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Fish, Italy

Shrimp alla busara with polenta

Shrimp alla busara with polenta is a dish of shrimp simmered in a white wine tomato sauce with garlic, served over creamy polenta. This Italian recipe serves 4, takes 35 minutes, is easy to make, and costs €4.20 per serving. The key is cooking the shrimp briefly so they stay tender, and toasting the breadcrumbs well to thicken the sauce.

Head to the Adriatic with shrimp alla busara, simmered in a white wine tomato sauce, with creamy polenta to soak it all up.

Shrimp alla busara with polenta
Total time
35 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€4.20
Calories per person
680 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring

Here, the white wine tomato sauce gets its body from garlicky toasted breadcrumbs, an old trick that works without cream or flour. The shrimp cook just until pink, staying tender and keeping their sea flavor. The creamy polenta, buttered at the end, soaks up this fragrant sauce and turns the dish into a full meal you eat with a spoon.

It's a weeknight dish that feels different from the usual routine without any real effort, ready in 35 minutes with simple steps. It also works for a casual weekend dinner with guests, since it looks more impressive than the four easy steps it actually takes. Mon Chou walks you through it so the polenta turns out smooth and the shrimp are cooked just right, which makes all the difference.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Raw peeled shrimp 600 g

Pantry

  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Dry white wine 15 cl
  • Breadcrumbsoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Espelette pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Instant polentaoften in the pantry 250 g
  • Wateroften in the pantry 1 l
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Flat leaf parsley 1 sprigs

Dairy

  • Butter 30 g

Allergens Shellfish, Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Heat the oil with the chopped garlic and chili pepper, add the breadcrumbs and let them toast for a minute. 2 min

    Watch closely, breadcrumbs go from golden to burnt in just a few seconds.

  2. Pour in the white wine and let it reduce by half, then add the tomatoes and let simmer. 12 min

    The wine needs to lose its alcohol smell before you add the tomatoes.

  3. Meanwhile, bring salted water to a boil, whisk in the polenta in a steady stream, cook according to the package, then stir in the butter. 5 min

    Pour it in slowly while whisking, that's the key to lump free polenta.

  4. Add the shrimp to the sauce and cook until pink, then sprinkle with parsley. 4 min

    Pull them off the heat as soon as they change color, residual heat finishes the job.

  5. Spoon the polenta into shallow bowls and top with the shrimp and sauce.

    Pour the sauce into the center of the polenta, it forms a nice little nest.

Our tips to get it right

  • Use raw, peeled shrimp on the larger side, they hold up better to the short cooking time and stay firm.
  • If the sauce looks too thin, let it simmer another minute or two before adding the shrimp, the breadcrumbs will thicken it as it sits.
  • Taste the polenta before plating, it should be soft but hold its shape on a spoon, stir in a little hot water if it thickened too much while waiting.

The variations

  • Swap the shrimp for mussels or a mixed seafood blend for a different taste of the sea.
  • For an alcohol free version, replace the white wine with vegetable broth and a splash of lemon juice.
  • For kids, skip the Espelette pepper and serve the polenta and sauce separately so everyone can adjust their own plate.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of the same dry white wine
  • A simple green salad with olive oil
  • Crusty bread for soaking up the sauce

Storage

Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 1 to 2 days, the shrimp won't keep as well as the sauce alone. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat, without boiling, so the shrimp don't turn rubbery. The polenta freezes well, but cooked shrimp lose texture, so they're best eaten fresh.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the tomato sauce ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the sauce up through the simmering step and keep it in the fridge for a day. Reheat it gently before adding the raw shrimp, so they cook at the right moment.

What kind of shrimp works best for this recipe?

Raw, peeled shrimp, fresh or frozen then thawed, work very well here. Avoid pre-cooked shrimp, they'll turn rubbery when cooked a second time.

Can you use regular polenta instead of instant polenta?

Yes, but it takes longer to cook, around 40 minutes instead of 5. Follow the package instructions and adjust the water amount if needed.

Why add breadcrumbs to the sauce?

Toasted breadcrumbs with garlic slightly thicken the sauce without using cream or flour. It's a classic trick from Trieste, where this dish comes from.

How long does it take to make shrimp alla busara with creamy polenta?

Count 35 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in shrimp alla busara with creamy polenta?

About 680 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does shrimp alla busara with creamy polenta cost?

About €4.20 per serving, or €16.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains shellfish, gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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