Easy Classic Shrimp and Grits

This Classic Shrimp and Grits recipe is SO easy, SO simple, and the ULTIMATE Southern comfort food.

This classic Shrimp and Grits recipe is easy to make and is such delicious Southern comfort food! The cheesy grits are cheap and gluten free, and make an excellent base for the flavorful shrimp and crumbled bacon.

Shrimp and grits is a Southern staple. It originated in the Lowcountry of the South Carolina coast, during the season when shrimp were plentiful. It’s traditionally a breakfast dish, but I ate it for dinner. Other Southern regions have developed their versions of shrimp and grits- for example, you can find blackened shrimp and grits in New Orleans.

In this version, the grits are cooked with milk, butter, and chicken broth, with cheese melted in at the end. The shrimp is cooked in bacon fat and then mixed with a buttery sauce, then served on top of the grits with crumbled bacon and green onions. It’s so insanely delicious!

I love the simplicity of this recipe. Often, shrimp and grits recipes are made with peppers and onions, or with blackening seasoning for extra flavor. When it comes to comfort food, I like mine to be simple.

This version of shrimp and grits keeps things simple. I used salt and pepper only for seasoning, with a garnish of green onions at the end. The smoky bacon flavor stands out and the chicken stock and butter makes it super savory and creamy tasting.

First, let’s talk about the grits.

I used stone-ground yellow grits to make these classic shrimp and grits. You can use white if you want, and they are more traditional- the only reason I used yellow is because it’s the only thing my grocery store had. I DO recommend that you use stone ground, however.

Stone ground grits are classic. They are the steel cut oats of the grit world. The texture has some bite to it, and the flavor is, for lack of a better word, super “corny.”

They do, however, take longer to cook than quick cooking grits or instant grits. If you are pressed for time, you can certainly use one of these as a substitute.

Here’s my time-saving trick for cooking up these delicious grits: you don’t have to whisk them continuously. Some traditional Southern cooks may be rolling in their graves right now. Many people think that you do have to whisk or stir them for almost the entire cooking time.

The thought is that the more you whisk the grits, the more starch is released, and the creamier the grits become. Kind of like when you cook risotto. And while this may be true, I find that grits will get creamy no matter what, and it’s not worth the labor of constantly attending to them.

Instead, I whisk them every 5 minutes or so during the 15-20 minute cooking time. This allows plenty of time to prepare the shrimp portion of the shrimp and grits!

First of all, while we’re on the subject of what’s worth the time and what’s not, I recommend buying already peeled and deveined shrimp.

I spent a good 20 minutes peeling and deveining the shrimp myself, after which my hands smelled bad and I had a bunch of shrimp peels that were left to rot away in the garbage in my hot Texas summer garage. (Although, you CAN save the peels to boil to make seafood stock, if you want.)

You can save a bit of money buying shrimp with the peels on, but I don’t think it’s worth it. The grits are so cheap, so spend a little more money on some already peeled and deveined shrimp.

I DO recommend buying large or jumbo shrimp. They are easier to cook, and have a meatier texture that holds up well with the creamy soft grits. And I think the flavor is better, since they are harder to overcook.

Just cook up some bacon until it’s crispy, then remove it from the pan and chop it up when it’s cool. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, and sauté it in the bacon fat.

And now – here’s what makes it REALLY good – add a bit of butter and some more chicken stock to the shrimp. The butter will melt into everything and the chicken stock will help deglaze the pan, making a super flavorful sauce to spoon over the grits. SO GOOD!

When all is done, serve the shrimp mixture over the grits, making sure to spoon some of that delicious pan sauce over everything. Then, top it off with the chopped bacon and some sliced green onions. This is a dish best eaten immediately- see my notes below for my recommendations for making in advance or reheating leftovers.

Whenever I’m in need of comfort food, I know I can always count on Southern cuisine to fulfill my needs. Like this Southern Style Oven-Fried Catfish, or these Southern Style Green Beans.

Here’s the printable recipe for this Easy, Classic Shrimp and Grits!

Easy Classic Shrimp and Grits

Author: Elizabeth
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Category: Dinner
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups chicken broth, divided
2 cups whole milk
4 tablespoons butter, divided
3/4 cup stone-ground grits
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 strips bacon
1 lb. large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
kosher salt and black pepper
thinly sliced green onions, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Bring 2 cups chicken broth, the milk, 3 tablespoons butter, and a pinch of salt to a gentle boil in a medium sized pot. Add the grits and whisk together. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until grits are fully cooked, soft, and creamy, whisking again every 5 minutes or so.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon strips until crispy in a nonstick or cast iron skillet. Set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Once cool, chop into small pieces.
Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease from the skillet.
Rinse the shrimp with cold water and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper. Cook in the bacon grease until only just cooked- about 2 minutes per side.
Add the remaining tablespoon butter and 1/2 cup chicken broth to the shrimp and stir until melted and broth is heated.
When grits are finished cooking, remove from heat and stir in the cheese until melted.
Serve the shrimp mixture over the grits, making sure to spoon some of the liquid from the skillet over the grits, and sprinkle with the bacon pieces and sliced green onions. Serve immediately.

Notes

This recipe is best served right away, since shrimp get rubbery from reheating and grits turn more solid after they cool. If you have leftovers, the grits can be reheated on the stovetop with some extra water to break them up, whisking them as they reheat. Heat the shrimp only for a few seconds in the microwave- as little as possible. Or, enjoy the leftover grits plain and add the cold cooked leftover shrimp to a salad to prevent overcooking.
You can use water instead of chicken broth to cook the grits.
To save time, you can use quick cooking grits instead of stone-ground (but the texture will be different).
I used yellow grits, since it’s all I could find. You can use white if you want to!
I do my best to provide accurate nutrition information for my recipes, but I am not a nutritionist. The provided nutrition information is my best estimate. It does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. Feel free to calculate it yourself using this calculator or by adding the recipe to Yummly.

Nutrition

Calories: 637
Sugar: 7 g
Sodium: 1364 mg
Fat: 33.7 g
Saturated Fat: 18.4 g
Carbohydrates: 35.7 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 45.4 g
Cholesterol: 255 mg

Keywords: seafood, shrimp, grits, southern, gluten free, real food

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