Cauliflower Grits with Spicy Shrimp
Yield: 4 servings
Calories: 184kcal
Cauliflower grits with spicy shrimp is a healthier version of southern comfort food! Sauteed shrimp with bacon, creamy cauliflower grits, and fresh greens.
Ingredients
Cauliflower Grits
- 1 head cauliflower, about 1 pound, yield 4 cups grated
- 1 cup unsweeted cashew milk, or coconut milk or whole dairy milk
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, or ghee
- ¼ cup unsalted chicken stock, or vegetable stock
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
Shrimp
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined, 16/20 count
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika
- 4 slices bacon, thick-cut, chopped into ½-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic, about 4 cloves
- ¼ cup yellow onion, diced into ¼-inch cubes
- ¼ cup red bell pepper, diced into ¼-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, to substitute bacon grease if desired
- 4 teaspoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup green onions, thinly sliced
Greens
- 8 ounces swiss chard, sliced into 1-inch strips
Special Equipment
Instructions
Cauliflower Grits
- Grate or add cauliflower florets to a food processor. You want the cauliflower to be about the size of rice grains.
- Add cauliflower to a medium-sized saute pan and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, constantly stirring to release some moisture from the vegetable.
- Add one tablespoon of butter, ¼ cup of cashew milk, ¼ cup of chicken stock, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir and cook until moisture gets absorbed and cauliflower cooks through, about 5 minutes.
- Using an immersion hand blender or blender, pulse cauliflower mixture until it resembles the texture of grits (smooth yet still grainy). You don’t want the mixture to be completely smooth.
- Transfer back to the pan. Turn heat to medium and add in ¼ cup grated cheese, stir until melted. Slowly add about ½ to ¾ cup more cashew milk until the grits are smooth and creamy. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as desired. Keep warm over very low heat while making the shrimp.
Spicy Shrimp
- In a medium-sized bowl combine shrimp, ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon pepper, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, and ⅛ teaspoon paprika. Set aside. You can add more cayenne pepper if you like it really spicy.
- Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add diced bacon and cook until crispy, frequently stirring, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel and drain. Keep 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pan, or you can remove and use 2 tablespoons of olive oil instead.
- Heat pan to medium and add garlic and onion, stir and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add in the bell peppers and cook 1 minute.
- Turn heat to medium-high and add shrimp. Cook for 2 minutes on one side, and 1 minute on the other until pink. Add in 4 teaspoons of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons green onions and cooked bacon. Stir to combine, cook about 1 minute. Transfer shrimp to a warm bowl.
Greens
- In the same pan add the swiss chard. Cook on medium-high heat until wilted and tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Notes
- To Serve: Stir and reheat grits if needed. Divide grits, greens and shrimp evenly amoung serving bowls.
Nutrition
Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 667mg | Potassium: 448mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 4650IU | Vitamin C: 137.8mg | Calcium: 240mg | Iron: 2mg
Recipe Link
Recipe Video