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This is my take on the classic southern dish, shrimp and grits…
The biggest difference in my dish is that I’m using polenta instead of grits. Both polenta and grits are made from stone-ground cornmeal, with polenta originating from Italy and grits from the South.
For this dish, I just love how creamy the polenta is and with a touch of freshly grated parmesan… cheese I could just eat this every week! But by all means, substitute grits instead for this recipe if you’d like!
Spicy Shrimp & Creamy Polenta
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 20-24 shrimp cleaned
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 5 cups milk plus more as needed (you can substitute oat or cashew milk if you're watching your dairy intake!)
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups polenta
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for topping (I like to use freshly grated for this recipe)
- Kosher salt to taste
- Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
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Add the shrimp to a mixing bowl and season with cayenne, paprika and chili powder. Add about two pinches of salt and a small pinch of black pepper. Mix gently until all the shrimp are coated.
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In a sauté pan, heat olive oil and cook the shrimp for about 2-3 minutes per side.
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In the meantime, add the milk and water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add polenta and whisk continuously until cooked (about 5-8 minutes). Add more milk as needed to get a creamy texture. Lastly, add in the parmesan cheese and season with salt.
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Serve shrimp over the polenta! I like to use a shallow bowl and then top with some extra freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
EN -JOY!
