Greek Shrimp And Grits Shrimp Saganaki Grits

Plump shrimp in a beautifully flavored tomato sauce and topped with feta cheese. That’s our shrimp saganaki, the inspiration behind the “Greek” part of this dish. And then, everything atop a pile of cheesy grits. That’s our Southern favorite, shrimp and grits. The combination is amazing! In case you hadn’t noticed, we love our shrimp and grits. We’ve cooked them blackened, with pesto, and even made a surf and turf version. We’ve been brainstorming ways to expand our shrimp and grits collection, and we’re going to have a lot more coming. But we think this Saganaki variation was a real winner.

Ingredients for Greek Shrimp and Grits

Cheese gritsShrimp – We always use jumbo for our shrimp and grits.Extra virgin oil oilOnion – Diced.Canned diced tomatoesHerbs and spices – Dried oregano, red chili flakes, black pepper, fresh parsley.Flavor enhancers – White wine and honeyFeta cheese

How to make Greek Shrimp and Grits

For the Grits

Cook grits according to the directions on the package. The cooking time will vary from 5 minutes for quick grits to half an hour for stone ground. (We don’t recommend instant grits for this recipe) Once cooked, stir in cheese. Cheese is a must for shrimp and grits, for texture as well as flavor. We originally thought to use feta for this recipe, but thought that might be overdoing the feta, as it’s already in the saganaki. We ended up using provolone, which is mild enough to not overpower the other flavors.

For the Shrimp

Season your shrimp with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. Toss well and set aside. In a skillet or pan, heat up olive oil then sauté the onions till they start turning golden brown. Add in sliced garlic along with red chili flakes and oregano and sauté. Add in white wine, deglaze the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add in tomatoes along with honey and parsley. Stir well and cook for 15 minutes to develop a thick sauce. Taste and adjust any seasoning to your liking. Add in shrimp. Combine well with the sauce. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. At the end, flip the shrimp over and top with feta. Simmer till it gets soft and melty, and the shrimp cooked through.

Assembling your Shrimp and Grits

Now the easy part… Get a big bowl and serve a nice heap of cheesy grits. Top with your Greek shrimp mixture. Garnish with some fresh parsley, and while you’re at it you might as well give it all a good splash of extra virgin olive oil!

Recipe Tips

Don’t neglect to salt the water before adding grits. Once cooked, they will not absorb the salt.Stir grits frequently for the first few minutes to avoid clumping. No one wants lumpy grits. If grits thicken up too much while preparing the shrimp, simply stir in a little more water until you get the desired consistency.If using frozen shrimp, make sure to first thaw completely by submerging in water.When peeling shrimp, make sure to also remove the dark vein running along the back of the shrimp. Of course, you can always buy already peeled and deveined shrimp to make life easier.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

Store any leftovers separately, as they have different shelf lives. The shrimp mixture can refrigerate in an airtight container for a couple of days. The grits last well up to five days in the fridge. Reheat the saganaki in the microwave or on the stovetop. The grits should be reheated on stovetop on a fairly low temperature, along with some extra water, as they will have thickened up. So, the next time you see some plump shrimp at the market, think of this amazing flavor fusion delight. Trust us, it’s amazing. And if you love shrimp and grits as much as we do, you’ll definitely want to subscribe to GypsyPlate. We have some great ideas churning up, and plan to become the go-to food blog for all your shrimp and grits needs. In the meantime, give this great recipe a try, and please let us know how you love it. And until the next post in this series, you can also satisfy your grits craving with our grillades and grits! Until next time…