Southern Shrimp and Cheesy Grits

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Southern Shrimp and Cheesy Grits.  

Okay, you had us at Grits. But Cheesy Grits? Um…Shrimp and Cheesy Grits? Oh, good heavens.  This Southern Shrimp and Cheesy Grits recipe is so astoundingly good, you have to try it to believe it.  Um, it bears repeating: Mercy, this is an amazing dish:

Southern Shrimp and Cheesy Grits recipe

Watch us make this incredibly delicious Southern Shrimp and Cheesy Grits recipe! Get ready to have some fun and get hungry!

Shrimp & Grits is classic Southern U.S. cuisine.  These grits are loaded with flavor…they are creamy, cheesy and buttery…and sinfully delicious.

We LOVE grits!

Southern Shrimp and Cheesy Grits recipe

Oh, and did we mention cheese?

Yes, cheddar cheese, please.

Mmmmmm…cheese.

Southern Shrimp and Cheesy Grits recipe

And of course, we couldn’t just stop there! You know what this dish needs? BACON!!

Bacon, bacon, bacon!!

We are getting so close to shrimp and grits perfection!

Southern Shrimp and Cheesy Grits recipe

And then the Gulf shrimp is sautéed and is loaded with incredible flavor.

The smell alone is worth writing home about!

Look at that shrimp!

Southern Shrimp and Cheesy Grits recipe

Topped off with sauteed gulf shrimp in garlic, scallions, parsley lemon juice, smoked paprika and a dash of hot sauce.

Well, this is Southern decadence at its very best. This dish is not low on calories, so you won’t want to make this every day…but on a special occasion, it is one of the tastiest dishes you’ll ever experience.

Other Southern favorite dishes are:

But in the meantime…let’s get it on with Southern Shrimp and Cheesy Grits!

Southern Shrimp and Cheesy Grits recipe

And now the time has come to go and make this amazing recipe!

You will NOT be disappointed, that we can guarantee!

Southern Shrimp and Cheesy Grits in a large white bowl

Southern Shrimp and Cheesy Grits

Shrimp & Cheesy Grits is decadent...pure Southern decadence. But every now and then, it's sinfully good to be a little decadent. This dish is a flavor explosion you just have to taste to believe. Incredible!
4.99 from 62 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Southern
Cuisine: Southern
Keyword: Grits, Shrimp
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 465kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • Pinch of Kosher salt
  • 1 cup corn grits quick or regular...not instant
  • 3 tbsp heavy cream
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 8 slices slab bacon cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces
  • 1 lb shelled and deveined large shrimp
  • Black pepper
  • 2 - 3 garlic cloves minced (should be a heaping teaspoon)
  • 3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley chopped
  • 4 scallions white and green parts, chopped (3 for cooking, 1 for garnish)
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 or 3 good shakes of hot sauce ie, Tabasco
  • 4 tsp fresh lemon juice usually the juice of 1 whole lemon

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a boil.
  • Whisk in the grits and cook over moderately high heat, stirring vigorously at first to eliminate lumps (Continue to stir periodically until thickened and the grains are tender- about 4 - 5 minutes total. If using regular grits, they will take up to 45 minutes)
  • Add the cream, butter and cheese and gently stir. Cover and remove from heat.
  • Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crispy.
  • Transfer cooked bacon to paper towel-lined plate.
  • Pour out all but about 4 tablespoons of bacon fat in the skillet and re-heat.
  • Sprinkle black pepper all over the shrimp and then add to the hot skillet and cook until curled and pink, about 3 minutes.
  • Stir in the garlic, parsley, scallions, paprika, Worcestershire, Tabasco and lemon juice.
  • Meanwhile, crumble the bacon into slightly smaller pieces, set aside.
  • Spoon the warm, cheesy grits into 4 shallow serving bowls and top each with a quarter of the shrimp mixture.
  • Garnish with bacon and reserved scallions.  Serve at once!

Nutrition

Calories: 465kcal
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177 Comments

    • We don’t think the texture is good for the dish, but, in a pinch, it would be just fine! Let us know if you make the shrimp and grits and what you think! Best, Kris & Wesley

  • 5 stars
    Delicious. I make this all the time and highly recommend this recipe. My family loves it. I wish I could increase the brown gravy. Any suggestions??

    • Awesome!!! Thank you so much, Shirley! We are so happy you are enjoying the shrimp and grits recipe! It is pretty amazing!! You can a 1/2 cup of chicken stock to the sauce and let it simmer until slightly reduced. Taste and season with salt, if necessary. That will give you more sauce! All the best, Kris & Wesley

  • 5 stars
    My first time making this…it was way better than I expected. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️+

    • Hi Shelly!! Woo hoo!!! We are THRILLED you made the shrimp and grits and had such great success with it! Thank you so so so much for sharing and for the WONDERFUL review. That means the world to us!!!! Stay in touch! Kris & Wesley

    • Hi Ryan! We are so so happy you are enjoying the shrimp and grits recipe! We love it so much, too! Thank you so much for sharing and for the GREAT review! We truly appreciate that! Please stay in touch!

  • 5 stars
    I have just finished my first bowl of shrimp and cheesy grits and I’m hooked. This recipe was easy and most delicious. It will become one of my favorites to bring for those special occasions. There was some tweaking of the recipe but not much. Many thanks for sharing this deliciousness!!!

    • Jane! You just made our day! We are THRILLED you had such great success with the shrimp and grits! Thank you so so much for sharing and for the wonderful review! That truly means so much to us! Please stay in touch! All the best, Kris & Wesley

    • Hi Donna! That is so wonderful to hear! You are 75 years YOUNG and loving life and making shrimp and grits! We are so so thrilled you had such success with the recipe and enjoyed them! We absolutely love these shrimp and grits, too! Thank you so very much for sharing and for the GREAT review. That means the world to us! Stay in touch! All the best, Kris & Wesley

  • 5 stars
    By far the BEST recipe for Shrimp and Cheesy grits I’ve ever cooked by (and there’s been quite a few)!!!!! Each layer was well represented; for me: the richness of the Worcester sauce really made those shrimp dance lol. My husband noticed how creamer the grits (heavy cream) We were excited to scoop the next bite & see what our taste buds discovered next. Bravo

    • Hi Veronica! We are so so thrilled you and your husband enjoyed our shrimp and grits recipe! Sounds like you prepared it perfectly! Thank you so very much for sharing and for the GREAT review! Please stay in touch!! All the best, Kris & Wesley

  • 5 stars
    This recipe is perfection! It is my go-to recipe for shrimp and grits. I rarely write reviews, but this is wonderful. I always get asked for the recipe when I bring it to a potluck or a gathering. Thank you!

    • Hi there! You just made our day! We are THRILLED you are loving our shrimp and grits recipes and having such great success with it! And thanks for sharing your experience and thanks for sharing it with friends and loved ones! And…thank you for the GREAT review! That means so much to us!! Stay in touch. All the best, Kris & Wesley

  • 5 stars
    I have made your recipe for Shrimp and Cheesy grits multiple times and my fiancé absolutely loves it!! We toast up a bread bowl and dump the delicious goodness inside! I make a slight adjustment with the lemon and only add half (2 tsp). It’s definitely a winner in our house!!

    • Hi Jen!! Yay! We are so so thrilled that you and your fiancé (congrats, btw!!) are loving the shrimp and grits!! And we LOVE the toasted bread bowl serving! BRILLIANT!! Thanks so much for sharing and for the wonderful review. That means so much to us!! Stay in touch, Kris & Wesley

  • 5 stars
    First time ever making grits, brought fresh red corn grits from a mill in Virginia, didn’t have scallion so finely chopped onions, I though it could do with less Worcester sauce my husband thought it was restaurant worthy. I needed more shrimp.
    Will definitely make them again.

    • Hi Deborah! Yay! So glad you made the shrimp and grits and you and your husband loved it! Feel free to add more shrimp (and less Worcestershire sauce) if you want! Thanks so much for sharing and for the GREAT review. That means the world to us! All the best, Kris & Wesley

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