Poached Shrimp in a Saffron and White Wine Sauce

The secret to taking a simple 5-minute poached shrimp recipe to a new level of deliciousness? A fragrant saffron, white wine, and garlic sauce! Just as fuss-free but so much more flavorful, you will love this easy appetizer recipe! 

Poaching shrimp is a tried-and-true method to make juicy, tender shrimp in a matter of minutes. But rather than poaching the fish in bland salted water, I pack on bold Mediterranean flavor with aromatic saffron, zippy fresh lemon, and sautéed garlic. It’s certain to give you brightly flavored shrimp with the best succulent texture!

Shrimp has to be one of the best party foods ever. It’s quick-cooking, feels a bit fancy, and everyone loves it. It can also take on so many personalities: I make it with cilantro and lime when I want something fresh and zippy, or garlic and parmesan when I’m craving something extra savory and rich. 

This recipe falls somewhere in the middle, with floral saffron, zingy citrus, and rich white wine. As a bonus, you’re left with an incredibly delicious sauce, perfect for dipping crusty bread, garlicky focaccia, or turning into a meal with Saffron Rice. 

Table of Contents

1. What You Need to Make this Poached Shrimp Recipe?
2. Ingredient Spotlight
3. How to Poach Shrimp
4. Swaps and Substitutions
5. What to Serve with Saffron Poach Shrimp
6. More Shrimp Appetizer Recipes
7. Poached Shrimp Recipe

What You Need to Make this Poached Shrimp Recipe?

This easy poached shrimp recipe uses mostly pantry staples, with the addition of saffron to bring a restaurant-level flavor with essentially zero added effort. 

• Saffron: You can buy pre-ground saffron or simply grind a pinch of saffron threads using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Read more about saffron in the Ingredient Spotlight section below.
• Extra virgin olive oil: I like to quickly saute the garlic in olive oil to bring the flavor to its fullest potential. Any high-quality extra virgin variety will work well, but I like the peppery note of our Spanish Hojiblanca with this recipe.  
• Garlic adds a sweet, savory, and peppery kick to the poaching liquid. 
• White wine adds depth to the poaching liquid. Use a dry white wine with a pleasant flavor.
• Lemon: Lifts the savory flavors, adding a lightness to the dish. An untreated lemon is preferred as you’ll use both the zest and juice. 
• Shrimp: The larger the shrimp (or prawns) the better with this recipe. Thawed frozen shrimp also works well.
  • READ MORE: Guide to Buying and Cooking Shrimp
• Kosher salt: A touch of salt livens up the other flavors. 
• Parsley adds a fresh peppery note and pop of color to the finished dish. 

Ingredient Spotlight

Of all the vibrant Mediterranean spices, perhaps the most mysterious is saffron. You may recognize this prized crimson spice as giving Paella its distinct flavor. But it also adds its floral, musky notes to so many iconic Mediterranean dishes, from Risotto alla Milanese to Joojeh Kabob.

Here, it lends a complex flavor and aromatic quality making an otherwise simple poached shrimp recipe feel very special. Keep in mind: flavor varies greatly by the quality of the spice, and a lower quality saffron can taste metallic and unpleasant. Look for a fresh, all-natural saffron from a trusted source. 

• READ MORE: What is Saffron? An Essential Guide
• TRY IT: Order our favorite Moroccan saffron from the Atlas Mountains at our spice shop. 

How to Poach Shrimp

The quick answer for how to poach shrimp is to simply poach the peeled shrimp in gently simmering water for 2-4 minutes, or until they’ve gone from translucent to opaque. The key with this poached shrimp recipe, though, is the saffron sauce, which infuses the shrimp with big Mediterranean flavor. It’s just as easy, and well-worth the extra 10 minutes! Here are the steps:

• Bloom the saffron. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 teaspoon ground saffron and 3 tablespoons water. Set aside to bloom for 10 minutes or so.
• Meanwhile, prep your aromatics. Mince 2 garlic cloves. Zest and juice 1 large lemon. Ready yourself 1 to 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh parsley leaves. If you didn’t purchase pre-peeled and deveined shrimp, now is a good time to get them ready–see our shrimp guide for the steps.
• Sauté the garlic. In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 
• Make the poaching liquid. Add the bloomed saffron water, 1/2 cup of white wine, and the lemon zest and juice. Bring the liquid to a simmer. 
• Poach the shrimp. Add the shrimp and season with a pinch of salt. Poach on one side for about 1 to 2 minutes, then flip and poach until the shrimp has just turned pink, about 1 minute more. 
• Finish and serve. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir in the parsley. Transfer the shrimp and its poaching sauce to a shallow serving bowl and serve immediately.

Swaps and Substitutions

As with most pantry staples, you can tweak the ingredients in this recipe according to what you have on hand:

• Garlic: Shallot or green onion. 
• White wine: Swap with broth and perhaps another squeeze of lemon to taste. Chicken Stock or Seafood Stock works best.  
• Lemon: Lime.
• Parsley: Cilantro or dill.

What to Serve with Saffron Poach Shrimp

Serve this fancy yet amazingly easy appetizer with something to sop up the delicious sauce. Homemade Focaccia is a special treat, but any good crusty bread like our no-knead olive bread will work well here. 

I love this as an easy, festive appetizer I put out while I’m getting all the last-minute odds and ends done for the holiday meal. Pitcher cocktails like this White Sangria are a welcome drink. I like to make non-alcoholic variety as well. This N/A Sangria with Hibiscus and Thyme is a crowd favorite. Make a big batch the night before, swapping the fruit for seasonal citrus like oranges and lemons, and stick it in your fridge for when your first guests arrive.

More Shrimp Appetizer Recipes

Spanish

Gambas al Ajillo (Spanish Garlic Shrimp)

Fish and Seafood

Cilantro Lime Shrimp

Fish and Seafood

Grilled Garlic-Parmesan Shrimp (10-Mins)

Appetizer and Mezze

Shrimp Ceviche

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