When I'm in the mood for comfort food, shrimp and grits is one of my favorite go to's. This southern style recipe is creamy and rich, and ticks all of the right boxes.
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The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.
I live in the South and have had all kinds of shrimp and grits. Let's just say shrimp and grits are a firm favorite of mine, and this is my go-to recipe! Cheesy and creamy grits are served with fresh shrimp, cooked in a rich and flavorful tomato sauce for one delicious bite.
Straight forward to make from scratch, this is an explosion of all your favorite flavors; shrimp, bacon, and cheese. What's not to love?!
Be sure to check out my Instant Pot Grits with Cheddar and Jalapeño and Ninja Foodi Fish and Grits too!
How to make Southern style shrimp and grits
- Gather your ingredients.
Make the grits
- Add heavy cream, water, grits, butter, and salt to a medium sized heavy bottom pot, over medium-high heat, and whisk to combine.
- Once the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat to low and cover with a tight fitting lid.
- Continue cooking over low heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The grits are done when the majority of liquid has been absorbed and the grits are nice and creamy.
- Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheese. Set aside.
For the shrimp
- While grits are cooking, season the shrimp with a little salt and pepper (about 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper) and set aside.
- Place bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook bacon until it becomes crispy, flipping halfway. Remove bacon from skillet. Drain the bacon drippings from the skillet, leaving behind about 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings in the pan. Return the pan to the heat.
- Add onion and bell pepper and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until the onions have softened.
- Add the fire roasted tomatoes, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes and stir to combine.
- Then add the shrimp to the skillet in the sauce, in a single layer, and cook for 3 minutes per side.
- Cook until shrimp is pink and cooked through. Remove from heat.
Plate the Shrimp and Grits
- In each bowl, place grits in the bottom of the bowl. Top with the shrimp mixture, then top with bacon and chopped green onions. Serve and enjoy.
Can you make it ahead of time?
Grits are best served as soon as they are made, as this is when they are at their creamiest, but leftovers will keep well for a couple of days and can be reheated in a pot on low heat with about a cup of boiling water whisked into it. The shrimp are best cooked and served straight away too, but leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days and can also be reheated on low heat on the stovetop.
Can you use frozen shrimp?
I prefer to use defrosted shrimp as I find they have a much better texture, but you can use frozen if you have those on hand. Thaw them fully and pat them dry to remove excess moisture before seasoning and cooking.
What are grits?
Grits are similar to polenta and they are made from stone-ground dried corn. When cooked, slowly in water, they release their starch and become super creamy and porridge-like. When cheese is added to the mix, they get extra tasty!
Make sure to buy stone-ground grits for this recipe. I don't recommend quick-cooking grits for this recipe. Trust me with this, stone-ground will give the creamiest, heartiest, and most comforting bowl of grits.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- If planning ahead, you can soak the grits in the water overnight. Don't drain them, just pop the pot right on the stove and the released starch gets them extra creamy. They also cook a little quicker too using this method.
- These grits are Southern style because of the added cheese in the grits and bacon spinkled on top. You don't have to add the cheese or the bacon, but it really does elevate the dish.
- Take care not to overcook the shrimp, they only need a few minutes each side to cook through.
More Shrimp Recipes
Southern Style Shrimp and Grits
Ingredients
For the grits
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cup water
- 1 cup stone ground grits
- 2 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
For the shrimp
- 1 lb medium sized shrimp peeled and deveined
- 4 pieces of bacon chopped
- ½ of a sweet onion chopped, about ½ cup
- ½ of a green bell pepper chopped, about ½ cup
- 1 15 oz can of fire roasted diced tomatoes undrained
- 1 Tablespoon sour cream
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 green onion chopped
Instructions
Make the grits:
- Add heavy cream, water, grits, butter, and salt to a medium sized heavy bottom pot, over medium-high heat, and whisk to combine.
- Once the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat to low and cover with a tight fitting lid.
- Continue cooking over low heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The grits are done when the majority of liquid has been absorbed and the grits are nice and creamy.
- Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheese. Set aside.
For the shrimp:
- While grits are cooking, season the shrimp with a little salt and pepper (about 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper) and set aside.
- Place bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook bacon until it becomes crispy, flipping halfway. Remove bacon from skillet. Drain the bacon drippings from the skillet, leaving behind about 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings in the pan. Return the pan to the heat.
- Add onion and bell pepper and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until the onions have softened. Add the fire roasted tomatoes, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes and stir to combine.
- Add shrimp to skillet in the sauce, in a single layer, and cook for 3 minutes per side, until shrimp is pink and cooked through. Remove from heat.
To plate:
- In each bowl, place grits in the bottom of the bowl. Top with the shrimp mixture, then top with bacon and chopped green onions. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- If planning ahead, you can soak the grits in the water overnight. Don't drain them, just pop the pot right on the stove and the released starch gets them extra creamy. They also cook a little quicker too using this method.
- These grits are Southern style because of the added cheese and bacon. You don't have to add the cheese or the bacon, but it really does elevate them.
- Take care not to overcook the shrimp, they only need a few minutes each side to cook through.
- For creamier and richer grits, use 3 cups heavy cream and 1 cup water in grits recipe.
Conni says
Have tried many of your recipes and found them to be very good. Two questions, if I may. Could you use precooked shrimp, and do you have a recipe for fried grit cakes with a spicy cheese sauce over them? Have a great day.
Tanya says
Thanks Conni. You can use precooked shrimp, but I would add them after allowing the sauce to cook for a while, about 5 minutes, and then add the shrimp until warmed through. I don't have a recipe for a fried grit cake yet, but sounds delicious.
Bill in StL says
Great recipe Tanya ... thanks for posting. Another cheese to try that I really like (maybe even better than cheddar IMO) is Smoked Gouda.
Tanya says
Thanks for the suggestion Bill. That sounds delicious!
Faith says
Can this be made without the fire roasted tomatoes and red peppers? if so, what should be added in it's place? we cannot do spicy foods here.
Tanya says
Hi Faith, yes it can. The fire roasted tomatoes don't make it spicy but you can use plain diced tomatoes if you prefer. Also, feel free to leave the red pepper flakes out.
April says
The grits were awesome! I used regular whipping 2 cups and 2 cups water and the grits turned out so creamy and delicious! Thank you for the recipe.
Tanya says
Thank you April! So happy you liked the recipe 🙂
MaryAnn Coy says
This probably sounds weird, but I was thinking of trying this with chicken or cod? I have a deadly allergy to shrimp (confirmed by experience and testing), so that’s out. I can eat clams and mussels, but I think the flavor and mouth feel of chicken or a white ocean fish, would suit better. Perhaps with some Old Bay Seasoning in additions. It is similar to some Italian dishes served with Polenta.
Tanya says
Hi MaryAnn, I think the cod would work best here. I do fish and grits often, and the tender flakiness of it goes well with the grits.
William Horsley says
I think it helps to add a few dashes of Tabasco to the grits when you add the cheese. Sometimes, I'll substitute pancetta cubes for the bacon, but not usually. Bacon rules!
Mary Meyer says
Love shrimp cooked any way it can be.
Tanya says
Same here Mary 🙂
Stephanie says
Thanks Tanya! I made this last night for dinner for my family. The shrimp was flavorful and these were the creamiest grits ever -- real Special Occasion comfort food!
(Not only that. Your recipe was easy to follow, and your commentary was fun.)
Tanya says
Thanks so much Stephanie! So glad you liked the recipe 🙂
Patricia says
Thank you so much. I was waiting for a recipe for shrimp and grits. It looks delicious. I can’t wait to try this.
Randy Brock says
That's an awesome recipe! I like just a little bit of a roue stirred in,just my way. You can keep your Grits warm by setting Grits pot in a Deep skillet with water and they are pretty hard to mess up!
Tanya says
I love that tip Randy! Thanks so much 🙂