Head to the Greek Isles this week with my Shrimp in Lemon Sauce with Olives ~ this quick healthy meal has it all: juicy shrimp, a silky lemon sauce, and rich, briny olives. The sauce looks creamy but is made without any dairy ~ come find out the delicious secret!
Shrimp in lemon sauce with olives exemplifies the healthy Mediterranean diet
I love Greek food. I love all Mediterranean food, but have a special weakness for Greek flavors. Greek cooking is sunny, simple, and so good for you. When I think Greece I think olives and olive oil, seafood, lemons, wine, feta cheese, and lots of fresh herbs. Any combination of these ingredients make an amazing meal!
Greek lemon sauce turns simple sautéed shrimp into an outstanding meal
If you google Greek shrimp you’ll come up with lots of recipes that use tomatoes and feta cheese. That’s how I used to do shrimp all the time until I discovered this amazing lemon sauce. It’s the same sauce I used in my Greek Meatballs in Lemon Sauce, and that recipe was sent to me by a reader who lives in Athens (thank you Alexandra!!) The sauce is so versatile that I’ve been able to translate it into many different meals. My Chicken in Lemon Sauce with Olives is the poultry version, if you’re not a shrimp lover.
What you’ll need for this dish
The sauce is a simple, almost primal ~ it consists of stock (in this case chicken or fish) thickened with a mixture of fresh lemon juice and egg yolks. It looks creamy, but there is no dairy in it. The flavor and texture is pure heaven, and goes so well with the bite of the olives. I used both Greek cracked olives and an oil cured Moroccan variety. It really pays to buy your olives fresh from an olive bar rather than rely on jarred, there are so many to choose from and they go so well with healthy Mediterranean dishes.
TIP: It’s hard to find pitted olives in any kind of variety, so I leave the pits in and warn my diners.
If you love the ease of cooking with shrimp
- you may want to try my Chimichurri Shrimp, the sauce can be made ahead and the rest takes just minutes.
- If you think you can handle it, take the heat up a notch further with my Shrimp Fra Diavolo,
- Shrimp in Romesco Sauce makes a fun appetizer or light meal, and the sauce is such a gorgeous color!
“I made this today and it was delicious! I added a teaspoon of lemon zest as I like it extra lemony… I wish I could post a photo, it looked beautiful as well!”
Veronique
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Shrimp in Lemon Sauce with Olives
Ingredients
- 1 lb medium or large shrimp, peeled and deveined (leave the tails on if you like)
- olive oil
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, you can use up to 1/2 cup for a super lemony flavor
- 1 cup chicken or fish stock
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 cup mixed olives
- fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- Whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice together until smooth and set aside.
- Lightly coat the bottom of a skillet with olive oil and heat on medium heat until hot. Saute the shrimp for about 4 minutes, turning once, until they are pink and cooked through. Remove to a plate, cover and keep warm.
- Heat the stock in a medium saucepan until it comes to a boil. Whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot stock into the egg yolks to temper them. Pour that yolk mixture back into the pan slowly, while whisking, and continue to heat on medium, stirring constantly, until the mixture just starts to thicken and comes to a simmer. NOTE: it won’t get really thick, it will just get a little thicker and glossier. Once it comes to a simmer take off the heat immediately and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour the sauce into a medium casserole or gratin dish and place the shrimp in the sauce. Top with the olives and thyme. Serve immediately with rice, couscous, or crusty bread.
Nutrition
Such a wonderful combination of flavors, Sue! We’re trying to eat lighter after a trip where we “food binged” so happy to have new ideas.
good lord Sue these look superb. I do love shrimp but so rarely buy it as part of my weekly shop, I must start to include it more. Love the addition of lemon and olives. So perfectly Greek, reminds me of a summer holiday!
Sue, what an addition of a dish enhanced with the “avgolemono” sauce! I love your way of exploring and trying new tastes. And as for the olives, is the right way to eat them -with the pits in- and no warning label; as you know, while processing olives to remove the pits, big part of the taste is lost. I take the pits only to make tapenade!
Great recipe, great journey to Santorini….
This sounds heavenly, I will definitely try it. Love the combination of shrimp and lemon, then add olives and I’m over the moon with this!
I’ve long been admiring your lemon meatballs, Sue, and I had no idea the sauce was this easy and fabulous! And with shrimp? Wow! This is perfection. Funny cos meatballs and shrimp are my favourite foods and I’m craving lemon like crazy these days because I’ve got a major case of spring fever. Doing this!
If this shrimp dish will transport me to Santorini, I am all in! 🙂
Haha, take me with you Laura!
Such a lovely spring time meal! great lemony flavor:)
Love shrimp dishes and this looks like a winner! The lemon sauce is killer and inder 30 sure has my vote!
That lemon sauce sounds really great! And since I LOVE shrimp and olives, this is for sure a winner!
That lemon sauce has been in my dreams! All your lemon recipes look fantastic and this is no exception. I adore how easy shrimp is to get on the table and I’m also a big fan of olives. This is going on my menu! Have a great weekend Sue!