Shrimp and Grits
This easy shrimp and grits recipe brings together creamy, buttery grits and tender shrimp sautéed in smoky bacon — a restaurant-style Southern dish you can make in 30 minutes
Shrimp and grits might sound like a fancy restaurant dish, but trust me — it’s surprisingly simple to make at home, and every bite is pure Southern comfort. Think juicy, tender shrimp sautéed in smoky bacon drippings, spooned over ultra-creamy, buttery grits. It’s the kind of meal that feels indulgent but comes together with just a few quality ingredients.
I first fell in love with shrimp and grits while living in the South and visiting New Orleans — a city that knows how to do flavor right. And once I realized how easy it is to recreate this iconic dish at home, it became a go-to in my kitchen. If you’ve never made it before, don’t worry — this version uses just six ingredients for each component, but the flavor? Next-level.
What’s Great About this Recipe
You can use farmed or wild shrimp – If you can get it, wild shrimp is a bit more flavorful than farmed, but there are enough supporting ingredients here that you’ll still get excellent results with farmed shrimp.
30 minutes to cook – This is pretty good, considering you’re really cooking two things. The grits can be made pretty hands off, and the shrimp cooks quickly.
Minimal ingredients, but still flavorful – We only add 5 ingredients to the shrimp, and one is actually optional. You won’t need a huge array of ingredients for this recipe.
Expert Tips for the Best Shrimp & Grits
Choose the right grits – Grits come in a wide variety of options and quality. This is not the time to use Quaker or Aunt Jemima quick grits or “instant grits.” I personally like stone-ground grits that are medium in coarseness, so there’s texture there but it still ends up creamy. I like Palmetto Farms grits and Bob’s Red Mill, and white corn and yellow corn varieties are equally as delicious to me, though white grits are usually harder to find.
Get the big shrimp – It’s the right time to splurge on the larger shrimp here, and I recommend going no smaller than 16/20 (meaning 16 to 20 pieces per pound). Bigger shrimp have a more lobster-like texture and eating experience that is important to the dish.
Use good bacon – I tend to like thinner and crispier bacon, but I actually think thicker-cut, more artisanal bacon is better here for its meaty bite. I like Neuske’s, Niman Ranch, and pasture-raised bacons.
Step by Step Overview:
You want to get the grits going before you start the shrimp, and you can either cook them in a rice cooker or in a pot on the stove. Then, you can quickly cook up the shrimp and enjoy them piping hot with grits that finish right around the same time.
As far as the grits go, I’m going to show you how to make them on the stove below, but I’ve also successfully made them in my rice cooker, which is nice for making it completely hands-off.
Rice Cooker Option for Grits
The stovetop is a great choice for making the grits, as you’ll be able to see what’s going on and control the process well. However, I’ve made grits in two different models of rice cookers and it went great each time. Both are good options, but the rice cooker is easier. Here’s how I did it.
How to Make Grits in a Rice Cooker: I simply place grits, water, and a pinch of salt in the rice cooker, and turn it on. Then once the cycle is finished, I simply stir in the butter, cream, and cheese, and it’s perfect every time. A word of warning: results may vary depending on your model, but I’ve tried it in two rice cookers and it has been great in both models.
To cook the grits on the stove, bring water (or the liquid of your choice) to a boil in a medium saucepan. Some people like to use chicken broth or chicken stock, but I prefer a “cleaner” flavor. If you want to add extra flavor beyond water, I recommend using whole milk.
Then add the grits and salt. Simmer the grits with a lid on for about 20 minutes, until the water has absorbed. Then, turn the heat off and add heavy cream and butter:
This will cool the mixture slightly, and then you can add some shredded cheddar cheese:
Remember that cheese can break and get grainy if overheated, so that’s why we let the residual heat melt the cheese.
Stir that through until you get a creamy, thick texture, then make any necessary seasoning adjustments. You may want to add more salt, butter, or cheese, to your taste.
If you’re not ready to serve the cheese grits right away, make sure you keep the lid on to keep the grits warm, otherwise it will get stiff. However, if this happens, simply add a little water or milk, turn the heat back on low, and stir for a couple minutes until it’s smooth and flowy. It’s very easy to fix grits.
Now let’s make the shrimp! In a large skillet, cook some sliced bacon over medium heat until it’s crisp and cooked through:
I generally find that there’s enough fat from the rendered bacon that I do not need to add any olive oil or butter. Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon, leaving all the brown bits and bacon grease behind in the bottom of the pan.
Add shrimp to the pan in a single layer, and season with salt and pepper. If you wish to add any extra seasonings, like a sprinkle of Cajun Seasoning, Creole seasoning, or a touch of cayenne pepper, do that here. Because I add a touch of Tabasco at the end, I do not add anything but salt and black pepper here:
For this recipe, I recommend using high-quality wild and raw shrimp. They are much more flavorful than farmed, though farmed shrimp are just fine too. Peeled or unpeeled both work, though I do not enjoy having to peel the shrimp shells before eating, so I tend to opt for peeled. The most important thing is to not use shrimp that are too small.
Cook for 60 seconds on the first side, then give them a flip. They should have a nice brown color and be coated with the brown bits of flavor from the bacon:
Make sure to season the other side of the shrimp with salt and pepper, if you haven’t done so already.
Then add fresh garlic, sliced green onions, fresh lemon juice, and the crisped bacon back to the pan:
You can also add a couple dashes of Tabasco (or your preferred hot sauce) to the shrimp mixture if you enjoy the heat. I do!
Stir everything around and keep cooking for another minute or two, until the shrimp are just barely cooked through:
It is SO, so important to be really careful about not overcooking the shrimp. You actually want to aim for slightly undercooked here, as they will keep cooking slightly from carryover cooking. Making the best shrimp possible is mostly about cooking properly.
How to Serve
When you’re ready to serve, spoon some cheesy grits onto the bottom of a shallow bowl or plate, then add the shrimp on top. You may want to garnish with extra sliced scallions on top.
This is certainly a whole meal on its own, but adding a side of Drop Biscuits or Cheddar Scallion Biscuits would pair nicely. I’ve seen this served as a breakfast dish, for lunch, and for dinner, so feel free to make it for any time of day.
Shrimp Salad, Peel and Eat Shrimp, and Coconut Shrimp are more of my favorite seafood dishes on the blog. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQ and Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Be sure the container is sealed tightly — grits easily absorb other fridge odors.
You can freeze shrimp and grits for up to 2 months, but I don’t recommend it. The texture of the grits can change once the dairy is frozen and thawed.
The microwave works best — heat in 30-second bursts at 60% power, stirring between rounds. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp or dry out the grits.
It can certainly be a meal in itself, but Creamed Corn, Coleslaw, and Rice Pilaf are nice sides to add to the table.
Tried this recipe? Leave a rating and comment below — I’d love to hear how it turned out! Or, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!
Shrimp and Grits
Ingredients
For the grits:
- 1 cup yellow grits
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp butter (salted or unsalted)
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or asiago)
For the shrimp:
- 4 ounces high-quality bacon sliced or chopped into small pieces (about 5-6 strips)
- 1 lb 16/20 size wild shrimp peeled and deveined
- 4 scallions sliced
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 dashes Tabasco sauce optional
Instructions
How to Make the Grits:
- I have great success cooking the grits in the rice cooker, though this may depend on the model used. If you want to give it a try, simply combine the grits, water, and salt in the rice cooker, and run a normal white rice cycle. When the cycle is over, stir in the butter and cream, then stir in the cheese. Season to taste and make any necessary adjustments.
- To make the grits on the stovetop, bring the water to a boil in a nonstick saucepan and add the grits and salt. Cover the pot with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Then stir in the butter and cream, then the cheese. Taste and make any necessary seasoning adjustments.
How to Make the Shrimp:
- Place the bacon in a cold skillet, and turn the heat to medium. Render out the fat and cook the bacon until crisp, about 10 minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to scoop out the bacon bits, leaving the bacon grease and brown bits in the pan. Add the shrimp in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 60 seconds.
- Flip the shrimp over, season with salt and pepper, then add the scallions, garlic, lemon juice, Tabasco (if using), and the reserved crisped bacon.
- Let the shrimp cook for another minute or two until cooked through, tossing the ingredients gently to meld the flavors. Take care not to overcook the shrimp, and keep in mind there will be a little bit of carryover cooking, so I undercook them slightly.
- To serve, place the grits on the bottom of a bowl and scoop the shrimp on top. They taste best eaten together. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
77 Comments on “Shrimp and Grits”
I served this fir my family first time ever pairing grits and shrimp (2) of our favorite foods. It was delicious and great! Thank you for sharing multiple servings were had if this good and tasty meal.
one of my favorites too! Im glad you enjoyed!
Made this for brunch with a friend for & the first time today & it was fantastic! I cooked the grits in a pressure cooker & they turned out great. Might have to add a little more water. My guest was impressed and I would highly recommend!
So glad you enjoyed! Thanks Summer!
Looks delicious
Thanks Renee! Its one of my favorites!
These were INCREDIBLE! I made these as a surprise breakfast for my husband’s birthday, because he’s always loved shrimp and grits in general. I used Bob’s Red Mill polenta because I coudn’t find true grits at our local store, and it turned out very well, with a thick, risotto-y texture. I also made sure to use asiago for the cheese for its tangy taste, and it was absolutely perfect. As a Michigander, I had never really enjoyed the grits I’d tried in the past, so this was a transformative experience for me! These are definitely going to be made in our house for years to come!
Happy Birthday to your husband! so glad you enjoyed!