Love shrimp, love grilled cheese, let’s put ’em together! That is basically how this recipe came to me. 😉
Those of you that have a picky eater in the house may relate to this…since I have a limited selection of ingredients that my picky eater likes, I like to try combining them in all sorts of ways to get a little variety going.
Don’t get me wrong, my philosophy is actually NOT to cater to my picky eater on a regular basis, but every so often I like to try to serve something he really likes, just because he is my kid and I love to see his eyes light up when he hears the dinner plans. He likes shrimp, he loves cheese, and he LOVES bread, so combining them was a natural progression.
And shrimp is a good source of lean protein!
— A 3-ounce serving of four large shrimp weighs in at less than 85 calories, 1 gram of fat and nearly 20 grams of protein.
— Both the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend that people consume at least two servings of seafood each week. But, while Americans consume annually more than 80 pounds of beef and 60 pounds of chicken per capita, shrimp – the nation’s most-popular seafood – rings in at a mere 3.8 pounds per individual.*
* Per capita consumption of beef and chicken is courtesy of the USDA and reflects the 2011 calendar year, the most recent complete beef and poultry data available. Per capita consumption of shrimp is courtesy of NOAA and reflects the 2012 calendar year, the most recent complete seafood data available.
Here is a handy summary of different sizes of shrimp. I want to try some of those colossal ones! 🙂
This grilled cheese was a hit with the whole family, including a dinner guest! Thing 1 had a friend over who didn’t mind being included with the rest of the family as a guinea pig for this new recipe. I am pleased to report that he really liked it!
Thing 2 rating = 
(4 biscuits out of 5 ). Since this recipe is so easy, and everyone likes it, this is definitely going on the list to serve again and again!
Zingy Shrimp Grilled Cheese
Print RecipeIngredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound small shrimp
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay spice (add more or less to taste)
- 12 slices of bread (I used a multi-grain variety)
- Buttery spread or butter
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 1/2 cups shredded monterey jack/colby blend
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a skillet.
- Add the shrimp, paprika, and Old Bay and cook until the shrimp is pink and cooked. Set aside.
- Butter one side of each of the 12 slices of bread with the buttery spread.
- Place 6 of the slices butter side down on a baking sheet.
- Distribute the spinach across the 6 slices, then distribute the cooked shrimp, then then the shredded cheese.
- Place the remaining 6 slices of bread on top, buttered side up.
- Bake in the oven for 6-8 minutes, then flip the sandwiches and bake about 6 minutes more, until the sandwiches are golden brown and crispy. (Alternatively, you can grill them on the stove top on a griddle or in a skillet).
Notes
Nutrition
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Julia
March 17, 2014 at 12:30 pmHello! I am featuring your Zingy Shrimp Grilled Cheese on my Tasty Tuesday hop tomorrow! Make sure you come back over and grab a featured button and link up some more great recipes!
Julia @ Mini Van Dreams
Sarah Fuller
March 14, 2014 at 8:00 pmI sure love shrimp, so I am definitely intrigued by this recipe. Pinning.
Jess
March 13, 2014 at 10:09 pmThis looks amazing!!
Thanks for joining the Link Up this week!
Angel
March 13, 2014 at 9:55 pmWoW! I want one now. This sandwich looks awesome. I’ve got to make this! Thanks for sharing your recipe at Wake Up Wednesday Linky Party.
Angel
Ashley @ 3 Little Greenwoods
March 13, 2014 at 9:29 pmOoooo. This looks so good. Pinning!
Bernadette
March 7, 2014 at 9:28 amThanks so much Kristin! I can’t wait to try this recipe. It is perfect for Fridays during Lent. I also like that I can finish the meal in the oven rather than standing over the stove. I think this grilled cheese would be a fabulous appetizer as well.
Kristin King
March 8, 2014 at 6:35 pmHi Bernadette! Your son is actually Thing 1’s friend I mentioned in my post, not sure if you were aware of that! 🙂 I was a little nervous about serving an experimental recipe to a guest, but he was such a good sport and so gracious. And I think he really did like it, so if you try the recipe, you know you will have at least one kid enjoy it! 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by!
lynn buttedal
March 7, 2014 at 8:38 amyummy shrimp grilled cheese!
Jersey Girl Cooks
March 6, 2014 at 2:56 pmLove this grown up grilled cheese that my daughter will love too. My picky eater son will probably not eat this but that means more for the rest of the family…lol.
Kristin King
March 8, 2014 at 6:36 pmHaha! I totally relate, sometimes when my picky eater doesn’t like something I am kind of glad because there is more for the rest of us! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, Lisa!
Shannon @ MamaMusing Online
March 4, 2014 at 9:17 pmI’m a huge shrimp fan, but my husband is not. But he does love grilled cheese, so I’m going to surprise him and try this!
Kristin King
March 8, 2014 at 6:41 pmGood luck! I hope he likes it! 🙂
Lisa @ ShopGirlDaily.com
March 4, 2014 at 8:33 pmWow. I can’t believe I’ve never thought to put shrimp on a grilled cheese before! I love shrimp and I love cheese so this seems like a no brainer!
miss messy
March 4, 2014 at 5:58 pmWhy have I never put shrimp in grilled cheese before? This sounds amazing 🙂
Marion@Life Tastes Good
March 3, 2014 at 2:06 pmGreat idea! I love shrimp and I love grilled cheese!! Why not put them together?! No reason! stumbled 🙂
Edward Antrobus
March 2, 2014 at 10:00 pmOf course, shrimp has a few reasons why it’s per-capita consumption is so low compared to beef and chicken. 1) There are a lot of people with shellfish allergies. My wife is one. Luckily, I never really developed a taste for it so I don’t miss it like I miss other foods she can’t eat or doesn’t like. The other reason is, of course that it’s really expensive compared to warm-blooded animals. Chicken and ground beef are under $3/lb and even NY Strip is just $6 while shrimp is $9/lb
Kristin King
March 3, 2014 at 8:49 pmYes, that is very true! The price factor is one of the reasons we don’t enjoy shrimp more often! 🙂
Denise
March 2, 2014 at 8:25 pmKristin, Such a great grown up grill cheese! Can’t wait to try this one. Pinning the recipe and the shrimp graphic. I know I will use that information over and over. Thanks!