This shrimp puttanesca skillet gives you a rich, Mediterranean-inspired dinner with juicy shrimp, creamy cannellini beans, and a bold tomato sauce—all made in one pan and ready in about 30 minutes.
For more Mediterranean shrimp recipes, try our garlic shrimp, Greek shrimp orzo, or shrimp paella.
Why You'll Love This Shrimp Puttanesca Skillet
Louise and I love recipes that feel a little special but are still simple enough for a Tuesday night, and this shrimp puttanesca skillet is exactly that. 🍤 With juicy shrimp, creamy cannellini beans, and a rich tomato sauce packed with olives, capers, and garlic, it delivers big Mediterranean flavor with surprisingly little effort.
What makes this recipe stand out is that it's more than just a shrimp dish. The beans make it hearty and satisfying, while the tomato-based sauce keeps it light and fresh. It's a protein-rich, fiber-rich meal that fits beautifully into a balanced Mediterranean-style eating pattern. ❤️
Another thing we love is how versatile it is. Scoop it up with crusty bread, serve it over pasta, spoon it onto rice, or enjoy it straight from the skillet. The sauce is so good you'll want to find excuses to use every last drop. 😋
If you're looking for an easy shrimp recipe that's comforting, wholesome, and full of bold Mediterranean-inspired flavors, this one deserves a spot in your regular dinner rotation.
P.S. For more tomato-rich Mediterranean dinners, try our Tuscan cod, chicken pizzaiola, or eggplant caponata.
Nico Pallotta
Ingredients
For quantities, see recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Shrimp: Large shrimp work best because they stay juicy and tender in the sauce. You can buy them peeled and deveined, but don't worry if they're not fully deveined. The dark line is safe to eat and many home cooks leave it intact. Substitute extra-large shrimp, scallops, chunks of firm white fish, or even cooked chicken.
- Cannellini beans: Their creamy texture makes this shrimp and white beans skillet hearty and satisfying. Substitute butter beans, Great Northern beans, chickpeas, or lentils.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Adds richness and Mediterranean flavor. Substitute avocado oil or another mild olive oil.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic gives the sauce its savory backbone. If you're sensitive to garlic, use garlic-infused olive oil or a small amount of finely chopped shallot instead.
- Anchovies: They melt into the sauce and add deep umami flavor without tasting fishy. Substitute anchovy paste, a splash of Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, or simply leave them out.
- Red pepper flakes: Add gentle heat. Substitute Aleppo pepper, Calabrian chili paste, or omit for a milder dish.
- Whole peeled tomatoes: They create a rich sauce for this shrimp tomato skillet. Substitute crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, or fresh ripe tomatoes when in season.
- Kalamata olives: Bring a salty, briny flavor that's essential in shrimp with olives and capers. Substitute Castelvetrano or Taggiasca olives.
- Capers: Add brightness and tang. Substitute chopped cornichons or a splash of extra lemon juice.
- Parsley: Fresh parsley brightens the finished dish. Substitute basil, dill, or fresh oregano.
How to Make Shrimp Puttanesca Skillet
Step 1: Build the flavor base
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add chopped or grated garlic, anchovies, chopped capers, and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring often, until fragrant. The anchovies should mostly melt into the oil.
Pour in the tomatoes and crush them with a spoon. Stir in the olives, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper.
Let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes so the flavors can come together.
Step 2: Add the beans
Stir in the drained and rinsed cannellini beans.
Continue simmering for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly. The beans will soak up some of the flavor and make this healthy shrimp dinner extra satisfying.
Step 3: Cook the shrimp
Add the shrimp directly to the simmering sauce.
Stir gently so the shrimp are coated in the sauce. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they turn pink and opaque.
This is the easiest part of this one pan shrimp dinner. The shrimp cooks right in the sauce, keeping everything simple and flavorful.
Step 4: Finish and serve
Turn off the heat and stir in the chopped parsley.
Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Serve warm with crusty bread for dipping, spoon it over pasta, or enjoy it straight from the skillet.
Tips
- Use good shrimp: This recipe has a short ingredient list, so the quality of the shrimp really matters. Look for large shrimp with a fresh, sweet flavor.
- Don't stress about deveining: The vein is safe to eat and removing it is mostly a matter of appearance. If your shrimp aren't fully deveined, you can still make and enjoy this recipe.
- Let the anchovies melt: Give them about a minute in the oil before adding the tomatoes. They should dissolve almost completely and create a rich, savory base for the sauce.
- Don't overcook the shrimp: Add the shrimp at the end and cook only until pink and opaque. Overcooked shrimp can become firm and rubbery.
- Simmer until slightly thickened: The sauce should look rich and spoonable, not watery. A few extra minutes of simmering makes a big difference.
- Taste before adding more salt: Anchovies, olives, and capers already bring plenty of saltiness to the skillet.
- Resist the temptation to add extras: This dish is all about the balance of tomatoes, shrimp, olives, capers, and olive oil. If you're using good shrimp and good tomatoes, you don't need lemon, cheese, cream, butter, or other additions. The beauty of this Mediterranean recipe is its simplicity.
- Serve it with your favorite grain: Serve the skillet with crusty bread, pasta, rice, or polenta on the side so everyone can build their own meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Let the skillet cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through. The flavors often taste even better the next day.
Yes. Thaw the shrimp completely and pat them dry before adding them to the sauce. Excess moisture can dilute the sauce and prevent the shrimp from cooking properly.
Yes. You can make the sauce up to 2 days in advance and store it in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, reheat the sauce, then add the shrimp and cook until pink and opaque.
Crusty bread is our favorite because it's perfect for soaking up the sauce. You can also serve it over pasta, rice, polenta, farro, or alongside a simple green salad.
Absolutely. The anchovies add depth and savory flavor, but the recipe will still be delicious without them. You may want to add an extra pinch of salt to compensate.
Yes. Butter beans, Great Northern beans, chickpeas, and lentils all work well in place of cannellini beans.
Yes. The recipe comes together in about 30 minutes and uses mostly pantry staples, making it a great option when you want a flavorful dinner without a lot of work.
Definitely. Toss the finished sauce with your favorite cooked pasta and a splash of pasta water. It's an easy way to transform the skillet into a hearty pasta dinner.
No. Deveining is mostly done for appearance and texture. The dark line is safe to eat, and many home cooks cook shrimp without removing it. If you prefer, you can devein the shrimp before cooking, but it's not essential for this recipe.
More Mediterranean meals
- Creamy Butter Bean Florentine
- Baked Cod
- Tuna Steak
- Sheet Pan Salmon
- Salmon Orzo
- Mediterranean Tuna Chickpea Salad
- Italian Tuna Salad
- Three Bean Salad with Tuna
Tried this Shrimp puttanesca skillet recipe? We'd love to hear what you think! Leave a 🌟 star rating and drop a comment below—we read every single one. 💬💛
Recipe
Shrimp Puttanesca Skillet (Easy Mediterranean Shrimp)
Ingredients
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled
- 1 can cannellini beans 15 oz / 400 g
- 2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic sliced or grated
- 6 anchovy fillets optional
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes more or less to taste
- 1 large can whole peeled tomatoes 28 oz / 800 g
- ½ cup kalamata olives pitted
- 2 tablespoons capers
- ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste, plus black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
Instructions
- Start the sauce: Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil oil in a large skillet.Add 4 cloves garlic (grated), 6 anchovy fillets, 2 tablespoons capers (chopped) and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes.Cook for about 60 seconds until fragrant.Add 1 large can whole peeled tomatoes and crush them with a spoon.Stir in ½ cup kalamata olives, ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper.Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the beans: Add 1 can cannellini beans (drained and rinsed) and simmer for 5 to 10 more minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Add the shrimp: Stir 1 pound large shrimp into the simmering sauce.Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pink and opaque.
- Finish and serve: Turn off the heat. Stir in ¼ cup chopped parsley.Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve straight from the skillet with crusty bread or as a sauce for pasta.
Notes
- Shrimp → Extra-large shrimp, scallops, firm white fish, or cooked chicken.
- Don't stress about deveining: It's optional and mostly for appearance. The vein is safe to eat.
- Cannellini beans → Butter beans, Great Northern beans, chickpeas, or lentils.
- Extra virgin olive oil → Avocado oil or another mild olive oil.
- Garlic → Garlic-infused olive oil or finely chopped shallot.
- Anchovies → Anchovy paste, Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, or omit.
- Red pepper flakes → Aleppo pepper, Calabrian chili paste, or omit.
- Whole peeled tomatoes → Crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, or fresh ripe tomatoes.
- Kalamata olives → Castelvetrano olives or Taggiasca olives.
- Capers → Chopped cornichons or extra lemon juice.
- Parsley → Basil, dill, or fresh oregano.
- Use good shrimp: The better the shrimp, the better the dish.
- Let the anchovies melt: They create a rich, savory sauce base.
- Don't overcook the shrimp: Cook just until pink and opaque.
- Simmer the sauce: It should be rich and spoonable, not watery.
- Taste before salting: Olives, capers, and anchovies add plenty of salt.
- Keep it simple: Skip the cheese, cream, and other extras.
- Serve your way: Great with bread, pasta, rice, or polenta.
- Store leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Daniel says
Wonderfully versatile dish. Made it twice now. You can add whatever you want if you like. Spinach, zucchini, eggplant, feta? Absolutely. We paired it with cauliflower rice as a lower carb option but even potatoes are perfect!
Daniel says
Already made it twice. You can add spinach, zucchini, eggplant, son many other veggies. Wonderfully versatile dish. We had cauliflower rice as a side for a low carb option as well as potatoes for a mire nutritious version. Pasta of course is the obvious one.