Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Produce
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Sauce Base
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 60 ml ouzo
- 800 g canned crushed tomatoes
- 3 g dried oregano
- 1 g red chili flakes
- 4 g salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Protein & Dairy
- 500 g large raw prawns, peeled, deveined, tails left on
- 200 g feta cheese, crumbled into large chunks
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 502 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbohydrates
- 36 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 22 g
- Sodium
- 2081 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 8 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 11 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 45 mg
- Potassium
- 783 mg
- Calcium
- 354 mg
- Iron
- 4.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 59 mg
- Phosphorus
- 251 mg
- Zinc
- 2.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 123 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 29 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 75 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.8 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.11 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.45 mg
- Niacin
- 0.7 mg
- Folate
- 31 mcg
- Water
- 67 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 200°C / 400°F.
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion and saute, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until translucent and softened.
Add the minced garlic, dried oregano, and red chili flakes to the skillet. Saute briefly until the oils release their aromatics and the garlic is highly fragrant.
Pour the ouzo into the skillet to deglaze. Scrape up any fond from the bottom of the pan and let the alcohol evaporate, leaving behind a subtle anise aroma.
Stir in the canned crushed tomatoes, salt, and black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the sauce to simmer, concentrating the flavors and thickening the base.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Nestle the peeled prawns evenly into the hot tomato sauce in a single layer. Scatter the crumbled feta cheese generously over the top of the entire dish.
Transfer the skillet directly into the preheated oven. Bake until the prawns are opaque and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 63°C / 145°F, and the feta cheese is softened and slightly golden.
Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Allow it to rest for a few minutes, then garnish with the freshly chopped parsley before serving directly from the pan.
Chef's Notes
- Always seek out authentic Greek block feta packed in brine. Pre-crumbled feta contains anti-caking agents like cellulose that prevent it from softening and integrating beautifully into the rich tomato sauce.
- Ouzo provides the signature anise flavor that makes this dish deeply authentic. If you prefer to avoid the licorice note entirely, a crisp dry white wine like Assyrtiko or Pinot Grigio is the perfect substitute for deglazing.
- Keeping the tails on the prawns is traditional and highly recommended. The shells add a subtle depth of seafood flavor to the surrounding sauce as they bake, and the tails provide a convenient handle if eating casually.
- For the best texture, avoid buying pre-cooked prawns at all costs. They will inevitably become rubbery during the baking process. Buy raw, high-quality prawns and let them cook gently in the oven.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Reheat very gently on the stovetop to avoid turning the prawns rubbery.
Troubleshooting
Prawns are rubbery and tough
Cause: The prawns were baked for too long or the residual heat from the cast iron overcooked them
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Remove the skillet from the oven exactly when the prawns turn opaque and reach an internal temperature of 63°C/145°F. Serve immediately.
Tomato sauce is too watery after baking
Cause: The sauce was not reduced enough on the stovetop, and the prawns released additional moisture during baking
Fix: Remove the cooked prawns, place the pan back on the stove over high heat to quickly reduce the sauce, then return the prawns to the pan
Prevention: Simmer the tomato sauce until it is quite thick before adding the raw prawns
Cultural Context
The term 'saganaki' refers not to the ingredients of the dish, but to the small, heavy-bottomed, two-handled frying pan traditionally used in Greek kitchens to prepare and serve it. Prawn saganaki, known locally as garides saganaki, is a cherished meze found in bustling seaside tavernas across Greece. It perfectly captures the spirit of Greek cuisine by celebrating the marriage of the Aegean's fresh seafood with the country's rich agricultural bounty of sun-ripened tomatoes, vibrant olive oil, and sharp sheep's milk cheese.
