I can’t even with this dish.
It wasn’t my usual Monday dinner, but somehow it absolutely became one. I’m deep in moving boxes and muttering about missing things — my favorite whisk, the Felicity DVD set, neon pink nail polish — yet this meal made me feel like the weekend stretched one day longer. Food has a way of doing that.
Let’s do it!
Lately I’ve been dreaming in seafood: salmon salads, mussels, lobster corn chowder. Shrimp and grits popped into my head like it was destiny. And seriously — look at those butter bubbles. You want to dive right in.
My palate has been acting weird, but this dish felt exactly right. Shrimp and grits isn’t something I always reach for, yet this time it was perfect. Eddie, who’s a huge fan, had one simple request: more butter in the grits. He wouldn’t eat plain white bread that morning but insisted a whole pad of butter belong in the bowl — and I didn’t argue.
The shrimp are ridiculously simple and ridiculously good. A bold spice mix, generous butter that browns as you cook, and a quick stir of garlic right at the end. The finished shrimp pair with everything — I could imagine this topping pasta, a salad, or just a hunk of crusty bread. For us, it’s our new favorite way to enjoy these plump little shrimp.
I took a shortcut and used quick-cooking grits — yes, I know, southern purists may gasp. But these grits take minutes to make, and when you whisk in plenty of grated gouda they turn rich and creamy fast. Good cheese helps everything, right?
EAT IT UP.
Gouda Grits with Smoky Brown Butter Shrimp
2 to 4
35 mins
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Ingredients
Gouda Grits
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup quick-cooking grits (follow package directions if using stone-ground)
- 8 ounces gouda cheese, freshly grated
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 ears grilled sweet corn, cut from the cob
- 2 tablespoons freshly snipped chives
Shrimp
- 1 pound raw peeled and deveined shrimp (larger grilling shrimp work well)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed
Instructions
Gouda Grits
- Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the grits and keep whisking until fully incorporated, about 1–2 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and stir once or twice until the grits thicken and become creamy, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the grated gouda, butter, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning based on the saltiness of your stock and cheese.
Shrimp
- Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels. Toss them with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder, and cumin.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high and add the butter. When it melts and begins to sizzle, add shrimp in batches without overcrowding. Cook until pink on both sides, letting the butter brown slightly as you go and whisking occasionally to prevent burning. Stir the garlic into each batch for the final second of cooking, then transfer the cooked shrimp to a plate.
- To serve, spoon the gouda grits into bowls, top with the shrimp and any browned butter from the pan. Add spoonfuls of grilled corn, sprinkle with chives, and serve immediately.
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See? Dreamy.