Name: Shrimp and Polenta Cakes with Sun-dried Tomato Cream Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 160 min
Ingredients: cooking spray; 1 box DeLallo Instant Polenta (9.2 oz); 4½ cups water; ¾ parmesan (freshly grated, plus more for serving); 5 tablespoon unsalted butter; 2 tablespoon olive oil (divided); 12 ounce asparagus (about 1 bunch) (1/2" dice); 1 cup frozen corn (thawed); 1 pound shrimp (peeled + deveined); kosher salt + fresh cracked black pepper; crushed red pepper flakes (optional, to taste); 2 cloves garlic (finely minced or pressed); 1 tablespoon flour (white-whole wheat or all-purpose); 1¼ cups low-sodium broth (seafood, veggie or chicken); ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil) (drained, diced); 3 ounce cream cheese (1/3 less fat) (room temperature); ½ teaspoon paprika (plus more to garnish); fresh basil (chopped, to garnish)

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Shrimp and Polenta Cakes with Sun-dried Tomato Cream Sauce is a delicious complete meal, comforting for a weeknight or fancy enough for weekend brunch.

bowl of shrimp and polenta cakes next to a fork

One of my fav dishes at a restaurant local to us is shrimp and grit cakes with cajun cream sauce. I attempted to recreate it at home once and completely bombed the sauce. I managed to salvage the leftovers for the next day’s breakfast (when in doubt, just top it with a fried egg).

I just couldn’t resist giving it another go, but this time with my own spin. Instead of going cajun, I’m taking it in a decidedly Italian direction with pillowy polenta and sun-dried tomatoes in a creamy sauce.

mise en place for shrimp and polenta cakes with sun-dried tomato cream sauce

Ingredients for Shrimp and Polenta Cakes with Sun-dried Tomato Cream Sauce

Instant polenta — If you want to spend 30 minutes stirring a pot of polenta, I won’t stop you! I’ve done it plenty of times, but a quality instant box mix will yield fine results. I recommend Delallo (I love their pasta, too).

Shrimp — Fresh or frozen is great, just don’t forget to thaw them overnight in the fridge. To save you a little prep work, look for shrimp that has already been peeled and deveined. Size doesn’t really matter, but I like to use smaller shrimp for this dish. Also, consider buying American caught wild or sustainably farmed shrimp if you have the option.

Veggies — A combination of asparagus and corn provide both earthy and sweet notes. If you aren’t a fan of either, feel free to substitute your favorites!

Cream sauce — The sauce is lightened up by using broth and low-fat cream cheese instead of heavy cream. It’s also punctuated by sweet, savory bits of sun-dried tomatoes and paprika.

bowl of shrimp and polenta cakes with sundried tomato cream sauce

How to Make Shrimp and Polenta Cakes with Sun-dried Tomato Cream Sauce

Make the Polenta

Because the polenta needs time to set up, you’ll want to make it at least a couple hours before you plan to cook the rest of the dish. Feel free to make it a day ahead and leave it covered in the refrigerator.

Simply add polenta to 4-1/2 cups of water that has been boiled and removed from the burner. After stirring for three minutes, add freshly grated parmesan, unsalted butter and salt + pepper to taste. Stir it just until the butter has melted and then transfer it to a lightly oiled 9”x13” dish.

Gently smooth it over with a spoon or spatula. The goal is to not overwork or compact it — we’re going for pillowy polenta cakes! Allow it to cool on the counter for about 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

To unmold it, turn it out on a cutting board and allow it to slip out of the pan. Cut it into 12 equally sized pieces, any shape you like. Now, you’ll sauté them in olive oil to get them lightly golden and crispy on the outside.

You’ll keep these warm in a low oven as you cook the rest of the dish.

sheet pan with triangles of sautéed polenta

Make the Cream Sauce

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 20-30 seconds, whisking constantly. Add the flour and whisk constantly for about 1 minute as the flour cooks.

Add the broth and sun-dried tomatoes. Give it a good stir to dissolve the roux, then allow it to come to a low simmer, this takes about 3-4 minutes. Whisk in cream cheese and paprika and stir until melted. Season with salt + pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm while you prepare the vegetables and shrimp.

Cook the Shrimp + Veggies

Start by sautéing diced asparagus in a large skillet in olive oil. After a few minutes, add the corn. Finally, add the shrimp and cook just until the shrimp are cooked through. Season with salt + pepper and crushed red pepper.

Assemble The Dish

Start by ladling about 1/4 cup of the sauce on the bottom of your individual serving dishes. Artfully stack two pieces of polenta in the center of the dish. Then, divide the shrimp and veggies across the dish by letting them tumble over the polenta. Drizzle additional sauce over each dish and garnish with chopped basil and a sprinkle of paprika.

Variations + Serving Suggestions for Shrimp and Polenta Cakes

If you’d rather not make polenta, you can opt for the tube. I find them to be more dense than what you can make at home, but it would certainly work!
Or, skip the polenta and serve the shrimp and sauce over rice, pasta, or gnocchi.
Switch up your proteins by substituting Italian sausage, crab or lobster.
Other veggies that would be perfect in this dish are red bell pepper, peas or mushrooms.

More Seafood Recipes!

And while we’re talking shrimp, specifically…I know there are tons of fans of bang bang shrimp out there! If you’re one, check out this Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta from Briana at Struggle Shuttle (she’s got an inside scoop on this popular dish)! My family loves southeast Asian flavors + shrimp. Pair that with pasta, too? No brainer!