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This healthy shrimp and grits recipe might just blow you away. With only 5 ingredients in the whole dish, it’s packed full of flavor. This Whole30 dinner recipe is crazy easy and fast, too. Cauliflower grits make this dish low carb, keto, and paleo!
I threw together this recipe during our first Whole30 when I had bags of frozen shrimp on hand and no clue what to do with them. I was tired of zoodles, so shrimp scampi = nope. Tired of cashew-cream-fortified chowders, so potato and shrimp chowder = no sir. Really, really tired of coconut milk curries, so basically every Whole30 shrimp recipe on Pinterest ever = naw naw naw.
Instead, I just absolutely smothered my shrimp in Cajun seasoning and threw them in some hot ghee in a cast-iron skillet for a few minutes. Steamed a bag of frozen cauliflower with a minced clove of garlic, then blitzed it with a little more ghee in the food processor until smooth. Um… OK, you’re done? Told you… the perfect paleo shrimp and grits recipe. Five ingredients, fifteen minutes.
I cannot overemphasize how easy and quick and freaking delicious this recipe is. I don’t even know how to use the English language emphatically enough in this case, so even italics are necessary. Maybe even some excess punctuation!?!?
It’s really that easy, quick, and freaking delicious, y’all.
Why this healthy shrimp and grits recipe is so good:
- They’re oh so simple, with only five ingredients!
- These healthy shrimp and grits focus on flavor, with plenty of Cajun seasoning, making the dish delish and super easy.
- Cauliflower takes the place of traditional grits, so they’re Whole30, paleo, keto, low carb, and grain free.
- The entire dish can be made in about 15 minutes.
- The shrimp are coated with Cajun seasoning and cooked in ghee, and this becomes the luxe sauce. It couldn’t be easier or more flavorful.
- This paleo shrimp and grits recipe is elegant enough for company but quick and easy enough for any weeknight.
Variations
- If you’re not on a Whole30, you can use butter in the cauliflower grits. So good.
- Try scallops in place of the shrimp for an elegant but easy main course.
- Serve with garlicky kale: Mince a bit more garlic and sauté it in ghee or butter (if you’re not on a Whole30) until fragrant. Add several handfuls of kale and cook, stirring regularly, until bright green and softened. This side dish is lovely with the Whole30 healthy shrimp and grits and fits right into your super-quick timeline.
- If you’re not grain free, Whole30, keto, etc., you can absolutely substitute traditional grits for the cauliflower grits.
Tips
- Cook the shrimp only until they’re just cooked. They will turn pink and will no longer be translucent: this is your cue. If you keep cooking them past this point, they’ll go from tender and juicy to tough and chewy.
- Make your own Cajun seasoning! This recipe is delicious and it’s Whole30, too.
- If you don’t make your own Cajun seasoning, be very, very careful not to use one with salt already in it. You’ll have way oversalted healthy shrimp and grits if you do!
Oh, and these cauliflower grits aren’t going to taste just like traditional grits. I’m from the South and know what real grits taste like, I promise! But I also promise you’re going to love love love them when you’re on a Whole30, or if you’re keto or paleo.
How to make these healthy shrimp and grits:
Steam your cauliflower with garlic until tender. Transfer to a food processor and add ghee. Process until mostly smooth but not pur̩ed Рyou want a little texture left to emulate grits.
Season your shrimp very, very generously with Cajun seasoning on both sides. Heat ghee in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, until hot. Add shrimp and cook a minute or two, or until pink on the bottom side. Flip and cook another minute or two or until shrimp and all pink and no longer translucent. Do not overcook.
Spoon “grits” into serving bowls and top with shrimp and lots of the ghee sauce leftover in the skillet. Tada – Whole30 healthy shrimp and grits in 15 minutes!
Other recipes you’ll love:
- Whole30 Bang Bang Shrimp
- Whole30 Coconut Shrimp with Orange Sauce
- Quick Chimichurri Shrimp Skewers (Whole30)
- Whole30 Shrimp Boil with Potatoes, Sausage, and Garlic Ghee
Did you make and love this recipe? Give it your review below! ? And make sure to share your creations by tagging me on Instagram!
Healthy Shrimp and “Grits” (Whole30, Keto, Paleo)
Equipment
- Food processor
- cast-iron skillet
Ingredients
For the Shrimp
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2-3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning without salt
- salt
- 2 tablespoons ghee or butter
For the Cauliflower "Grits"
- 1 12-ounce bag frozen cauliflower
- 1 large clove garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons ghee or butter
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Fill a medium saucepan with a couple of inches of water and bring to a boil. Place the frozen cauliflower in a steamer basket and top with 1 large clove garlic, chopped. Cover and steam until tender.
- When tender, place the steamed cauliflower and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and add ghee or butter. Do not get rid of the steaming water! Blitz until almost the desired texture. Add salt and a bit of the steaming water, if desired, and process again until the desired consistency.
- Meanwhile, make your shrimp. Pat dry and sprinkle very liberally with Cajun seasoning. You want the shrimp to be almost entirely coated, so don’t skimp out here! We probably use about 2-3 tablespoons of seasoning. If your Cajun seasoning does not include salt, salt the shrimp now as well.
- Heat 2 tablespoons ghee or butter in a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is very hot, add the shrimp and cook for a minute or two, or until the bottom side begins turning pink. Flip the shrimp and cook until the bottom side is turning pink. When the shrimp are no longer translucent down the middle, where they've been deveined, remove from the skillet immediately.
- Spoon the cauliflower "grits" into serving bowls and top with half of the shrimp. Pour the ghee and Cajun seasoning "sauce" from the cast-iron skillet over serving bowls. Serve immediately.
Video
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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This was soooo delicious and so easy!! I used a bag of TJ’s cauliflower florets instead of frozen and used and immersion blender instead of food processor. Hubby missed out ‘cuz he had a work dinner so I’m getting to have the leftovers for lunch today!
I just made this for tonight’s dinner. It was delicious! We be added to the Keto rotation.
How would you make with a head of cauliflower instead? Thank you!
You can simply grate your cauliflower with a box grater, chop it into smaller pieces, then process it in the food processor, or you could use a knife to chop into tiny pieces. The options are limitless. I’ve used heads of cauliflower for rice several times!
I love this recipe! I am excited to try it. Thanks for sharing!
This is amazing!
So freaking good! It hit all the spots. Since I love food and just started Keto, i was concerned about my options. Now I am NOT! Thanks for the great recipe. So freaking easy too
Ok so as a Southern girl and self proclaimed grits connoisseur, I can’t really call these grits. But who cares, it’s delicious! I’m halfway through my first Whole 30, and this helps make it easy. In all fairness, I may have been a bit heavy-handed with the ghee, but soooooo good.
Ha! Right? They sort of lack the, no other way to put it, GRIT of grits! I’m a Southern girl myself here in Memphis! I don’t think being heavy-handed with ghee is every a bad thing!
Do you know the macros ?
Delicious! Had to make my own spice substitutes and fight with the blender since we don’t have a food processor, but it turned out great! Really forgiving and easy, tasty recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Ha! I’m so glad it worked well for you, even with the blender fight! 😀 It’s definitely a super forgiving, versatile recipe
I am so excited to try this! I was hoping that someone had tried out shrimp and cauliflower grits!
They’re so good!! We’re huge fans of this super quick dinner at my house 🙂
What did you do as the green side? Kale??
Yep! Check out my garlicky kale recipe here 🙂
https://40aprons.com/whole30-meal-plans-shopping-list-downloadable/
I love how you used cauliflower grits to make this dish healthier! Thanks for the great recipe.
They’re so creamy, too! Thanks for your comment, Hanna 🙂
I have frozen cooked shrimp. Any suggestions?
I’d thaw them then essentially cook them as the recipe states. You’ll just want to cut down on the saute time a bit so you don’t overcook the shrimp, but you’ll need to heat them through and season them in the skillet just the same.