Being such a classic Southern dish, it may conjure up expectations of needing to spend long hours in the kitchen, but in reality, it’s so easy to make. Instead, this comfort food staple is ready in 30 minutes and made with beginner-friendly techniques. My shrimp and cheesy grits recipe is begging to be made for your next family meal, dinner party, or to satisfy when your next craving hits. For more Cajun-inspired recipes, check out my shrimp boil recipe, blackened salmon recipe, and Cajun chicken pasta recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Stone-Ground Grits – true to their name, stone ground grits are made from dried corn that is ground between grist mill stones, making them nutty and maintaining the deep corn flavor. Opt for either yellow or white stone ground grits. Instant grits (also known as quick grits) are processed so they cook faster, removing parts of the corn kernel that contain flavor and heartiness. Because of this, I recommend against using them unless that is all you have on hand. Adjust the cooking time to the package directions if doing so. Shredded Cheddar Cheese – for an extra cheesy flavor, use extra sharp cheddar cheese. Alternatively, classic shredded cheddar cheese or even shredded sharp white cheddar cheese shine in this recipe. Bacon – chop the bacon into similar-sized pieces so it cooks up evenly and crisps perfectly. Regular-cut bacon is great for this recipe, but thick-cut can also work, as it adds an extra meaty texture. You will only need 3 pieces of bacon if using a thick-cut bacon. Shrimp – choose raw or uncooked peeled and deveined large or jumbo shrimp. These can often be found at the fish counter in most major grocery stores, or you can also defrost frozen raw shrimp found in the freezer section. Cajun Seasoning – storebought Cajun seasoning is great for this recipe, though you can also use homemade for convenience of if you’d like to adjust the amount of heat in the blend. While technically a different blend of spices with a similar flavorful profile, you can use Creole seasoning instead. Add some hot sauce or cayenne pepper for extra heat if desired. Chicken Broth – make Cajun shrimp and grits with low-sodium chicken broth if possible as it allows you to control the salt. If using full-sodium broth or full-sodium chicken stock, just reduce the added salt in the recipe by a pinch.
How to Make Shrimp and Grits
- Bring the water and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan or pot. Slowly whisk in the grits. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often, for 20-25 minutes, or until the grits have thickened and absorbed most of the liquid.
- While the grits are cooking, cook the bacon over medium heat in a large skillet until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain it on paper towels.
- Add the chopped bell pepper to the bacon grease and sauté over medium heat for about 4 minutes, or until tender.
- As soon as the grits have finished cooking, remove them from the heat and stir in the butter and the cheese until creamy and melted. Cover the grits and keep warm.
- Add the shrimp, green onions, garlic, Cajun seasoning, and salt to the skillet with the sautéed bell pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
- Stir the chicken broth into the skillet and simmer for 5 minutes, increasing the heat to medium-high if necessary to bring the broth to a simmer.
- Stir the cooked bacon and lemon juice into the skillet with the shrimp mixture.
- Spoon the shrimp over the grits and garnish with parsley, if desired.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
Stir the grits frequently while cooking. This will prevent the grits from burning on the bottom of the pan. Stirring is especially important during the end of the cooking time, as the grits are more prone to scorching as they get thicker. Make the Grits Extra Creamy and Rich. If desired, you can add an extra luscious and indulgent finish to the grits by stirring in ¼ cup heavy cream along with the cheddar cheese and butter, or replace half of the broth with whole milk during cooking. Don’t Throw Out the Bacon Grease. Not only does bacon fat add rich depth to the shrimp and sauce, but it also helps prevent the bell pepper and shrimp from sticking to the skillet. Don’t Overcook the Shrimp. Prep the sauce ingredients ahead of time so you can add them as soon as the recipe calls for, preventing overcooking the shrimp. Additionally, cook the shrimp and seasonings for only 1 minute before pouring in the chicken broth. They will hardly turn pink by this point but will cook the rest of the way in the simmering broth.
If you’ve tried this shrimp and grits recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
