Pumpkin and polenta --- two ultimate comfort foods come together to make one perfect fall recipe. And as if that weren't enough, we then top this pumpkin polenta with brown butter shrimp and fried sage and pumpkin seeds. Really, how tasty does that sound?
On top of being a delicious dreamboat, I love how this pumpkin polenta is such down-to-earth and comforting dish, but then the brown butter shrimp and fried savory toppings add an air of sophistication. That homey yet fancy vibe is my jam.
Honestly, when I first made this dish years ago, I didn't plan on making polenta. I intended to make a fall-themed shrimp and grits dish, but when I went to the store, I could only get instant grits. That would not do. Look, I'm not above shortcuts, but some dishes should not be rushed. Grits are one of those dishes.
So I went to plan B --- polenta, of course! Although polenta has a finer, more delicate texture than grits, they work as great substitutes for each other. Both are made from stone-ground cornmeal and result in one big bowl of ultra creamy goodness that's the perfect vehicle for adding your favorite toppings, cheese or mix-ins.
As it turns out, I loved the pumpkin polenta so much that it became a fall staple for me. Funny how that works, huh? This pumpkin polenta wasn't the recipe I had in mind, but it ended up a winner.
Step-by-Step Instructions
All right, let's get cooking. To start, we boil chicken stock over medium-high heat and then lower the temperature as we frantically stir in a steady stream of polenta until it thickens. This should only take a minute or two.
Now let's cover the polenta and give it a vigorous stir every 10 minutes for the next 30 to 40 minutes. As the polenta cooks, we'll now prep the other elements of this dish. Hey, polenta is mostly hands-off cooking, so we might as well keep ourselves busy, right?
I like to start with the fried sage and pumpkin. They cook quickly, so it's nice to get them out of the way. Simply heat some oil in a small pan and add the sage, which will take almost no time. Just fry the sage until the edges start to brown and then remove and add the pumpkin seeds. While the pumpkin seeds won't take too long, they require a bit more time. Keep frying those until they start to brown.
Now we move on to the brown butter. Once it browns, we set it aside and roast the shrimp after the polenta has cooked for about 20 minutes. When the shrimp is good and ready, we pour the brown butter on top and give the shrimp a stir. Just like that, we have brown butter shrimp, and each topping is ready to go.
After 30 or 40 minutes of cooking the polenta, give it a taste. If you're happy with the softness of the cornmeal, turn off the heat and stir in pumpkin puree, a splash of heavy cream, butter, salt, pepper and smoked Gouda. Spoon the pumpkin polenta into a bowl, top with the brown butter shrimp, sage and pumpkin seeds and enjoy every bite. And you will. Everything about this smoked Gouda-pumpkin polenta is delicious.
Perfect Pairing
A pumpkin ale may sound like an obvious pairing, but sometimes that's the way it goes. The spices naturally complement the pumpkin and sage, and the sweet, bread-like malt is perfect with the brown butter. That said, you might want to branch out from the pumpkin family. In that case, a winter warmer is a good choice.
When a wine craving hits, I love this pumpkin polenta with an oaked chardonnay. The full body of the chardonnay balances the richness of the polenta, and the buttery wine notes meld perfectly with the shrimp and pumpkin.
If you love a delicious, comforting meal, I hope you give this pumpkin polenta with Gouda and brown butter shrimp a try. You'll be happy you did.
Cheers!
Searching for More Savory Pumpkin Recipes?
- Gruyere-pumpkin ale risotto
- Chorizo and pumpkin baked ziti
- Pumpkin-chipotle hummus
- Pumpkin and chorizo chili
- Pumpkin mac and cheese
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📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Polenta With Gouda and Brown Butter Shrimp
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
Ingredients
Pumpkin Polenta
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup shredded smoked gouda
- ½ cup pumpkin purée
- Splash of heavy cream
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
Brown Butter Shrimp With Fried Sage and Pumpkin Seeds
- 3 tablespoons canola oil divided
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- Handful of fresh sage leaves
- 7 tablespoons salted butter divided
- 1 pound shrimp shelled
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Pumpkin Polenta
- In a saucepan, bring stock to a boil over medium-high heat. Constantly stirring with a wooden spoon, slowly pour in cornmeal.
- Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, vigorously stirring about every 10 minutes. The polenta is done when the grains soften to your liking.
- Once the polenta is tender to your liking, turn off heat and stir in smoked Gouda, pumpkin puree, heavy cream, remaining butter, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Top with brown butter shrimp, pumpkin seeds and sage. Enjoy!
Brown Butter Shrimp With Fried Sage and Pumpkin Seeds
- While polenta cooks, turn the oven to 425 degrees and heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil over medium-high heat and fry sage until the edges brown. This should just take a matter of seconds. Remove from pan and fry the pumpkin seeds until browned. Set aside.
- Melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat until it turns brown. Whisk occasionally. Remove from heat.
- After the polenta has cooked for about 20 minutes, toss shrimp with remaining oil, salt and pepper in a baking pan. Roast in the oven until no longer opaque, about five to seven minutes. Remove from oven and pour brown butter over shrimp. Cover with foil to keep warm if the polenta isn't quite ready.
Notes
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Nicoletta De Angelis Nardelli says
That's a truly comforting dish! Never had pumpkin polenta but I'm loving what I see! And those toppings...so much yum!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
You'll love it! The toppings are a delicious touch.
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Wow this is what a fall soup should look like!! So yummy! I need to go pick up some shrimp asap haha
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
You should, but just a quick note that polenta isn't a soup. It's consistency is more like grits. ?
Adrianne says
And for some reason my rating didn't stick, so I came back to say high 5 and well done!
Adrianne says
Wow Amanda, I want to eat this right now!! The combination of ingredients sound delicious and I think I need to run out and grab some prawns (what we Aussies call shrimp) right away, cause this is a good looking dish girl and I want to give it a go. Thanks for such a great post and you had me at...................fried sage and pumpkin!!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Haha, I love the enthusiasm! Thanks so much. ?
Brian Jones says
Sage and pumpkin are such a classic combination and so delicious, perfect with some cheesy polenta. Lovely flavours.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thanks! Agreed -- I love the two together.
Natalie says
This dish looks and sounds so comforting and delicious! Perfect for the upcoming cold days ♥
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
For sure! I always love polenta on chilly days.
Shanika says
I love Polenta and Shrimp! It's such a flavorful dish, but adding pumpkin to this sounds amazing! Yum!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
It really is, especially this time of year!
Kristina says
I love everything about this! The flavors sound amazing and I love the photos you took! Gorgeous!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thank you so much! ❤️
Hani Eriani says
Hello Amanda, your recipe give me inspiration to make pumpkin in a savory dish! Believe it or not, in Indonesia pumpkin is widely used for dessert. So when I across the internet, many people from around the world use pumpkin for main dish, especially for thanksgiving and fall. I feel weird as I never taste or cook it that way. Next time I will try to make pumpkin as savory dish, especially from your recipe. Thank you for sharing! 🙂
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
That's great to hear, Hani! I do love pumpkin desserts, but it's also so good as a main dish. I hope you love it!
Marie says
What a fantastic combination of flavours that's perfect for fall and winter! Delicious. Beautiful pictures too.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thanks so much, Marie!
Tisha says
Sounds like a great combo!!!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thanks! It definitely is.
Jillian says
Delish!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thanks, Jillian!
Andrea Metlika says
This look Marvelous. Always looking for new shrimp recipes and this one is a keeper.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thank you! I can never get enough shrimp. Hope you enjoy it!