The “supergrain” quinoa-which has more protein and fiber than any other grain-is the base for our healthier version of classic Southern grits. By cooking the quinoa in water instead of milk we’ve saved calories, leaving us room to add butter and nutty Parmesan for richness.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 40 min |
| Prep: | 10 min |
| Cook: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
Instructions
- Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add half the garlic, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the quinoa, 2 1/3 cups water, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper, and bring to a simmer, stirring. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the quinoa is tender (the little white tails become visible) and the liquid is the consistency of a thin porridge, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat, and whisk in the Parmesan and half the parsley. Cover and keep warm.
- Meanwhile, season the shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer (it’s OK if they touch), and cook until the underside turns pink, about 2 minutes. Turn the shrimp, add the remaining garlic and cook until the shrimp begin to curl and turn totally pink, about 2 minutes more. Add the wine, 2 tablespoons water and the remaining parsley, reserving a pinch for garnish. Once the liquid has reduced by half, swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter until smooth. Divide the quinoa and shrimp among 4 bowls, top with the pan sauce and sprinkle with the reserved parsley.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 360 calorie |
| Total Fat | 14 grams |
| Saturated Fat | 5 grams |
| Cholesterol | 165 milligrams |
| Sodium | 960 milligrams |
| Carbohydrates | 30 grams |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 grams |
| Protein | 24 grams |
| Sugar | 2 grams |
Reviews
Not bad for a weeknight thrown-together meal. I added chopped asparagus to the quinoa to make a well-rounded dish and used veg stock & apple cider vinegar instead of wine (didn’t have it on hand). Needs more parmesan!
I made this for three of us- we all thought it was very good. I cooked the quinoa for the full 15 minutes and added a little more cheese (less than half a cup). My husband was skeptical because he loves cheesy, buttery grits, but he enjoyed the quinoa.
Quinoa does not make anything approaching porridge – it was too watery, and the texture was wrong – the grains stay separate, not creamy at all. Saving grace was garlic, cheese and wine, but when doesn’t that save a dish? wanted it to work, it didn’t.
And since I’m typing, the password requirements to post a review are ridiculous.