Shrimp & Grits With a Twist

Colleen
by Colleen
6 Servings
1 hr 15 min

I love grits. Love, love, love them. Cheesy, ooey, gooey grits are super scrummy in my opinion. Shrimp and grits? Now that’s pure heaven!


After stumbling across a recipe for savory waffles, I started thinking. Maybe I could make Shrimp and Grits Waffles.


I pictured the cornbread waffle as my equivalent to grits, so I added a nice bit of shredded cheddar cheese. You can use whatever shredded cheese you prefer, but I like the bite that cheddar has. It can keep up with the rest of the flavors without fading into the background.


I’ve wanted a waffle maker for ages and I finally got one this past Christmas (shoutout to my father in law!), but we were doing a lot of moving into small apartments, so I never dug out that beautiful machine until just a few weeks ago. Sure, we’re still in a tiny apartment, but this concoction brewing in my head sounded too tasty to wait.


The waffles were super easy to make, even for this first time waffle maker over here. You mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, blend the wet ingredients in a blender (or food processor), combine the two and mix in some cheese. Make sure to stir the batter just until combined. We don’t want to over mix, but it comes together real easy, so that shouldn’t be a problem.


For the shrimp topping I looked up several popular shrimp and grits recipes and came up with my own blend of vegetables, shrimp, and spices. A few minutes before cooking the shrimp, I added the juice of a lemon to sharpen the flavors. If you add this too early, the acid will start to cook the shrimp, so be careful.


After you have cooked and removed the shrimp from your pan, add a spoonful or two of the remaining liquid to the shrimp. This will add even more flavor to your peppers and onion when you mix it all together later.


Once all of your components are cooked, assemble your meal by topping a waffle with a heaping portion of the shrimp and veggies, a handful of shredded cheese, and scallions or even crumbled bacon.


While you don’t have the creaminess of grits, the flavors of a delicious shrimp and grits meal are all there, plus you have a fun new texture in the waffle. You can eat this as a hearty dinner, or even for breakfast.


And if you're looking for another southern classic, you'll want to check out these .

Shrimp & Grits Waffles

Shrimp & Grits Waffles

Assembling the Shrimp & Grits Waffles

Chopped veggies

Shrimp & Grits With a Twist
Recipe details
  • 6  Servings
  • Prep time: 30 Minutes Cook time: 45 Minutes Total time: 1 hr 15 min
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Ingredients
Waffles
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat cornmeal
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (allow it to cool a little bit before using)
  • ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • Olive oil (for brushing the waffle maker)
Shrimp and Veggies
  • 2 teaspoons bacon grease (or fat of your choice)
  • 1 lb medium- large shrimp (raw, peeled, deveined, tails off)
  • ½ tablespoon cajun seasoning
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 orange bell pepper
  • 1 yellow bell pepper
  • ½ onion (optional)
  • Salt and pepper
  • Toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, scallions, crumbled bacon
Instructions
Cheesy Cornbread Waffles
In a large bowl, mix together the flours, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Put yogurt, eggs, honey, and melted butter into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
Stir the wet ingredients (from the blender) into the dry and mix until just combined. Add the ½ cup of shredded cheese and stir until just incorporated.
Brush the inside of your preheated waffle maker lightly with olive oil and pour ⅔ cup of the batter into the center. Cook until crispy and continue with remaining batter.
Place finished waffles on a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven as you work. Set the oven to the lowest possible temperature.
Shrimp & Veggies
In a large bowl, toss shrimp with the lemon juice and cajun seasoning. Set aside.
Melt 1 teaspoon of the bacon grease in a preheated skillet over medium heat. Add half of the shrimp in a single layer, and cook for 2-3 minutes, flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until pink and firm.
Add another teaspoon of grease and repeat with the remaining shrimp. Once done cooking, place the shrimp in a bowl and set aside.
Melt remaining bacon grease in the pan and add bell peppers and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft. About 6- 9 minutes. Add shrimp back to the pan and stir until heated through, 1- 2 minutes.
To serve, top one waffle with a mound of shrimp and veggies, shredded cheese, and any additional toppings.
Tips
  • Follow the manufacturer's instructions for cooking the waffles.
Colleen
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