As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Check out our privacy policy disclosure for more information.
This shrimp and grits recipe is filling and quick to cook – 5 minutes!
Grits are not just for breakfast. They can be used in savory dishes also. In fact I prefer them for a dinner meal instead of a breakfast meal.
“Grits are a Southern dish”, you say. I’m about as Southern as you can get and we didn’t eat grits growing up. Not sure why. In fact I only ate grits for the first time at a restaurant a few years ago when I ordered a dish similar to this recipe- minus the sauteed spinach. We often eat this sauteed spinach as a side dish with our dinner meal. It’s quick, easy and a ‘super food’. I don’t know about y’all but I’ll take all the super foods I can get!
So, one night as I was making the sauteed spinach, I thought this would be good with shrimp and grits. Thanks goodness I have a very adventurous husband! He’s never turned down anything I’ve served….except for hominy. And, I’m sure some of y’all are asking, “What is hominy?”
Actually as I type this I realize that both grits and hominy are made from corn. Grits are made from ground, dried corn. Hominy is made from dried whole kernels that have been processed in a lime bath which causes the kernels to double in size.
Grits have never appealed to me until I came up with this recipe…spinach with garlic, Parmesan cheese and crushed red peppers, and shrimp with more garlic piled on top of garlicky grits. YUM!
Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think.
Garlic Shrimp and Grits with Sauteed Spinach
Ingredients
For the Grits
- 1 cup grits, quick cook- 5 minutes
- 4 cups water
- salt and garlic powder to taste
For the Sauteed Spinach
- 4 cups spinach, fresh (I just grab 4 handfuls. It will look like a lot but the spinach will wilt and cook down considerably.
- 2 cloves chopped garlic, fresh
- 1 tbs Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 tsp olive oil
- crushed red pepper to taste
For the Shrimp
- 16 shrimp, frozen tail on, raw
- 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
- 3 cloves chopped garlic, fresh
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the grits
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan.
- Add grits, salt and garlic powder. Cook on med low for 5 minutes until thickened and bubbly.
For the spinach
- Heat Olive oil on medium to low heat and add fresh garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook til translucent and tender. (DO NOT overcook. Garlic will turn brown and bitter.)
- Start adding spinach, stirring and adding more as spinach wilts.
- Add Parmesan cheese.
For the shrimp
- Wash and dry shrimp. (Place them on a paper towel or two and let dry)
- Toss shrimp in Old Bay Seasoning, cayenne pepper and chopped garlic. Add salt and pepper if desired
- Add olive oil to sautee pan.
- Cook shrimp on medium heat for about 3 minutes on each side. They will start turning pink as they are cooking. Make sure to cook all the way thru but do not overcook as they will become tough.
Assembly
- Place grits in bowl and top with spinach then add shrimp on top.
This looks like a complicated recipe but it’s really not. It is super quick – cooking time is 5 MINUTES.
But you will need to have all of your ingredients ready and accessible and prepped before you start cooking.
You will cook the grits, the spinach and the shrimp in three different pans at the same time. In order to serve it fresh and hot start everything at about the same time, put the dish together in a bowl and serve with a fork or spoon!
Dixie
Love shrimp & grits! Made them one night last week. I put cheddar cheese & liquid old bay & garlic powder in my grits to give them more favor.
I love them too! That sounds good. I see cheesy grits recipes quite a lot. And have seen recipes adding cooked, chopped bacon – bacon makes everything better!!