Description
A comforting Southern dish featuring creamy stone-ground corn grits topped with succulent shrimp cooked in a garlic-butter sauce, smoked paprika, and a splash of lemon juice.
Ingredients
1 cup stone-ground corn grits
4 cups water or chicken broth
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: hot sauce for serving
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water or chicken broth to a boil. Gradually whisk in the stone-ground corn grits. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20-25 minutes, stirring frequently, until creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- While the grits are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and let it melt. Once the butter is bubbling, add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the peeled and deveined shrimp to the skillet. Season with smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook the shrimp for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until they are pink and opaque with a nice caramelized color. Be careful not to overcook them.
- Once the shrimp are cooked, remove the skillet from the heat and drizzle the lemon juice over the shrimp. Toss to combine.
- To serve, spoon a generous portion of the creamy grits into a bowl. Top with the caramelized shrimp and any remaining sauce from the skillet. Garnish with chopped green onions for a fresh touch.
Notes
For a dairy-free option, substitute the butter with coconut milk or olive oil.
Add a dash of hot sauce or cayenne pepper for extra heat.
For a vegetarian version, replace the shrimp with sautéed vegetables like mushrooms, bell peppers, or spinach.
Ensure your chicken broth is gluten-free for a completely gluten-free dish.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 220mg
