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Cheryl MalikPosted: 07/31/17Updated: 03/06/23
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This healthy shrimp and grits recipe might just blow you away. With only 5 ingredients inthe 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… theperfect paleo shrimp and grits recipe. Five ingredients, fifteen minutes.
I cannot overemphasize howeasy andquick andfreaking deliciousthis 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’rejust 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 haveway oversalted healthy shrimp and grits if you do!
Oh, and these cauliflower grits aren’tgoing 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 puréed – you 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!
5 from 13 votes
Healthy Shrimp and “Grits” (Whole30, Keto, Paleo)
Prep:2 minutes minutes
Cook:10 minutes minutes
Total:12 minutes minutes
Spicy, tender shrimp in a rich, simple sauce over garlicky, creamy cauliflower “grits.” What could be better? Whole30, keto, low carb, paleo.
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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
Equipment
Food processor
cast-iron skillet
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.
Notes
Recipe yields approximately 2 servings. Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving. 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 2. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Video
Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 1serving, Calories: 554kcal, Protein: 51g, Fat: 34g, Saturated Fat: 19g, Cholesterol: 648mg, Sodium: 1819mg, Potassium: 856mg, Total Carbs: 13g, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 4g, Net Carbs: 7g, Vitamin A: 3448IU, Vitamin C: 92mg, Calcium: 385mg, Iron: 7mg
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.
© Author: Cheryl Malik
Meet Cheryl Malik
In addition to being a certified health coach, certified yoga instructor, and mom of 3, Cheryl is also the recipe developer, editor-in-chief, food photographer, and passionate foodie behind 40 Aprons. Having spent the last 10+ years as a food blogger, she's become known for her flavorful recipes, detailed instructions, gorgeous photography, and down-to-earth approach to food and cooking in general.
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Toni grimsley saysThis recipe sounds good. But.. we don’t eat “spicy or hot” food. What other seasoning can we use beside Cajun seasoning? Thanks. Also, when doing paleo, it’s ok to use real butter instead of ghee??
Reply
- Megan | 40 Aprons Team says
You can use a mild Cajun seasoning, or use a traditional Cajun seasoning and just use less than our recipe calls for. You could also make your own so you can adjust the heat to your liking. It’s mainly a blend of paprika, salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.
And no, butter isn’t paleo, so you’ll need to use ghee! We just included butter as an option for our non-paleo readers.
Reply
- Christina says
This is one of my all time favorite recipes. I could eat it every day 😋 Thank you for sharing it.
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- Anna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says
We’re thrilled to hear this! Thanks for sharing!
Reply
- Robert says
Awesome recipe!! If we wanted to split cauliflower and actual grits how much grits would you say would work? Also could we use frozen pre riced cauliflower? Just to make it that much quicker? Thank you so much!
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