Mediterranean-Inspired Shrimp And Grits Recipe

What do you get when you add a little Mediterranean flare to a Southern-inspired dish? Pure magic. This recipe combines the ever-popular shrimp and grits dish with a few Mediterranean staples like Greek seasoning, crumbled feta cheese, tomato, and onion. You begin by cooking the grits in chicken broth, which gives it a nice, salty flavor. Then, you end things by cooking the shrimp with a melody of Mediterranean veggies and spices. When you combine these, it's like a match made in heaven.

Recipe developer Erin Johnson came up with the recipe for this fun and fab Mediterranean rendition of shrimp and grits. "This recipe combines 2 of my favorite cuisines, Southern and Mediterranean, into one amazingly delicious dish," she raves. "What I love most about this is how it feels special and fancy, but it is super simple and quick." Keep reading to find out how to make this fantastic recipe.

This recipe requires several things from the store, and most have a Mediterranean flare. You will need stone-ground grits, chicken broth, whole milk, crumbled feta, red onion, grape tomatoes, garlic cloves, peeled and deveined shrimp, Greek seasoning, Kalamata olives, salt, and pepper. "A block of feta has much more flavor than the pre-crumbled variety, so that is what I prefer to use for this," Johnson notes. "I use stone ground grits because I prefer the texture. If you are using ground or quick cook grits, cook them according to their package ingredients, as the amount of liquid and cook time will be different."

Once you have those items, you can make this Mediterranean-inspired shrimp and grits recipe.

Grab a saucepan, and add the chicken broth. "I use broth, instead of water, to cook the grits because it imparts more flavor and salt," Johnson explains. 

Place the saucepan on the burner, and bring to a boil. Once you see bubbles reach the surface, add the grits. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, giving the mixture a few good stirs as it cooks.

After 15 to 20 minutes, stir in the milk and feta cheese. As we all know, feta cheese screams Mediterranean, and is used in plenty of Mediterranean dishes.

Once added, allow the grits to cook with the milk and cheese for about 10 minutes, or until the grits start to get nice and tender. "The broth and the feta both have a lot of salt, and I don't feel that the grits [need] additional salt, but use your own taste as your guide," Johnson suggests.

Add the diced onions to a skillet, and sautée until they soften. Once softened, go ahead and add the halved tomatoes. Wait for the tomatoes to cook down before adding the minced garlic. Then, continue cooking everything together, until the garlic is fragrant.

Now, add the shrimp to the mix, and continue cooking for a few minutes, until the shrimp turns pink and opaque. This will only take 3 or 4 minutes, so be sure to keep a good eye on the shrimp.

Then, add the Greek seasoning, followed by the chopped olives. "If you don't like olives, feel free to skip them. Just add a bit of lemon juice, or red wine vinegar for a bit of acid to compensate," Johnson adds. Sprinkle in some salt and pepper to taste. 

Now, all you need to do is grab your serving bowls, and add the grits first. Then, top with the shrimp mixture and voila, you can dig in. If you wish, you can add even more feta, and some chopped parsley on top. This dish has it all, and there's really no need to serve it with a side.

"Leftovers [can last] in the fridge for up to 2 days," Johnson says. "Grits may need to have a little milk added when reheating." We hope you loved this fun twist on a classic dish.