Southern Shrimp and Grits
Southern Shrimp and Grits is a specialty in the south that is perfect for brunch or honestly, any meal of the day! Who can resist creamy, cheesy buttery grits topped with seasoned, saucy shrimp and bites of bacon? Once you make this dish, your family and friends will be asking for it again and again.
If you love delicious, hearty brunch dishes, you should check out my Fish and Grits with Gravy or Strawberry Ice Cream Pancakes next!
Creamy, buttery grits are definitely a thing in the south. The flavor of the grits in this recipe is elevated with a splash of heavy cream and freshly grated Gouda cheese. The secret to the perfect grits recipe is cooking the grits in a flavorful stock like chicken broth and adding your favorite cheese, like cheddar cheese or a tasty blend.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For The Grits
- 1 cup Quick grits
- 4 cups Chicken Stock (or vegetable stock)
- 2 tablespoons Heavy Cream
- 1/2 cup Smoked Gouda or shredded cheese of choice
- Bacon drippings
For The Shrimp Mixture
- 1 lb shrimp
- 1/2 tbsp: Bayou City Garlic Pepper & All Purpose Seasoning, onion powder, smoked paprika, creole, salt.
- 8 slices of Bacon
- 1/2 White Onion, 1/2 Green Bell Pepper, 1 stalk celery
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups Heavy cream
Topping Options
- Chopped Green onion
- Chopped Bacon
- Cooked Andouille Sausage
- Butter
- Hot Sauce
- Shredded Cheese
How To Make Southern Shrimp and Grits
Tips For Making The Best Shrimp and Grits
- Skip the water and cook the grits in broth for the best flavor. I use chicken broth, but vegetable broth also works well
- Use the quick cooking grits to make this recipe easily
- Skip the pre-shredded cheese, the flavor just isn’t as good as freshly shredded cheese. It is worth the extra minute or two to grate a block of your favorite cheese.
- Cook bacon low and slow to render the fat. The bacon fat provides so much flavor and is used as a base to cook the creamy shrimp.
- Season the shrimp before adding it to the sauce to cook. Make it spicy by adding cayenne pepper, or red crushed peppers.
FAQS
What to serve with shrimp and grits brunch?
To complete the meal, serve your shrimp and grits with homemade buttermilk biscuits, collard greens, or crispy okra.
What is the secret to good grits?
The secret to good grits is cooking them in a flavorful broth instead of water, adding a splash of heavy cream to give the grits the best creamy texture, and adding freshly grated cheese to the grits once they are cooked.
Why do people put milk in grits?
Adding milk or heavy cream to grits gives the grits an ultra-creamy luscious texture.
Storage and Rewarming
Store your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It is best to store the grits separately from the shrimp. To rewarm, heat the shrimp and grits in the microwave until warmed through.
If you love this Southern Shrimp And Grits recipe, let me know in the comments. For more delicious recipes, follow me on TikTok and Instagram!
More Delicious Fish Dishes To Try!
- Fish and Grits with Gravy (with Video)
- Garlic Butter Shrimp
- Fried Lobster Tail Corn Dog
- Creole Crawfish Boudin Balls
Southern Shrimp and Grits Recipe
Ingredients
For The Grits
- 1 cup Quick Grits
- 4 cups Chicken Broth (or vegetable broth)
- 2 tablespoons Heavy Cream
- 1/2 cup Smoked Gouda cheese, shredded or shredded cheese of choice
- Bacon drippings optional
For The Shrimp Mixture
- 1 lb Shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1/2 tablespoon Bayou City Garlic Pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon Bayou City All Purpose Seasoning
- 1/2 tablespoon Onion Powder
- 1/2 tablespoon Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon Creole Seasoning
- 8 Sliced of Bacon
- 1/2 White Onion, chopped
- 1/2 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
- 1 Celery Stalk, chopped
- 1.5 – 2 cups Heavy Cream
Topping Options
- Chopped Green Onion
- Chopped Bacon
- Hot Sauce
- Shredded Cheese
Instructions
Prepare The Shrimp
- Clean and devein the shrimp. Place it in a large bowl, season with the spices, and set aside
Make The Grits
- Bring 4 cups chicken broth to a boil and slowly stir in 1 cup grits. Lower heat to medium and cover.
- Cook for 5 minutes and then add a splash of heavy cream and about a half cup of smoked Gouda, or your choice of cheese.
- Set the grits to the side and keep covered on very low heat to keep warm.
Make The Creamy Shrimp
- Add bacon to a room temp skillet slowly adding heat and cooking until crispy. (This helps to render out the fat that we will use later)
- While the bacon is cooking chop up the onion, celery, and bell pepper.
- Once the bacon is done remove it and place on a paper towel
- Add your veggies into the skillet with the bacon fat and cook for about one minute. And then pour in heavy cream and bring to a simmer. (You want it to be semi thick, should be able to coat the back of a spoon.)
- Add in the shrimp and cook for about 6 minutes, flipping the shrimp at 3 minutes.
Assemble Your Shrimp And Grits In A Bowl
- Add your grits to a bowl and top with shrimp and sauce.
- You can chop up the cooked bacon and put on top with more of the grated Gouda cheese and some green onion! Enjoy!
