BAKED SHRIMP WITH TOMATOES AND OREGANO

This superstar shrimp dish is one of my all-time favorites to serve at dinner parties. It’s easy to pre-assemble in pieces, is nearly impossible to screw up and is such a looker! Pair that with the fact that it’s absolutely delicious, and it has all the makings of the perfect dinner party dish.

Just because it’s great for a crowd doesn’t mean I never serve it for a causal dinner either. This entrée is securely positioned in my weekday rotation because it’s that good. 

I typically make the marinara ahead of time for quicker game-time assembly.

Print Recipe

Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Oregano

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Greek

Servings: 8

Calories: 221kcal

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 small yellow onions, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 28-ounce can San Marzano whole tomatoes
• 1 15 ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• ¼ cup water poured into the San Marzano can and swished around
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 heaping teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste

Other Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 large shallots, diced
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 32 oz. of large shrimp, peeled and deveined (I use defrosted frozen shrimp)

Optional Topping

• feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions

Marinara

• Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large cast-iron (or heavy-bottomed) skillet. Add yellow onions and sauté until translucent, 5-7 minutes, stirring as needed. Stir in the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• *Crush the canned San Marzano tomatoes in your hands as you add them to the skillet. Pour ¼ cup water into the can and swish the water around to get all of the tomato juice from the sides and pour into the skillet. Add the can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes and stir to combine.
• Add the bay leaves and salt. Stir to combine.
• Bring sauce to a vigorous simmer, then lower the heat to maintain a low simmer. **Continue simmering until the sauce is slightly reduced and has thickened, about 25 or more minutes. Stir as needed to avoid burning.
• Remove the bay leaves and pour the sauce into another large holding dish. Either set aside or put in the fridge to store if you plan to finish the recipe at a later time.

Other Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350℉.
• Pour the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil into the same cast-iron skillet. Add garlic and shallots, stirring to combine. Continue cooking over low heat, stirring as needed until shallots have softened, about 5 to 8 minutes.
• Pour the prepared marinara into the cast-iron skillet and bring heat up to medium-high. Add the red pepper flakes. Cook until the mixture is heated through and thickens slightly, about 5-8 minutes, stirring as needed.
• Add the shrimp to the mixture and stir to combine. If using feta, sprinkle in over the top and continue to cook for a couple of minutes.
• Move the skillet into the oven and bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let dish rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with freshly chopped oregano. Serve with warm crusty bread, pasta, quinoa, rice or all by itself.

Notes

* Don’t worry about crushing the San Marzano tomatoes too evenly. Having some larger chunks of tomatoes will create a nice texture.

** You can loosely cover the skillet to help keep your stovetop clear of splatter, but make sure there is a wide gap to allow the steam to escape.

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