Quick Shrimp and cheddar grits

Quick Shrimp and Cheddar Grits

I grew up in the South but I never ate grits. To be clear, I didn’t grow up in the deep south, but still the south! When I first saw someone eat grits, I was in college and my friend had them at breakfast. I was appalled! They just didn’t look appealing at all but she swore they were delicious. The thought of shrimp and cheddar grits was appalling!

Fast forward to a trip to Hilton Head with my husband’s family. He tried the shrimp and grits at one of the amazing seafood restaurants down there and LOVED it. I tried it and agreed it was delicious and we had to get it in the dinner rotation. The only problem was, it seemed a bit unhealthy. I found a basic recipe and tweaked it so it was healthier but still delicious. Now we have this regularly.

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Getting started

This recipe uses instant grits. This is a real time saver and they taste so good. You’ll also need about a pound of shrimp, butter (unsalted), cheddar cheese, milk and a little bit of olive oil. Start by putting about 3 1/3 cups water in a large pot with a cup of grits and a scant 2 tsp of salt in a large pot. You’ll bring it to a boil. While you do this, work on defrosting and shelling the shrimp.

You’ll also want to grate some cheese. I use 3 ounces in my recipe but you can use as much or as little as you prefer. Once the grits begin to boil, you’ll reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Then you will add some milk, butter (I love this butter hugger!) and the grated cheese and let it cook down a little more. This is when I like to cook the shrimp.

Cooking the shrimp

Next, you’ll get a large pan and add a little butter and oil. This gives the shrimp some amazing flavor and some good fats. I salt and pepper the shrimp and put them in the melted butter and oil.

Don’t overcook the shrimp

They will get chewy and feel like erasers in your mouth. Shrimp do not cook for very long at all. If you look at this picture, you can see how they get after about a minute or so. You just want them cooked through on each side and take them off the heat.

Now the fun part! Put down a generous serving of the grits and put a few shrimp on top. I like to serve it with my easy and healthy roasted vegetables, a roll and top it with some red pepper flakes to give it a little something extra.