Lemon Garlic Shrimp & Grits
Buttery and cheesy grits are perfectly complemented by garlicky lemon shrimp. This easy dinner comes together in under 20 minutes and is perfect for those busy weeknights. This Lemon Garlic Shrimp & Grits is going to quickly become a family favorite!
We started distance learning this week. It feels so strange. All of it is so new. The makeshift classroom in our dining room. The email from Jack’s kindergarten teacher detailing the learning activities for the week. Me being Jack’s teacher. It’s all so foreign.
In a way, I’m kind of excited for it because I get to be a teacher again (I used to teach high school chemistry for those of you who don’t know) but I’m sad that Jack can’t be in his classroom with his friends and his AMAZING teacher that he absolutely adores. But, we are going to take it one day a time and do it as best as we can. Jack is ready for it, so I guess I better be too!
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Any other time of the year, I always have frozen shrimp in our freezer. Then, when this pandemic hit, I (may have) really stocked up on frozen shrimp! With all of that shrimp on my hands, I needed to create a new recipe to use some of it – thus, Lemon Garlic Shrimp & Grits was born.
If you don’t think you are a fan of grits (or have never tried them), give these grits a whirl. They are buttery and cheesy and pair perfectly with the lemon garlic shrimp. This is a family favorite dinner in our house!
What are Grits?
If you’ve never had grits before, you may be wondering what exactly are they? Grits are a type of porridge that is made from cornmeal. The cornmeal is boiled and the result is a creamy texture that is a little bit “gritty” (hence the name)!
Grits originated with Native Americans and were first made using a stone mill to grind the cornmeal. American colonists then learned how to make this delicious dish from the Native Americans. Today, grits are a popular side dish in the southern part of the US.
How to Make Grits
- I like to use Instant Grits anytime I make this recipe. They come together quickly and are very easy to make.
- Add the grits to boiling chicken broth and season with salt and pepper. I like to use chicken broth to cook the grits because they become a lot more flavorful this way.
- To cook the grits, cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat down to medium.
- When all of the liquid has been absorbed, remove the grits from the heat and stir in the butter and parmesan cheese. This step is critical to creating the best tasting grits!
- Leave the grits covered until you are ready to serve them.
How to Make the Lemon Garlic Shrimp
- Heat a pan over medium heat and add in the butter, olive oil and garlic. Sauté the garlic until fragrant.
- Add the shrimp and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook the shrimp until no longer pink.
- When the shrimp are cooked, remove them from heat and squeeze lemon juice over the shrimp. Sprinkle with parsley and serve on top of the grits!
Healthy, Quick & Easy Recipes
Whenever I ask my readers what types of recipes they would like to see more of, the resounding answer is always “quick and easy dinners”. I always like hearing that answer because those are the kind of recipes that I want to make! So, whenever you come to Land of 10,000 Recipes, you will always be able to find recipes that are healthy, quick and easy!
Tips for Involving Kids
- Let your kids dice up the garlic with their very own knives.
- Have them help you measure out the ingredients for the grits and be in charge of stirring them.
- Let them serve everyone their dinner (put the food on plates). The boys show such a sense of accomplishment when they do this!
- There is always going to be a mess when you cook with your kids but, like my little guy Will says, “It’s okay Mom, chefs make messes and then they clean it up.” Have fun cooking with your kids!!
Lemon Garlic Shrimp & Grits
Ingredients
Grits
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup Quick Grits Quaker Original
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Shrimp
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb shrimp
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley or 1 Tbsp dried parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring the chicken broth to boil over high heat.2 cups chicken broth
- Once boiling, add in the grits, salt and pepper and stir. Cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat down to medium.½ cup Quick Grits, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper
- When all of the liquid is absorbed (about 5 minutes), remove the grits from the heat and stir in the butter and parmesan cheese. Leave the grits covered until ready to serve.2 Tbsp butter, 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- While the grits are cooking, heat a pan over medium heat and add in the butter, olive oil and garlic. Saute until fragrant.3 Tbsp butter, 1 Tbsp olive oil, 4 cloves garlic
- Add the shrimp, salt and pepper and cook the shrimp until no longer pink.1 lb shrimp, salt and pepper
- Remove from heat and squeeze lemon juice over the shrimp. Sprinkle with parsley.1 lemon, 2 Tbsp fresh parsley
- Serve the shrimp on top of the grits and enjoy!
First time colking with grits, I didn’t expect this dish to be as tasty as it was! I know the recipe says it yields 6 servings, but it made two nice-size bowls for my fiancé and myself. Yum!
I am so glad you enjoyed it!
Made this recipe the other night, took 15 minutes start to finish and was SO delicious! Will definitely make again!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!