Oh, good heavens, how I love shrimp and grits. They’re a revelation. They’re packed with an unbelievably delicious combination of completely fantastic flavors. Spicy. Cheesy. Bacon. Wow. To put it simply, shrimp and grits are just plain awesome. It’s one of our favorites!
You’ll need grits.
And a chicken bouillon cube, to flavor the grits. Or these chicken bouillon granules, which I prefer, because I don’t have to unwrap a cube.
Some cajun seasoning for the shrimp. Don’t be shy with the seasoning here. The spiciness of the shrimp goes wonderfully with the coolness of the cheesy grits.
Bacon. We are loving this thick-sliced bacon from Wright. Pick some up if you see it at the store next time, let me know how you like it! Here’s the quick and easy way I cook my bacon (in the oven, about 15 minutes each side).
You’ll need some scallions.
And garlic. And some lemon juice, too.
And after you cook the bacon, be sure to reserve a few tablespoons of the bacon grease to fry the shrimp in. You’ll be glad you did.
Shrimp and Grits
2 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes or 2 tsp chicken bouillon granules
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup quick grits
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined, without tails
cajun seasoning
4 slices thick cut bacon
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1 garlic clove, minced
Arrange bacon on a cooling rack (like for cookies) and set the rack on a sheet pan (something with a lip all the way around). Place the bacon in a cold oven, then turn the oven on to 400 degrees F. Cook the bacon for 15 mins on each side, or until done. Chop into 4 slices into bite-sized pieces and reserve the bacon grease from the bottom of the pan.
In a medium saucepan, bring water, bouillon, butter and grits to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 7 mins, until grits and thickened and tender. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of the bacon grease to a medium skillet over medium high heat. Season the shrimp with plenty of cajun seasoning. Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook until the shrimp turn pink, about 1 minute per side. Lower the heat to medium and add the bacon scallions, garlic, and squeeze in some lemon juice. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until the garlic and scallions are softened and the shrimp are done.
Serve the grits in bowl and top with the shrimp. Enjoy!
Makes 2 servings.
Make for: Dinner / Main Dish
Tags: 30 Minutes or Less, bacon, cheese, Quick and Easy, seafood
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42 Comments
Looks yummy and I have never been a grits fan!
Huge grits fan, huge shrimp fan…I see something yummy in my future :) Thanks for the great recipe!
Spicy, salt, cheesy – it just doesn’t get any better than that. Great dish, Amanda!
I think I’ve only had grits once in my life. I need to change that!
Bring on the shrimp and grits! I am a huge grit fan!! YUM!
Ohhhhh, gonna try this with cut up chicken breast. We have a seafood allergy in our house, but I must try this!
Love your version. The shrimp & grits I ordered in Savannah (at Uncle Bubba’s restaurant) was so rich and creamy that I was only able to take a few bites. This looks way more appetizing!
Amanda, I NEVER had grits, but I am going to try this recipe for sure1 It looks and sounds “delish”!! :o)
Looks and sounds amazing. Can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing Amanda.
I’m a huge grits fan and love shrimp and grits, but have never tried making it myself. This looks like a simple recipe with divine results!
This looks soooo good. I can’t wait to try it!
Oh, yum!
Errr … what are grits??? Is it like polenta? The shrimps look delicious, I’ll definitely be trying them.
Thank you for posting this. I have had some instant grits on my shelf for a couple of years. (I guess I should check the expiration date!!) Every time I try to fix them for breakfast my husband doesn’t want them. Fixing them for dinner is a novel idea!
I’ve never ever had grits! This looks lovely. I’m allergic to shrimp – found out the hard way – I love it though, so it’s so fun to look at recipe photos like these and dream about it. :)
I had never had grits until moving to the South 5 years ago. I actually do not like them UNLESS they are with shrimp! I cook our grits with milk, it gives them a nice creamy taste! :-)
I love shrimp and grits! My hubby doesn’t like grits so we rarely have it, but I should totally make it for myself for lunch this week. Thanks for the inspiration! :-)
I love shrimp and grits! Adding a chipotle pepper in adobo to the shrimp while cooking adds a nice spice! Thanks for sharing!
oh goodness…this looks delicious! love the new look of the site!!
Mmmmmmmmmmmm Shrimp and Grits. Love Em! Can’t get them anywhere near where we live, so my husband and I always make it a point to stop at Pueleo’s on our way to visit our daughter and son-in-law. We split the Shrimp and Grits and Fried Green Tomatoes on a bed of grits and gravy. OMG my mouth is watering! They have the best we have ever tasted! I have tried making them from several different recipes, but never get that taste I am looking for. Gonna give your recipe a try this weekend.
This recipe looks delicious, more’s the pity I haven’t got a clue what grits are and you sure as heck can’t buy them in the UK which is where I am.. can you explain ?? is it fried bacon ?? It looks so mouthwatering good I’d love to know!!!
Grits = Polenta. Do you guys have polenta? :)
We love shrimp and grits.Southern folks are blessed to have the best food in the world and I’ll be making these monkeys this weekend.Thank you!
I love shrimp and grits! Yours looks perfect!
I’ve never had shrimp and grits before because it never looked appetizing to me….until now! Looks incredible!
That looks very yummy…and might I mention, Pro! Most of us out here in Utah don’t even know or even heard of grits. But now I’m about to have my boys try this dish! :)
Just wanted to let you know I made this dish last week, and my husband loved it. He was VERY doubtful about the grits beforehand, but he ate it all. I made it pretty spicy, and it was so good with the cheesy grits. YUM!
I had Shrimp and Grits several years ago in a seafood restaurant and loved it. I have wanted to try making it since that time but was a bit apprehensive. After my daughter shared your site with me today, I decided it was time to take a chance. I’m so glad I did! I will definitely be making this for my family again!
try making the grits with milk or part milk/water – also try using cornmeal making what we used to call ‘mush’ and now is polenta. Yummmm
Looks dreamy.. makes me wish I was in New Orleans right now!!! That and a good ole bloody Mary… Good to GO! Thanks for the recipe!
I’m an Idaho girl who fell in love with grits on a trip to North Carolina. However, my family has not been so fond of them… until now! We all gobbled this up! I’m pretty sure it had everything to do with the cheese & bacon! LOL! Thanks for a great recipe, Amanda!
when reading the comments above, it sure is not hard to tell who is from the South and who is not…….gonna have Shrimp & Grits tonight using this recipe
This was OMG delish! The Cheese Grits alone were divine ( did use 1 can of evaporated milk and enough water to make 2 cups instead of plain water). I am so enjoying trying your recipes…thanks for sharing with the rest of us.
Fantastic recipe – I just made it and I am in hog heaven – thanks so much for sharing!
Awesome! I am from South Louisiana and this dish was delicious! We added some onions to the mix, too. It will be a meal we make regularly!
Just made this and enjoying with a crisp white wine!
One word…..YUM!!!!
Really great recipe!
Love the recipe! However, as someone from Charleston, SC and a seller of Grits, it is a crime to use quick grits! I would highly recommend using stone ground grits. The difference is that in order to have a longer shelf life, quick grits manufacturers remove the center of the kernel (heart) that contains many of the essential oils of the kernel. Stone Ground grits are whole kernels (nothing removed) ground at a slow rate between two granite stones. This slow grind process, using the whole kernel, results is a much tastier product. The downside is that it has a much shorter shelf life, but will last a while in the freezer. Give it a try, you won’t regret it!
Ryan Moretti
dixienative.com
War Eagle! Oh good lord….bacon and Jim Dandy grits….I love you. Thanks for the recipe. I’ll be following this blog.
My husband absolutely LOVED this!! I followed directions exactly…but I got a little zealous with the creole seasoning and add quite a bit and let it sit as I started the bacon. Shrimp turned out salty (not familiar with creole seasoning). Next time I will season right before cooking, and I’ll probably add some cayenne to give it more heat without the saltiness. I used uncured apple smoked bacon from Trader Joe’s. I promised to make it again.
Thank you for posting!