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5.0 from 39 votes

Grits a Ya Ya

Ultra-fluffy gouda grits topped with a creamy spinach sauce and perfectly seasoned shrimp! Recipe adapted from Chef Jim Shirley of The Fishhouse in Pensacola Florida. This recipe yields 4 servings or 2 large portions.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 598 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • ¼ cup evaporated milk [or regular milk]
  • 1 cup of old fashioned grits
  • 4 TBSP unsalted butter
  • ¼ lb gouda cheese (freshly grated)
FOR THE SAUCE:
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • ¼ cup evaporated milk
  • 2 TBSP butter
  • 3 TBSP minced onion
  • ½ tbsp minced garlic [approx. 2 cloves]
  • 1 cup spinach (chopped or torn)
  • 1 cup portobello mushroom (chopped or sliced)
  • 2 TBSP chopped green onion
  • salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste
  • a drizzle of oil for sautéing
FOR THE SHRIMP:
  • ½ pound shrimp, peeled and deveined (tail on or off)
  • cayenne pepper
  • garlic powder
  • parsley
  • salt to taste

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. As a quick note before you start: having everything prepped and ready to toss together ahead of time will save time. You can also multitask by starting the grits first and, while they cook, whip up the sauce and shrimp. This way they'll all be done around the same time so you can plate it all up and dig in!
  2. First bring vegetable broth to a boil in medium-sized pot.
  3. At a rolling boil, add in grits and stir constantly [this doubles as an arm workout - score!]
  4. Reduce heat to lowest setting and simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. When the grits start to soak up the broth, add in the evaporated milk and stir.
  6. Once their time is just about up, fold in the butter and heavy cream.
  7. Lastly add the grated gouda and stir thoroughly until smooth and creamy.
  8. While the grits are simmering away, bring a large non-stick pan to medium heat and saute the white/yellow onion and garlic in a teeny drizzle of your favorite healthy oil, taking care not to burn the garlic.
  9. Once tender, add in butter, mushrooms, and shrimp and saute until the shrimp are just barely opaque before scooping out the shrimp and setting them aside. This way when you add the shrimp back to the pan they can continue cooking without overcooking. You can also choose to simply saute the shrimp at the very end, if desired!
  10. After removing the shrimp, add spinach, green onion, milk, and heavy cream and allow it to simmer while you stir to reduce the sauce.
  11. Once it reaches desired thickness, season with a pinch of salt and pepper and a dash of hot sauce, to taste.
  12. Pour sauce into a bowl and add a drizzle of oil to your now-empty pan.
  13. Turn up the heat and finish cooking the shrimp, seasoning it with garlic powder, cayenne, parsley and salt, if desired.
  14. Ready to eat? Spoon the sauce and shrimp onto heaping mounds of the cheese grits and top with chopped green onion and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Make token "MMMmmMMmm!" sounds as you shove heaping spoonfuls into your face.

Notes

  • Garnish + top with extra chopped green onion and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
  • I typically use a mix of heavy cream and evaporated milk to make an ultra thick half-and-half to use as the cream bases for the sauce and grits.
  • Feel free to use regular half and half or full heavy cream, depending on preference and availability! xo
  • Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed and enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Calories 598kcal (30%) Carbohydrates 40g (13%) Protein 22g (44%) Fat 39g (60%) Saturated Fat 24g (120%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 10g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 192mg (64%) Sodium 1120mg (47%) Potassium 424mg (12%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 7g (14%) Vitamin A 2366IU (47%) Vitamin C 4mg (4%) Calcium 351mg (35%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 598

% Daily Value*

Calories 598kcal 30%
Carbohydrates 40g 13%
Protein 22g 44%
Fat 39g 60%
Saturated Fat 24g 120%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 10g 50%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 192mg 64%
Sodium 1120mg 47%
Potassium 424mg 9%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 7g 14%
Vitamin A 2366IU 47%
Vitamin C 4mg 4%
Calcium 351mg 35%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.