
Watch the clock. At 400°F, shrimp are fully cooked in 7 to 10 minutes. Start checking early: it should be opaque with a slight curl, If you see a tight curl the shrimp are overcooked!
Fresh dill is non-negotiable. I adds just the right herby hit. If you can’t find fresh dill, finely chopped fresh parsley works (and is cheaper).
What to Serve Alongside
To keep this as an easy weeknight dinner idea, I like adding a super fast side dish like orzo or couscous: but there are lots of options!
- Orzo or couscous: This orzo recipe or couscous recipe take just 10 minutes!
- Rice, farro, quinoa or millet: I like lemon rice, farro, seasoned quinoa, or millet.
- A simple green salad: My Mediterranean salad or simple arugula salad are a perfect pairing.
- Cucumber salad: This cucumber vinegar salad or cucumber feta salad would be fun ideas.
- Pasta: Of course, you could add linguine, angel hair pasta, or even short shapes like penne or gemelli.
Storage and Reheating
This shrimp recipe is best eaten the day it’s made. Honestly, shrimp don’t reheat quite like other proteins: they can get rubbery and be less appealing on day 2. However, leftovers do last up to 2 days refrigerated.
Every time I make this, I eat all the shrimp: so I have yet to have leftovers!
Dietary Notes
This Mediterranean shrimp recipe is pescatarian and gluten-free, and fits the Mediterranean diet. For dairy-free, omit the feta and add a few more pinches salt.
Easy Mediterranean Shrimp
This easy Mediterranean shrimp recipe comes together in minutes in one skillet with garlic, feta, lemon and fresh dill. It’s a flavorful dinner that fits perfectly into a Mediterranean diet lifestyle!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner, Main Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Mediterranean, Mediterranean Diet
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Mediterranean Diet, Pescatarian
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds medium to large shrimp, deveined (tail on or off; I typically use 26/30)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 shallot, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbles
- ½ lemon, juice and zest, plus lemon wedges for garnish
- 1 large handful fresh dill
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Pat the shrimp dry.
- Preheat a very large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, garlic and shallot and saute for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Turn off the heat, add the shrimp, oregano, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes (if using), and kosher salt and stir. Top with crumbled feta cheese.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake until the shrimp are pink and opaque, 7 to 10 minutes.
- Carefully remove from the oven, spritz with the juice from ½ lemon, and top with lemon zest and torn fresh dill. Serve immediately (see below for leftover information).
Notes
- Leftovers: This shrimp recipe is best eaten the day it’s made. Honestly, shrimp don’t reheat quite like other proteins: they can get rubbery and be less appealing on day 2. However, leftovers do last up to 2 days refrigerated.
- Dairy free: This recipe also works without the feta; simply add a few more pinches salt.
Let us know if you have any questions!