Sweet, hearty and savory, this brown butter pumpkin polenta with ginger sage shrimp is an autumn lovers best friend. Freshly husked corn is sauteed in butter before the polenta cooks enough to melt the sharp cheddar and parmesan cheese. Garlicky shrimp is sauteed in browned butter, ginger and sage until perfectly cooked. This shrimp and polenta recipe is cheesy, wholesome and quite aromatic!
Why You Should Make This Shrimp And Polenta Recipe:
Well, first of all, it’s absolutely delicious. Like, lick the bowl good. But it’s also super easy to make!
It just requires some stirring of a large skillet here and there. And the shrimp cook in about 6 minutes, so there is no fuss in adding them to this versatile fall dinner idea.
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You’re Going To Love This
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Cutting Corn Off The Cob Hack
Is This Recipe Mediterranean Diet Friendly?
No, as it is, it is not Mediterranean diet friendly. But with a few tweaks, it absolutely can be!
On the Mediterranean diet, butter is replaced by olive oil. So if you want to make this a bit healthier, skip the browned butter step and use some high-quality extra virgin olive oil instead.
Cheese is also only recommended in moderation, so if you do make this recipe, try only using a small amount of cheese, or omitting it completely.
Herbs are used very frequently when cooking on a Mediterranean diet, so keep using that sage, and feel free to add other herbs like oregano, green onions, or parsley. You can also squeeze in some lemon juice for healthy acidity.
And opt to serve it with another vegetable side, preferably something nutrient-dense like broccoli or kale!
How TO Make This Shrimp And Polenta Recipe:
Grab your organic pumpkin puree, and let’s get started on this creamy polenta and shrimp recipe! If you don’t want to use butter, feel free to use olive oil. But I HIGHLY recommend the browned butter for flavor!
Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and instructions!
Cook the corn kernels in butter, and saute until the butter becomes fragrant and brown, about 6 minutes. Add the minced fresh ginger, and continue to cook for about 60 seconds, stirring well.
Pour in 2 cups of chicken stock or chicken broth(or two cups water), and bring the liquid to a boil. Once boiling, add the polenta, stirring well for about 30 seconds. Pop the lid on, and allow the polenta to cook for 5-10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Cook time will vary.
Pour in 1 cup of milk and 1 can of organic pumpkin puree. Salt and black pepper the polenta, and stir well.
Lower the heat to very low, and continue to cook the polenta for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When done, add the cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese, and stir until melted and a creamy texture.
To make the shrimp, clean the shrimp and pat dry with a paper towel. Heat 5 tbsp of unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in 1 tbsp minced ginger, a pinch of salt, and the minced sage leaves. Feel free to add some red pepper flakes for spicy shrimp! Add the peeled large shrimps and cook for 3 minutes each side, until cooked through. Add them to the top of the polenta and enjoy!
Poached eggs on top would be a delicious variation to this recipe!
Why I Recommend Using Organic Pumpkin Puree:
It might surprise you that one of the most frequent questions that google gets asked about pumpkin is “Where does pumpkin flavor come from“. When I saw this, I was shocked.
Pumpkin is thrown into so many different things, that people have become disassociated from where the ‘pumpkin flavor’ actually comes from.
The fake canned stuff tastes COMPLETELY different from the organic stuff. It uses that artificial flavor that is commonly tasted in pumpkin coffees and mass produced pumpkin treats. But the real, organic pumpkin puree is so pure.
Pumpkin is actually not an overpowering flavor. It is mild and slightly sweet, and is reminiscent of butternut squash.
More Recipes
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Did you make this fall dinner recipe? It would mean so much to me if you would rate it below the recipe card and tag me in your creation on Instagram so I can admire your work! @RecipeHippie
Ginger Sage Shrimp And Polenta Recipe With Brown Butter Pumpkin
Ingredients
- 11 tbsp unsalted butter, divided (feel free to use less if you choose)
- 3 ears of corn, husked
- 2 cups chicken broth or stock
- 1 cup milk (dairy or dairy alternative)
- 1 15oz can of organic 100% pumpkin puree
- 1/4 tsp salt, plus a pinch
- 15 fresh sage leaves plus extra for garnish
- 6 ounces shredded cheddar cheese (adjust amount to preference)
- 4 ounces grated parmesan cheese
- 1 pound extra jumbo raw shrimp, deveined and peeled, keeping the tail on if you choose
- 2 tbsp minced fresh ginger, divided
- fresh ground black pepper, as needed
- optional garnish of 'pepitas', or pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Start by removing the corn from the cob. To do this, place a small ramekin or bowl inside of a larger mixing bowl. Hold the corn by the stem, and place the top of it on the small bowl inside of the mixing bowl. (see in post images) Using a knife, carefully cut down the side of the corn, trying to stay as close to the core of the cob as possible. Do this until there are no visible kernels left.
- In a large dutch oven, Melt 6 tbsp of unsalted butter. Toss in the corn kernels, and saute on medium-high until the butter becomes fragrant and brown, about 6 minutes. Add 1 tbsp of minced fresh ginger and 5 minced sage leaves, and continue to cook for about 60 seconds, stirring well.
- Pour in 2 cups of chicken broth, and bring the liquid to a boil. Once boiling, add the polenta, stirring well for about 30 seconds. Pop the lid on, and allow the polenta to cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Once the liquid is well absorbed, pour in 1 cup of milk and 1 can of organic pumpkin puree. Add 1/4 of a tsp of table salt, and ground pepper to taste. Stir well.
- Lower the heat to very low, and continue to cook the polenta for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When done, add the cheddar and parmesan cheese and stir until melted and combined.
- To make the shrimp, heat 5 tbsp of unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium/high heat. Once the butter is melted, toss in 1 tbsp minced ginger, a pinch of salt and 10 minced sage leaves. Add the peeled shrimp to the pan and cook for 3 minutes each side, until completely opaque and cooked through. Add them to the top of the cheesy pumpkin polenta and enjoy!
Nutrition
This is one of my favorite shrimp recipes, but check out these other delicious recipes!
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