Coconut Shrimp & Grits

Coconut Shrimp and Grits are made with coconut water to give a tropical spin on this Southern favorite in the best possible way

I'm not a huge fan of tropical recipes. I didn't grow up eating many dishes with pineapple or coconut, so I tend to look over those when searching for new recipes to try and/or create.

In all honesty, I didn't really love coconut water the first time I tried it. But after spending a week in Hawaii, I learned to really like it! I think it's a taste that grows on you.

Coconut water is full of electrolytes & nutrients {like potassium, magnesium, calcium}. It's definitely different than coconut milk and has a less coconut-y flavor, which I personally prefer.

But the best part about this challenge is that I learned that coconut water is a great {I mean great!} addition to liven up recipes.

For example, Shrimp and Grits is one of my favorite meals. It can be breakfast or dinner, and I love that about it.

But when I decided to use coconut water in Shrimp & Grits, I prepared myself for a kitchen disaster. And a potential waste of some of my favorite ingredients.

Luckily {!!!}, it turned out delicious. It actually far exceeded my expectations.

These grits... y'all... I have been thinking all day about how to describe them. They're not necessarily sweet but there's a slight hint of sweetness that works beautifully with the shrimp.

You seriously don't know what you're missing out on if you aren't making these Coconut Shrimp and Grits.

I know some of you are shaking your heads, convinced that this is not the recipe for you, but it is. If you have taste buds, this recipe is for you.

Don't get me wrong; shrimp & grits is the best. But these Coconut Shrimp and grits... woah! Just woah!

The good thing about this dish is that the coconut flavor can be as prominent or behind the scenes as you want. I went for in-between.

You use the coconut water to cook the grits, and you can sprinkle some coconut flakes on top if you want. I was planning on doing that but was so wrapped up in how stinkin' good these grits were that I just plain forgot.

I know they sound strange, but they are quite possibly my new favorite way to eat grits.

One thing: please please promise me that you won't use those nasty instant grits!! Buy the good stuff {stone ground grits}. They're much tastier and healthier because they're usually whole grain as opposed to the instant {which are not}.

As for the shrimp & veggies, I used coconut oil for cooking. This is totally optional, and I'm not even sure there'd be a difference if you used butter or canola oil in its place.

Most shrimp & grits sauces are made with chicken broth, shrimp stock, and/or wine. I opted for none of the above and used coconut water, and... it worked! It worked oh so very nicely!

So, seriously, what are you waiting for?! I can't tell you enough how much you should try this if you're looking for a little excitement in your meals.

Even if you aren't a coconut fan, you really will enjoy this recipe.

It's not complicated - You'll need a pot for the grits and a skillet for the shrimp. It took me about 45 minutes total from start to finish.

To make this go smoothly:

• get the coconut water in a pot and heat it to boil.
• While it's heating, chop your veggies.
• Add the grits to the boiling coconut water.
• Sauté the veggies while the grits are cooking {be sure to stir every few minutes, so they don't stick}.
• Then cook the shrimp.
• Add the coconut water to the shrimp & veggies to make the sauce.
• Then about the same time that your grits are ready, take the shrimp off the heat and add the butter. Voila! Dinner is served.

Coconut Shrimp and Grits

Coconut water gives a tropical spin on this Southern favorite in the best possible way

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Print Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Author: Meme

Ingredients

• ▢ 5 cups unflavored coconut water divided
• ▢ 1 cup stone ground grits white or yellow, not instant
• ▢ 7 teaspoon butter divided
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoon salt divided
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg optional
• ▢ ½ teaspoon white pepper or black pepper
• ▢ 1 teaspoon coconut oil or olive oil
• ▢ 1 red bell pepper diced
• ▢ 1 green bell pepper diced
• ▢ 1 onion diced
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon cumin divided
• ▢ ½ teaspoon coriander
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic
• ▢ 1 lb shrimp raw, peeled
• ▢ 2-3 tablespoon lemon juice
• ▢ cilantro

Instructions

• In a medium saucepan, bring 4 ¼ cups coconut water to a rolling boil over medium/medium-high heat. Add grits and stir well. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter, 1 teaspoon salt, nutmeg, and white pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer. Stir occasionally, so grits don't stick to the saucepan. {This will take about 25-35 minutes.}
• Meanwhile, heat coconut oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add bell peppers and onions. Saute until veggies have softened, about 5 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon cumin, coriander, and garlic. Stir for 30 seconds.
• Push veggies to the outside of skillet. Turn heat up to medium-high, and add shrimp in a single layer {don't crowd the pan. You can do these in batches, if needed}. Sprinkle shrimp & veggies with remaining ¼ teaspoon cumin and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook until opaque and pink on both sides {about 2 minutes per side}.
• Stir remaining ¾ cups coconut water into the shrimp & veggie mixture. Make sure to scrape up any bits that have formed on the bottom of the skillet.
• Simmer for about 3-4 minutes until liquid has reduced by half. Stir in 2 tablespoon lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon juice, salt, or coconut water if needed.
• Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon butter.
• Serve shrimp & veggie sauce over coconut grits. Sprinkle with cilantro. Enjoy!

Notes

*Use coconut oil, avocado oil or olive oil in place of butter for a dairy free recipe

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