Go Back
–+ servings
A white platter with four polenta and shrimp appetizers.

Easy Grilled Shrimp + Polenta Appetizer with Calabrian Cream Sauce

Sip + Sanity | Linda Feller
Grilled Shrimp + Polenta with Calabrian Chili Cream Sauce requires little effort but makes a big impact! It’s an quick, easy and delightfully delicious appetizer…everyone will think you’re so fancy!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep time.7 minutes
Cook time.12 minutes
Total time.19 minutes
Course.Appetizer
Cuisine.Italian
Number of servings.8 people
Calories per serving.115 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 16 wild caught jumbo shrimp, peeled + deveined (about 1 lb)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • kosher salt + fresh cracked black pepper
  • 1 pound pre-made organic polenta, the kind that comes in a log, sliced into 8 equal pieces
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Calabrian chili paste*, or finely chopped whole Calabrian chili
  • ½ cup heavy cream

Instructions

  • Preheat your grill. 
  • Toss the shrimp with 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and season with paprika, salt + pepper. Thread the shrimp on skewers so they are as flat as possible. Brush the remaining olive oil on both sides of the polenta slices and season with salt + pepper.
  • Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for a minute to release its fragrance. Stir in the Calabrian chili paste. Slowly whisk in the cream and cook for two to three minutes to thicken slightly. Season to taste with salt. Turn off the heat and cover to keep warm.
  • Clean and grease the grill grates. Cook the polenta about 3 minutes on each side. Cook the shrimp for 2 minutes on each side.
  • Arrange the polenta rounds on a platter (or plate them individually). Top each piece of polenta with 2 grilled shrimp. Drizzle about 2 tbsp of Calabrian cream sauce over each.

Notes

*Feel free to adjust the amount of Calabrian chili paste up or down to suit the level of heat you like.
These are best when they are hot (or at least fresh and warm), so grill the shrimp and polenta just before you plan to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 115kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 17mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 295IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg
Keywords.grill, seafood, semi-homemade
Did You Make This Recipe?Be sure to share a comment below!