15 MINUTE SHRIMP & GRITS

Hi friends – it’s been a minute! Since my last post almost two months ago (yikes) I’ve gotten married, traveled to Greece for the most incredible honeymoon, and settled into a new job. That’s enough excuses for taking such a long hiatus from blogging, right? Anyways, my grand re-entrance to the blogosphere is coming in the form of one of my favorite simple recipes: shrimp and grits.

Since moving to “the south,” aka the DMV area, I’ve been delighted to see that the vast majority of brunch menus at the restaurants I frequent include shrimp and grits. However, I’m a pescatarian (I don’t eat meat, but I do eat seafood), and it seems like every time I go to a new restaurant their shrimp and grits includes sausage, so I don’t get to eat it at restaurants nearly as often as I’d like. A few months ago I decided to start making it at home as a fancier breakfast for dinner option, and after several attempts I’ve finally perfected my recipe for the easiest shrimp and grits you’ll ever make. This recipe only has a few ingredients and can be whipped up in just a few minutes. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

15 Minute Shrimp and Grits

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Total time

15

minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 1 tsp cajun seasoning

• 1 TBSP olive oil

• 1/2 cup uncooked polenta

• 1 cup vegetable broth

• 3/4 cup milk (I use almond milk)

• 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, plus more to taste

• 1 TBSP butter

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Start the polenta by combining the milk and vegetable broth in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Bring the mixture to a boil, then stir in the polenta. Lower the heat to medium and stir continuously for about 3-5 minutes until the polenta has thickened.
• Once the polenta has thickened, turn the heat to low and cover.
• While the polenta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• As the olive oil heats up, combine the shrimp and cajun seasoning in a small mixing bowl until all of the shrimp is evenly coated in seasoning.
• Add the shrimp to the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until pink.
• When the shrimp is almost done, remove the polenta from the heat and mix in the cheddar cheese and butter, stirring until completely incorporated. Season with salt, pepper, and additional cheddar cheese to taste.
• Divide the polenta evenly among two bowls and top with shrimp. Enjoy!