Shrimp Florentine

So much flavor is packed into one simple shrimp dinner. You can easily make it on a week night and the dinner will feel like you are eating out at a fancy restaurant!

Have you ever wondered what is “Florentine?”

Florentine, or a la Florentine, is referred to as a style of cooking that came from Florence, Italy. These dishes prominently feature spinach and cream sauce. Most often, Florentine is a preparation style for eggs, fish, and chicken.

The main ingredient that shines in every Florentine recipe is spinach. Sometimes, you will find mushrooms, artichokes, or white beans as well.

Along with spinach, there is usually a cream sauce present. Florentine dishes feature a basic béchamel white sauce but may have some simple variation such as addition of cheese. For my Florentine dishes, I like to add white wine to the sauce and give it a little French twist.

How To Make Florentine Lactose Free or Dairy Free

• Those of you who need to stay away from dairy/lactose will be happy to know that you can enjoy this Shrimp Florentine (and Salmon Florentine) and substitute heavy whipping cream. I’ve made both dishes without heavy whipping cream and both times, I barely even noticed the difference.
• To substitute heavy whipping cream, I recommend using lactose-free half and half and a little bit of cornstarch for thickening. Only a little bit of cornstarch is needed, just 1-2 teaspoons. Make sure to mix cornstarch with a splash of cold half and half or chicken stock before adding it to the pan.
• For dairy-free option, you can use unsweetened cashew creamer and almond milk. You can also try unsweetened oat creamer. (There are also plant based heavy whipping cream option you can get at stores but that is meant for whipping for desserts and I personally don’t like it in sauces.)

Can I Omit Wine?

Technically, yes this dish can be made without wine. There is no substitution that will make it taste the same so wine can be simply omitted. This will still be a delicious Shrimp Florentine, the sauce will just taste a bit different.

What To Serve With This Dish?

• Shrimp Florentine can be served over fettuccine or another pasta. (This is a great dish for anyone who loves shrimp alfredo.)
• Another wonderful and comforting addition to this dish is some fresh Italian bread or some garlic bread. It will complement the dish well and bread will help soak some of this delicious sauce.
• If you want to keep is healthier, serve it with some green vegetables like haricots verts, broccoli, or roasted brussels sprouts. Crunchy vegetables are great served in this creamy sauce.
• As a grain option, you can serve this over quinoa or farro.

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