Shrimp and Grits
This delicious homemade Shrimp and Grits recipe starts with perfectly creamy and flavorful grits topped with fresh shrimp and a delicious sauce.
Servings: 5
Calories: 480kcal
Cost: 10
Ingredients
Grits:
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (948g)
- 1 cup stone ground grits (173g)
- 3 Tablespoons butter , room temperature
- 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese (113g), optional, or 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- Kosher salt , to taste
Shrimp and Sauce:
- 9 slices bacon , chopped
- 1 1/5 lb large shrimp , peeled and deveined
- 3 Tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup chopped onion (40g)
- ½ green bell pepper , chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (355g), or shrimp broth
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper , or more, to taste
- Kosher salt , to taste
Garnish:
- 3 green onions , chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley (20g)
- fresh-squeezed lemon juice , from half a lemon
Instructions
- Cook Grits: Bring broth to a boil. Once boiling, whisk the broth as you slowly pour the grits in, to prevent clumping. Return to a boil, then stir, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid then cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring every few minutes to make sure they’re not sticking to the bottom of the pot, until water is absorbed. They will be thickened and tender, but should be soft, smooth and not overly thick/pasty.4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 cup stone ground grits
- Season Grits: Stir in butter until melted. Stir in cheese, or heavy cream. Taste and season with salt, if needed.3 Tablespoons butter, 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese, Kosher salt
- Cook Bacon: While grits are cooking, add bacon slices to a skillet. Turn heat to medium and cook for several minutes, stirring often, until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy. Remove bacon to a plate.9 slices bacon
- Cook Shrimp: Turn heat to medium high and add shrimp to the pan with bacon grease. Cook for 1-2 minutes, just until the bottoms start to turn pink, then flip to the other side and cook an additional 1-2 minutes (don’t overcook the shrimp). Remove shrimp to a plate and cover to keep warm.1 1/5 lb large shrimp
- Cook Gravy Sauce: Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the pan. Once butter is melted, add chopped onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the pan and sauté for 2 minutes, until tender. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Slowly stir in 1 1/2 cups chicken broth. Add Cajun seasoning, old bay seasoning, and cayenne pepper. Cook until sauce is thickened to gravy consistency. Taste and add salt or other seasonings if needed, to taste.1/4 cup chopped onion, ½ green bell pepper, 3 cloves garlic, 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, Kosher salt, 3 Tablespoon butter
- Remove from heat and add shrimp and bacon back to the pan.
- Serve: Place a large spoonful of grits (about ¾ cup) onto a plate, smoothing into an even layer. Add a spoonful of shrimp and gravy on top. Garnish with green onions, fresh parsley, and squeeze a little lemon juice on top.3 green onions, 1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley, fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- Store leftover grits in the fridge for up to 5 days. Enjoy leftover shrimp within 2 days.
Video
Notes
Cheese: if using, use freshly shredded cheese and allow it to come to room temperature before adding.
Grits: for instant/quick grits, follow cooking instructions on package.
Slow Cooker Grits: Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Add broth and grits to the pot. Cook on low for 6-7 hours. Stir in butter and cream or cheese.
Best Grits to use:
- Stone Ground Grits are the best for making southern grits. They're less processed, richer flavor, and take slightly longer to cook. If not at our local store, buy them on Amazon.
- Hominy Grits (Regular Grits) are the most common grits at nationwide supermarkets. They will work for this recipe but the flavor won't be as rich since the outer shell was removed in processing. They're ground finer and will cook quicker.
- Instant Grits I don't recommend for shrimp and grits (they've been pre-cooked and dehydrated and have a weak flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 480kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 196mg | Sodium: 991mg | Potassium: 511mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1611IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 256mg | Iron: 2mg
Recipe Link
Recipe Video
