Shrimp and Grits

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5 from 4 votes

Shrimp and Grits is a heavenly combination of shrimp and bacon with bell pepper and onion served over cheesy stone-ground grits.

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

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This recipe for an old southern favorite, Shrimp and Grits, is the perfect thing for a quick weeknight supper or your next Sunday brunch. It’s a heavenly combination of sauteed shrimp, bacon, bell pepper, and onion served over creamy, stone-ground grits with cheddar cheese. You’ll want to lick the plate clean and ask for a second helping!

This great old southern classic, Shrimp and Grits, is an example of low-country cooking at its absolute best. Using readily available local ingredients to produce something so mouth-watering, so delicious that it almost takes your breath away.

The recipe is thought to have originated as a breakfast dish along the Carolina coast. Most people say that it was generally unknown outside of the low country until Craig Claiborne wrote an article about it in 1985 for The New York Times. 

It may have taken an introduction from The New York Times to bring the dish to the national consciousness, but it has certainly become a sensation on its own. Even Bobby Flay, best known for open-flame grilling and southwestern cuisine, says in Bobby Flay Cooks  American, “If there is one dish that makes me want to march down Fifth Avenue waving the American flag, it’s shrimp and grits.”

Now, there are about as many recipes for this southern classic as there are cooks and this is my version. Others include mushrooms in the recipe and some prefer to serve over plain grits instead of cheese grits.

There are so many variations on the classic combination that one of the most well-known southern cooks, Nathalie Dupree, wrote an entire cookbook on the subject. She has lots of variations that I want to try!

I’ve enjoyed Shrimp and Grits in many restaurants, but the best I’ve ever had were at Blackstone’s Cafe in Beaufort, South Carolina. Maybe I was especially hungry that morning, but that serving of Shrimp and Grits was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten in my life. If you ever find yourself in that area between Savannah and Charleston, be sure to stop by Blackstone’s. You’ll be glad you did!

About the Ingredients

• Shrimp – You’ll need one pound of medium (21-25 count) shrimp, peeled, tails removed, and split lengthwise. Ask the butcher or fishmonger to peel the shrimp for you to save some time.
• Grits – Either “quick” grits (5 minute cook time) or stone-ground (longer, around 20 minute, cooking time). Never, ever, under any circumstances use instant grits. That’s just a hard no for this southerner.
• Cheddar Cheese – I prefer a sharp or extra sharp Cheddar.
• Bacon – Cut crosswise into about 1/2-inch pieces (lardons).

You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.

Equipment You’ll Find Useful

No fancy equipment is necessary for making this recipe. You’ll need a good, sharp knife, a wooden spoon, cutting board, and a skillet or saute pan.

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Combine the shrimp with the lemon juice and Tabasco. Chop the onion, green pepper, garlic, and scallions. Set aside while preparing the grits.

• Bring the water and salt to a boil in a small saucepan.
• Add the grits to the boiling water using a whisk. Using the whisk ensures that you don’t get lumps in your grits.
• Now cover the pot, lower the heat to a simmer and cook the grits according to the package directions.
• When the grits are done, stir in the butter, black pepper, and garlic powder.
• Next, add the grated cheddar and stir until well blended.
• Hold the finished grits over a very low heat until needed.

COOK’S TIP 
If you’re interested in knowing more about grits, check out my original Cheese Grits recipe post.

• In a large sauté pan over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until brown but not yet crisp.
• Without removing the bacon or bacon fat, add the onion, green pepper, and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
• Add the scallions, sprinkle the flour over the mixture and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes.
• Stir in the stock or broth and salt. Cook for a minute or two until sauce is thickened.

Add the shrimp to the sauce and cook until shrimp are opaque – no more than three minutes!

Serve

To serve, ladle a generous amount of grits into a shallow bowl and top with shrimp and sauce. Offer your guests more Tabasco to adjust the spice to their own taste.

Classic Southern Shrimp and Grits

Shrimp and Grits is a heavenly combination of shrimp and bacon with bell pepper and onion served over cheesy stone-ground grits.

5 from 4 votes

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Course: Main Dishes

Cuisine: Southern

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 333kcal

Author: Lana Stuart

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Ingredients

For the shrimp:

• ▢ 1 pound medium shrimp peeled and halved lengthwise
• ▢ Juice of a lemon
• ▢ 6 dashes Tabasco sauce
• ▢ 4 slices bacon chopped
• ▢ 1 small onion finely chopped
• ▢ ¼ green bell pepper finely chopped
• ▢ 1 clove garlic minced
• ▢ 3 tablespoons chopped scallions
• ▢ 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 cup chicken broth or stock

For the cheese grits:

• ▢ ½ cup quick-cooking grits not instant
• ▢ 2 cups water
• ▢ 2 tablespoons butter
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ couple dashes garlic powder
• ▢ 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese grated

Instructions

• Combine the shrimp with the lemon juice and Tabasco. Set aside while preparing the grits and sauce.

For the cheese grits:

• Bring the water and salt to a boil in a smallish saucepan.
• Add the grits to the boiling water using a whisk. Using the whisk ensures that you don’t get lumps in your grits.
• Now cover the pot, lower the heat to a simmer and cook the grits according to the package directions.
• When the grits are done, stir in the butter, black pepper and garlic powder.
• Next, add the grated cheddar and stir until well blended.
• Hold the finished grits over a very low heat until needed.

Finish making the shrimp and sauce:

• In a large sauté pan over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until brown but not yet crisp.
• Add the onion, green pepper and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• Add the scallions, sprinkle the flour over the mixture and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes.
• Stir in the stock or broth and salt. Cook for a minute or two until sauce is thickened.
• Add the shrimp to the sauce and cook until shrimp are opaque – no more than three minutes!
• To serve – ladle a generous amount of grits into a shallow bowl and top with shrimp and sauce.

Notes

Ingredients:

• Shrimp – You’ll need one pound of medium (21-25 count) shrimp, peeled, tails removed, and split lengthwise.
• Grits – Either “quick” grits (5 minute cook time) or stone-ground (longer, around 20 minute, cooking time).
• Cheddar Cheese – I prefer a sharp or extra sharp Cheddar.
• Bacon – Cut crosswise into • about 1/2-inch pieces (lardons)

Variations:

• For a richer finished dish, add a dash of heavy cream to the grits.
• Substitute Gruyere or Swiss cheese for the Cheddar.
• Use smoked sausage or andouille sausage in place of the bacon.
• Add a finely diced jalapeno in with the bell pepper and onions.
• Garnish with finely chopped scallions and finely diced fresh tomato.
• Stir a splash of Worcestershire sauce into the finished dish.

Storage: For the best flavor and texture, it’s always preferable to serve Shrimp and Grits piping hot and straight from the stove to the table. If you do have leftovers, you can keep them for about 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat carefully at 50% power in the microwave.

Gluten-Free: Grits are a form of ground corn, so they are naturally gluten free. To make this entire recipe gluten-free, use a gluten-free thickener in place of the flour.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1 | Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 316mg | Sodium: 1868mg | Potassium: 267mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 359IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 390mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.

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