Description
This classic Southern Shrimp and Grits recipe combines creamy, cheesy grits with succulent sautéed shrimp in a flavorful bacon-infused sauce. Ready in just 35 minutes, it’s a comforting and satisfying dish perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Grits
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup old fashioned grits
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the Shrimp and Sauce
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 5 green onions, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken or seafood broth
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Hot sauce, to taste
Instructions
- Make the Grits: In a large pot, bring the water to a boil and add the salt. Slowly whisk in the grits to prevent lumps. Reduce the heat to low, loosely cover, and simmer, stirring frequently, for 20 to 25 minutes until tender and creamy.
- Add Cream Cheese and Butter: Cut the cream cheese and butter into chunks and stir them into the hot grits until fully melted and combined, creating a rich, creamy texture.
- Cook the Bacon: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the skillet, discarding the rest or saving it for another use. Increase heat to medium-high.
- Sauté Green Onions and Garlic: Add the thinly sliced green onions to the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Cook the Shrimp: Season the peeled shrimp with kosher salt and black pepper. Add them to the skillet with the bacon grease and cook for about 3 minutes until pink and almost cooked through. Remove the shrimp to the plate with the bacon.
- Make the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour into the chicken or seafood broth until smooth. Pour the mixture into the skillet, whisking to combine with the onion and garlic, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens.
- Add Lemon Juice and Hot Sauce: Stir the lemon juice and a few dashes of hot sauce into the sauce. Return the shrimp and bacon to the skillet and stir everything together. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Spoon the rich shrimp and sauce mixture over the creamy grits. Garnish with additional crispy bacon pieces and sliced green onions if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use old fashioned grits for the best creamy texture; quick-cooking grits will alter the cooking time and texture.
- If you prefer a spicier dish, add more hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne pepper to the shrimp sauce.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute cream cheese and butter with coconut cream or a vegan butter alternative.
- Leftover shrimp and gravy can be stored separately and reheated over low heat to avoid overcooking.
- If you cannot find seafood broth, chicken broth works well as a flavorful substitute.
