Sweet corn polenta with shrimp is a 30 minute weeknight wonder thanks to quick cooking polenta and shrimp. Lots of fresh juicy corn makes it unforgettable.
Think of sweet corn polenta as cheesy Italian polenta meets shrimp & grits ~ with lots of sweet juicy corn! It’s a summery recipe that can serve as a side (without the shrimp) or a main course. Perfect for peak corn season when you want to gobble up as much as you possibly can. In this dish polenta is cooked up with fresh corn and then topped with more of the golden gems. And while sweet corn isn’t a traditional Italian ingredient, it’s right at home in this sunny Mediterranean meal.
what you’ll need for sweet corn polenta
- sweet corn
- yellow corn meal or instant polenta
- milk
- using milk + water is the key to a creamy polenta that stays supple and doesn’t completely harden as it cools. Thanks to the milk this polenta can be reheated for leftovers with a little added liquid.
- butter
- Italian cheese
- shrimp
- shrimp is our weeknight dinner friend, it cooks up in minutes. Sea scallops would be nice in this dish as well.
- salt and pepper
cornmeal vs polenta
Both are ground dried corn. Cornmeal is a more general term that encompasses various types of ground dried corn, including fine, medium, and coarse grinds. Polenta cornmeal specifically refers to coarser cornmeal that is traditionally used for making polenta. Feel free to use either for this recipe.
30 minute countdown to sweet corn polenta with shrimp, step by step
minute 1-10
- Slice the kernels off your ears of corn. Peel shrimp.
- Begin to heat water, milk, and 2/3 of the corn over medium heat.
minute 10-15
- Sauté shrimp and set aside.
- Microwave the reserved kernels and set aside.
minute 15-20
- Stream cornmeal into pot while whisking. Cook until thick, about 5 minutes.
minute 20-25
- Off heat add butter and cheese to polenta and stir to combine.
minute 25-30
- Plate the polenta, top with reserved corn kernels, shrimp, and garnish with parsley.
5 things you need to know about sweet corn polenta
- For a quick weeknight dinner use instant or quick cooking polenta, or use cornmeal. Both cook up in just a few minutes. Traditional polenta can take 40-50 minutes to cook.
- To avoid lumps in your polenta, gradually add the cornmeal to the hot liquid while whisking continuously. This helps to disperse the cornmeal evenly and prevents clumping. If lumps do form, you can use a whisk or spoon to vigorously stir and break them apart.
- Choose sharp or aged cheese for best flavor. Aged Italian or sharp cheddar are both good choices.
- Remember that polenta thickens as it cools, so keep it warm until ready to serve, and you may want to keep it slightly looser than your desired final consistency.
- I recommend fresh seasonal corn for this recipe. You could use frozen, but why?
more easy shrimp for dinner
- Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp
- New England Shrimp Rolls
- Shrimp Taco Salad
- Lemon Garlic Shrimp with Orzo
- Chimichurri Shrimp
Sweet Corn Polenta with Shrimp
A crave-worthy Mediterranean meal with a sweet Southern twist!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
sweet corn polenta
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal or instant polenta
- 3 ears corn, kernels removed, divided. This is about 3 cups.
- 1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
- 4 Tbsp butter
- minced parsley
shrimp
- 12 medium shrimp (a little over 1/2 pound)
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- salt
- smoked paprika
Instructions
- Bring the milk, water, salt, and 2 cups of corn kernels to a simmer in a heavy bottomed pot. Microwave the final cup of kernels for a minute and a half on high, and then set aside for garnish.
- While the pot is heating, melt the butter in a medium skillet and add the shrimp, garlic, and paprika, along with a pinch of salt. Sauté the shrimp, flipping once, just until it turns translucent and begins to curl. Set aside.
- Once you start to see steam rising from your pot, add the cornmeal in a light steady stream, while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. When all the cornmeal has been added, let the pot come to a bubble (still gently whisking!) and then turn down the heat to low and partially cover the pot to prevent splatters.
- Simmer very gently for about 3-5 minutes, stirring often. Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese and butter.
- Serve the hot polenta in bowls topped with the reserved corn and shrimp. Drizzle the pan juices over the shrimp and garnish with the reserved corn kernels, parsley and some fresh cracked pepper.
Nutrition
Calories: 403 kcal · Carbohydrates: 33 g · Protein: 19 g · Fat: 23 g · Saturated Fat: 13 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g · Trans Fat: 0.5 g · Cholesterol: 120 mg · Sodium: 682 mg · Potassium: 424 mg · Fiber: 4 g · Sugar: 6 g · Vitamin A: 787 IU · Vitamin C: 3 mg · Calcium: 267 mg · Iron: 1 mg
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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I am confused on microwaving the corn after it cooks. Am I adding the polenta to the pot the corn was cooked in?
Your fresh corn kernels are divided. 2 cups go into the pot with the milk, etc. The last cup is microwaved and set aside to garnish your polenta before serving. If you don’t want to do it this way, you can add all the corn to the pot with the milk.
In step 3, the cornmeal (polenta) is added to the pot with the milk. Let me know if you’re still confused.
Very good. I have to cook for 1 now. I did the grits instead of the Polenta. I will fix this again.
Thanks Nancy! I need to do more grits recipes, thanks for the reminder 🙂
On those occasions when I completely deconstruct a recipe and otherwise ad lib based on availability I don’t usually write a review. This one is an exception, because it was so delicious.
1. Only had blue cornmeal in the pantry; and our grocery only had “Tube Polenta,” so had to go with that.
2. Sauteed the shrimp with Smoked Paprika and butter.
3. Corn was grilled and cut from the cob (as were the polenta slices); and I made a light cream sauce to which I added a mix of Pecorino and Parmesan (what I had on hand).
4. In large bowls I layered polenta and the corn sauce, and placed shrimp on top.
Rave reviews around the table, even if the recipe bears little resemblance to the original!
I’ll take those raves 🙂 and I always love it when you guys get creative with my recipes!
My husband loves creamed corn and polenta, so when I saw this beautiful recipe, I had to try it. We loved it! We kept going back to the kitchen for snitches 🙂 after our dinner. We are so thankful there are leftovers for lunch the next day! Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
I also liked the idea of using whole milk to keep the polenta creamy.
So glad it was a hit, we loved it too, and enjoyed leftovers for days!
I’m assuming you chop the garlic, right. ?
Yes, just clarified!