You’ll love this quick & easy shrimp recipe, prepared Mediterranean-style! Garlic shrimp cooked in a light white wine and olive oil sauce with shallots, bell peppers, and tomatoes. So much flavor! Serve over rice, pasta or your favorite grain!
So much to do with a bag of frozen shrimp!
Lately, I’ve taken to buying bags of already peeled and deveined wild-caught shrimp from the freezer section. There is so much you can do with frozen shrimp and there is no shortage of shrimp dinner ideas over here including my earlier grilled shrimp with garlic cilantro sauce; shrimp kabobs ; lemon garlic shrimp with artichoke hearts, or an herby shrimp orzo soup.
In a pinch, I know I can reach for my skillet to make one of many simple shrimp recipes like today’s garlic shrimp, cooked in a quick and tasty sauce with shallots and colorful bell peppers! Add some couscous, rice, or plain orzo and a big salad and that’s dinner!
Why this shrimp recipe works?
In this easy shrimp recipe, shrimp derive flavor from a quick coating of smoked Spanish paprika, coriander, and a pinch of cayenne. I add a little flour to help thicken the sauce later (you can totally omit the flour for the gluten free version.) Then, the shrimp are tossed in the skillet with shallots, fresh garlic (a good bit of it), bell peppers. Pulling everything together is a tasty, light sauce with a simple combination of extra virgin olive oil, white wine, and citrus. That’s it!
This is super easy to make, the only thing to make sure of is that you don’t overcook the shrimp. I have a couple tips on that for you…
How to cook shrimp? Important tips:
It’s really hard to mess up this shrimp recipe. But the biggest thing here is to avoid over-cooking the shrimp. No one likes chewy, rubbery shrimp, right? A few important things to help you cook your garlic shrimp perfectly:
- Once the shrimp are in your skillet, they will cook in a matter of 3 to 5 minutes. Watch closely.
- When you see that one side is starting to turn pink, you are so close. Use a pair of tongs or your wooden spoon to toss the shrimp quick so that it turns color on the other side.
- Take the shrimp off the heat as soon as it turns orange and the tails are bright red. the thickest part of the shrimp (this would be the opposite end to the tail), when the flesh at the base of the crevice where the vein was turns from translucent to opaque, the shrimp is done.
- Remember, even if you take it off the heat a little bit earlier, it will still be cooking in the hot skillet.
- In terms of texture, perfectly cooked shrimp should be juicy but firm with a good crisp when you bite on it.
For more great tips about working with shrimp be sure to check out our Guide to Buying and Cooking Shrimp.
How to make garlic shrimp
For my friends who are extra visual, here is how this Mediterranean style shrimp dinner goes (print-friendly version just below):
- Season the shrimp
Put the peeled shrimp (thawed, if previously frozen) in a bowl. Add a sprinkle of flour and the spices (1 to 2 tsp smoked Spanish paprika, 1/2 tsp ground coriander, pinch of cayenne for a little heat and pinch of sugar, which is totally optional but does balance the flavors). Toss to coat and then set it aside for a little bit.
- Sautee shallots, garlic, and bell peppers
Grab a large skillet (I like to use cast iron), melt ghee and olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for a little bit, 2 to 3 minutes or so until fragrant (be sure not to burn the garlic.) Add sliced bell peppers (I like to use a couple different colors) and cook, tossing occasionally, for 4 minutes or so. - Add the shrimp
Now add the shrimp. Cook for 1 minute. - Add the tomatoes and liquid & Finish
Now we add the liquid, diced tomatoes, broth, white wine and lemon juice. Submerge the shrimp in with your wooden spoon.
Watch for shrimp to turn bright orange in color (remember, watch the thickets part of the shrimp, when that turns color, shrimp is ready.) Turn heat off and add a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
What goes well with shrimp?
This garlic shrimp with bell peppers is a quick weeknight dish that you don’t need to add much to. I typically add a side of plain orzo, rice (or grain of choice) and a quick salad to start things off.
Salad options are endless. If you want to start with hearty salad, try Balela or this Mediterranean Chickpea Salad with Eggplant. Otherwise, this quick 3-ingredient Mediterranean salad always does the trick for me.
If you have the time and want to add another something to start, this easy baba ganoush or this smoky loaded baba ganoush have been my go-tos lately!
You may also like
- Crispy Fried Calamari
- Steamed Clams
- Chicken Cacciatore
- Italian Roasted Vegetables
- Chicken and Orzo, Greek-Style
Browse more fish and seafood recipes, top Mediterranean diet recipes, or all Mediterranean recipes.
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Mediterranean Shrimp Recipe with Bell Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lb large shrimp or prawns, peeled and deveined (if frozen, be sure to thaw first)
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 to 2 tsp smoked Spanish paprika
- 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp butter I prefer to use ghee clarified butter
- 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- 3 shallots, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 green bell pepper and 1/2 yellow bell pepper, cored and sliced
- 1 cup canned diced tomato
- 1/3 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp dry white wine
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup chopped parsley leaves
Instructions
- Pat the shrimp dry and place it in a large bowl. Add the flour, smoked paprika, salt and pepper, coriander, cayenne, and sugar. Toss until the shrimp is well-coated.
- In a large cast iron skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly, until fragrant (be sure not to burn the garlic.) Add the bell peppers and cook another 4 minutes or so, tossing occasionally.
- Now add the shrimp. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the diced tomatoes, broth, white wine and lemon juice. Cook for a couple more minutes or until the shrimp turns bright orange.
- Finally, stir in the chopped fresh parsley and serve!
Video
Notes
- Cook’s Tip: Shrimp cook so very quickly, so don’t take your eyes off the skillet. Shrimp are ready when their color turns from grey to orange with bright red tails. When you see that one side is starting to turn pink, you are so close. Use your wooden spoon to toss the shrimp quick so that it turns color on the other side. Remember your skillet is still hot even if you’ve turned the heat off. Shrimp will continue to cook a little bit longer.
- Serve with plain orzo, couscous or your favorite grain. Lebanese rice is a great option. Fro salads and starters: Baba Ganoush; Roasted Red Pepper Hummus; Balela Salad; 3-Ingredient Mediterranean Salad; Fresh Herbs and Tomato Salad
- Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils and spices used in this recipe.
Nutrition
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*This post was originally published in 2017 and was recently updated with information and new media for readers’ benefit.
Finally, a recipe that doesn’t lie about how long it takes to make. This one really was pretty quick, and very good and authentically Mediterranean-tasting. We got home late last night and thought we’d be slumming it for dinner, but I had a bag of frozen shrimp and googled “shrimp” and this was the first recipe that came up. We ended up with a gourmet meal! (It wasn’t planned so all I had was a red bell pepper, but it worked.) Thanks.
Excellent with. your couscous recipe. My entire family enjoyed it.
Amazing! Simplistic! Delicious!………. Enough said..THANK YOU!