Manchego cheese polenta with chorizo and shrimp. A garlic butter sauce with green olives and sautéed cherry tomatoes. Beyond any doubt a 20-minute knock-out flavor bomb.
Why You’ll Love this Chorizo Shrimp Polenta
There are about as many polenta recipes as there are reasons to love it. It’s quick to cook, creamy with a nice texture and it can take on so many flavors. Spicy chorizo? Check. A butter sauce? Check. Garlicky shrimp? Double check.
This recipe is great for busy weeknights or that dinner party you’re planning. The hardest thing about this recipe? Deciding how many times per week you want to eat this polenta. If you’re always excited about shrimp or a creamy polenta, then this recipe is made for you. It’s easy to make and delicious, you can throw it together whenever the craving strikes.
How to Make Polenta with Chorizo and Shrimp Recipe
- First we fry the chorizo, add shrimp, then garlic and the spices, this will add a lot of depth to the sauce.
- Next we throw in the cherry tomatoes and olives, and cook everything together for a couple of minutes. When the tomatoes start to burst, we help them a little by pressing down the tomatoes with a wooden spoon to release their juices and create a flavorful sauce that makes for nice tender bites.
- Lastly, we make the polenta. Instant polenta works really well in this recipe, you’ll only need 2 minutes to boil it, then stir in grated Manchego cheese and some butter. Done!
Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step VIDEO or follow along on YouTube.
Recipe Tips
- You can use kielbasa or bacon in this recipe, but spicy Spanish chorizo gives this polenta a nice kick.
- Can’t find Manchego cheese? Use fontina cheese, pecorino, mozzarella or mild cheddar.
- Got some leftover mashed potatoes? Use them instead of polenta and just add some cheese.
Storage tips
- Leftovers: Store leftovers separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Reheating: Reheat separately in a nonstick skillet or pan over medium until heated through. Add a splash of water or milk to thin out the polenta.
Try These Next
Cooking Video: How to Make Cheese Polenta with Chorizo and Shrimp
Cheese Polenta with Chorizo and Shrimp
Cheese polenta with shrimp and spicy chorizo. Topped with a garlic butter sauce, green olives and sautéed cherry tomatoes. Beyond any doubt a 20-minute knock-out flavor bomb.
Ingredients
Cheese Polenta
- 1 cup instant polenta
- 1 ¾ cups whole milk
- 1 ¾ cups low sodium chicken broth
- 5 ounces grated Manchego cheese
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- salt - to taste
- black pepper - to taste
Shrimp and Spicy Chorizo
- 1 pound shrimp - peeled and deveined
- 3.5 ounces spicy Spanish chorizo sausage - cut into slices
- 5 ounces green olives - pitted
- 7 ounces cherry tomatoes
- 4 garlic cloves - minced
- olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 4 scallions - chopped
- fresh parsley - for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Get all the prep done before you start cooking: mince the garlic, slice the chorizo, chop the scallions and grate the Manchego cheese. Peel and devein the shrimp.
- Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet. Add chorizo, cook for 1 minute over medium-high heat. Then slide chorizo a little aside and add shrimp. Cook for 2 minutes, tossing often. Add garlic, sauté for 1 minute, stirring often. Add more olive oil, about 3 tbsp. Stir in oregano, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add cherry tomatoes, cook about 2 minutes or until the tomatoes start to burst. Don’t forget to stir from to time, you don’t want to burn anything as we are cooking on high heat constantly. Press on the back of the tomatoes to release their juices and stir to combine. Stir in olives, scallions, lemon juice and butter. Turn off the heat and set aside.
- In the meantime, make the polenta. In a saucepan, bring chicken broth and milk to a boil. Slowly whisk in the polenta, stirring continuously, about 2-3 minutes, over low heat. Stir in butter, Manchego cheese, salt and black pepper. Turn off the heat, cover and let stand for 1 minute. If the polenta thickens too much, thin out with some additional milk or chicken broth.
- Divide polenta over bowls, top with chorizo and shrimp mixture. Garnish with chopped scallions and parsley. Serve!
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 723kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 50gFat: 50gSaturated Fat: 24gPolyunsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 346mgSodium: 2490mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was below!
Leave a Reply