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Fish, European

Shrimp buzara with grilled bread

Shrimp buzara is a Croatian dish of shrimp simmered in a garlic, white wine and tomato sauce. This recipe serves 4, takes 35 minutes, is rated easy and costs about €5.20 per person. The key to success is cooking the shrimp whole, shell on, so they flavor the entire sauce.

Tonight we're eating Croatian style with shrimp buzara, a garlic and white wine sauce to dip grilled bread into.

Shrimp buzara with grilled bread
Total time
35 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€5.20
Calories per person
740 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring, Fall

Buzara is a short sauce built on garlic and white wine, lifted with a touch of sweet paprika and thickened with breadcrumbs, a classic Croatian trick that gives it body without weighing the dish down. The shrimp cook fast, just long enough to turn pink, and release their juices into the sauce as it simmers with the tomatoes. The result tastes briny and bright, with that raw garlic edge that wakes everything up.

This is a dish for an easygoing dinner, whether it's just the adults or older kids who don't mind peeling shrimp with their fingers. It needs few ingredients but a little attention when the shrimp hit the pan. It's a natural fit for a summer evening or a casual meal with friends, with grilled bread on hand to mop up every bit of sauce.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Large raw shrimp 800 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 5 cloves
  • Parsley 6 sprigs

Pantry

  • Dry white wineoften in the pantry 20 cl
  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Breadcrumbsoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Sweet paprikaoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Bakery

  • Country bread 8 slices

Allergens Shellfish, Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Heat half the olive oil in a large skillet and cook the chopped garlic with the parsley, without letting it brown. 3 min

    Watch the garlic closely, if it colors too much it turns bitter and ruins the sauce.

  2. Add the shrimp and sauté over high heat until they turn pink. 3 min

    Keep them whole with their shells on, they stay juicier that way.

  3. Pour in the white wine and tomatoes, add the breadcrumbs, paprika, salt and pepper, then let simmer covered. 10 min

    The breadcrumbs thicken the sauce Croatian style, add them in two batches to control the texture.

  4. Toast the bread slices in the oven or toaster, then rub them with a garlic clove. 3 min

    Drizzle them with a bit of olive oil so they turn golden and glossy.

  5. Serve the shrimp in their sauce with the bread on the side.

    Set out a bowl for the shells and plenty of napkins, this is a hands on dish.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick raw, shell on shrimp, the shells release gelatin and juices that give the sauce real body.
  • Don't let the shrimp sit too long in the sauce once cooked, they turn rubbery fast, so pull the skillet off the heat as soon as they're pink.
  • Taste the sauce before serving and adjust the salt, crushed tomatoes vary in acidity from one brand to another.

The variations

  • Swap the large shrimp for prawns or langoustines for a more special occasion version.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the shrimp with sautéed button mushrooms or oyster mushrooms, the garlic and white wine sauce works just as well.
  • To save time, use already peeled shrimp, the cooking stays the same but the sauce will be slightly less flavorful.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of dry white wine
  • A lemony green salad
  • Fresh lemon wedges

Storage

Store leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for 1 to 2 days, cooked shrimp don't keep long. Reheat gently in a pan over low heat so the shrimp don't toughen. This dish doesn't freeze well, the shrimp texture would suffer.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the sauce ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the tomato and white wine sauce a few hours ahead and reheat it gently. Add the shrimp only right before serving so they stay juicy.

Do you need to peel the shrimp before cooking?

No, keep them whole with the shell on while cooking, it adds more flavor to the sauce. Everyone can peel their own at the table with their fingers.

What white wine works best for buzara?

A simple dry white wine is all you need, no need for anything fancy. Any wine you'd enjoy drinking at the table will work well in the sauce.

Can you substitute the breadcrumbs?

Breadcrumbs mainly thicken the sauce the Croatian way. If you don't have any, simmer uncovered a bit longer to let the sauce reduce naturally.

How long does it take to make a shrimp buzara with grilled bread?

Count 35 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a shrimp buzara with grilled bread?

About 740 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a shrimp buzara with grilled bread cost?

About €5.20 per serving, or €20.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains shellfish, gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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