Shrimp and Cheddar Oatmeal

3.50 from 2 votes

Savory oatmeal featuring shrimp, cheddar, and bacon. A delicious way to start the day!

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Breakfast, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Place bacon slice in a cold pan. Set over low-medium heat and slowly cook. As bacon starts to curl, turn over and cook on the other side. Continue to cook and turn over, as needed until bacon is browned to your desired level of crispness. As the bacon cooks, it will render fat. Keep rendered fat to cook shrimp. Transfer cooked bacon to a paper towel lined plate and allow to slightly cool.
In the same pan you cooked bacon, add 1 Tbsp of reserved bacon fat. Set over medium heat. Once pan is hot, add garlic. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add shrimp. Season with salt and pepper. Allow to cook on one side 45-60 seconds. As shrimp starts to get pink, flip over to the other side. Cook for another 45-60 seconds until shrimp is pink. Remove from heat.
Pour oatmeal into a microwave safe container. Microwave for 2 minutes, or until warm. Add shredded cheddar cheese. Stir to combine. Transfer cheesy oatmeal to serving plate. Add cooked shrimp, crumbled bacon, and chives. Drizzle bacon oil, if desired. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Enjoy immediately.

Large shrimp should be listed as 26/30 or 26-30 pieces per pound on the packaging. Fresh or frozen shrimp are one in the same. Most "fresh" shrimp sold at markets (yes, even the fancy ones) have been frozen and thawed.
For the sake of ease, I like to use deveined, shelled shrimp. Defrost frozen shrimp overnight in the fridge. Use within 2 days of defrosting.
Any type of cheddar cheese works. I recommend aged sharp cheddar cheese. However, there are so many options to chose from. Smoked cheddar cheese, white cheddar cheese, or Vermont cheddar cheese are equally great substitutes.