Creamy Polenta, Shrimp, and Vegetable Bowls are an easy way to include seafood in your eating plan.
I love quick, delicious dinners, don’t you? These creamy polenta, shrimp, and vegetable bowls are easy enough to make on busy weeknights, and elegant enough for guests. That’s my kind of meal!
I first wrote this post in 2016. I recently changed the recipe and I wanted to make you aware of the improvements. I’ve also added tips for customizing these bowls depending on what ingredients you have on hand. I love polenta and shrimp, but if you want to use chicken or another type of seafood, that works, too!
Eat Seafood Twice a Week
Experts recommend eating at least two seafood meals weekly, and as many as three meals ( a total of 8-12 ounces) in a week’s time if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Seafood is rich in protein, healthy omega-3 fats that support heart and brain health, and other nutrients, including choline, which is often in short supply in the American diet.
Shrimp is one of Americans’ favorite types of seafood: we eat an average of nearly 4.5 pounds a year per person. (I’m pretty sure I am a top consumer!) Most of the shrimp we eat is imported, but shrimp is also harvested and sold in the U.S. As fish go, shrimp is considered one of the safest.
Frozen shrimp and other frozen seafood are useful to have on hand to make meal prep easier, but you can also use the fresh variety, too. You can even make these creamy polenta, shrimp, and vegetable bowls with frozen shrimp and you don’t have to thaw it before cooking!
How to Make Whole Grain Creamy Polenta
Creamy polenta is a mixture of cornmeal, water, butter, and cheese. (I add some milk to mine to make it creamier.) I prefer whole grain cornmeal for its taste and health benefits.
For this dish, you may want to use a medium or coarse-ground cornmeal; packages of cornmeal labeled as polenta are usually coarser grinds. You can substitute grits for cornmeal but you won’t get the same results or the same nutrition profile.
Customize your Creamy Polenta, Shrimp and Vegetable Bowl
I am not into fussy, precise recipes. In fact, I love recipes that people can change around to suit their needs and what’s in their pantry at the moment. Here are some tips for making do in the kitchen:
- No spinach? Kale works well in this recipe, too. I haven’t tried it, but I’m sure the bowls would be delicious with other greens, such as collard and beet, and with broccoli.
- Canned, drained diced tomatoes can be swapped for the red bell pepper.
- If you don’t have cornmeal in the house, or you don’t want to use it, swap pasta, farro, or rice. Farro is a whole grain, and whole wheat pasta and brown rice are, too. Any of the three will help you meet the suggested daily intake of at least three servings of whole grains a day.
- Cooked chicken can take the place of shrimp. Polenta pairs well with chicken, meat, and seafood.
I‘m a big believer in using what you have on hand. Read this for how to make ingredient swaps that work.
Creamy Polenta, Shrimp, and Vegetable Bowls
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 large red bell peppers, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 6 cloves garlic
- 5 cups baby spinach, stems removed
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 cup whole grain cornmeal
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup 1% low fat milk
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 16 ounces raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
- fresh chopped chives for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Place water in medium saucepan over high heat. Cover.
- Add oil to large skillet. Heat oil over medium heat. When oil is hot, add the onion, red bell pepper, and garlic. Saute for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Add the spinach and saute for another 3 minutes or until the spinach has just wilted. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and stir well. Remove from the heat.
- When the water has boiled, slowly add the cornmeal, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Add the salt. Turn the heat to low and simmer the cornmeal, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Add the milk, cheese, and butter and stir until the butter is melted and the polenta is creamy. Cover and set aside.
- Return the skillet to the medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp is pink on both sides, about 5 minutes.
- To serve, divide the polenta evenly between four bowls and top with the shrimp-vegetable mixture. Garnish with fresh chives, if desired.
Notes
Hi, I'm a registered dietitian, writer, recipe developer, and mother of three who specializes in food and nutrition communications and believes in progress, not perfection. If you're interested in easier ways to live a healthier life, you're in the right place. Welcome!