This iconic Southern dish was historically served as a morning meal. We like it a lot, we’d have it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. These heat, creamy grits are loaded with butter and cheddar cheese, topped with sautéed shrimp and crispy bacon. Add a splash (or extra) of sizzling sauce and a squeeze of contemporary lemon and also you’ve received a bowl of Southern consolation prepared in simply 45 minutes.
For extra Southern consolation meals, attempt our Chicken and Dumplings or our Southern Style Red Beans and Rice.
Why Our Recipe
- We use white grits for the creamiest grits after which load them up with cheddar cheese.
- The shrimp is cooked in bacon grease and garlic to make sure it’s stuffed with taste.
- It’s topped off with somewhat lemon juice, sizzling sauce (in fact), bacon, and inexperienced onions.


Shrimp and grits is an iconic, Southern breakfast meals. Image New Orleans and Charleston, the place this humble dish is an integral a part of their on a regular basis house life. This Southern staple is straightforward to arrange, hearty and filling, whereas delivering huge taste. Buttery, tacky grits mixed with savory bacon and garlic shrimp makes our mouths water! High all of it off with somewhat sizzling sauce and also you’ve received a scrumptious meal that’s certain to turn into a household favourite.
Ingredient Notes


- White Grits: White grits are extra versatile and tackle the flavors of the dish, whereas yellow grits have a extra assertive corn taste.
- Rooster Broth: Utilizing a low-sodium possibility permits you to finest management the flavour. It’s an excellent chef tip.
- Butter: We use salted butter so as to add simply the correct quantity of salt to reinforce the flavors of the grits.
- Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Freshly shredded melts higher than pre-shredded cheese, which incorporates components to stop clumping.
- Shrimp (peeled and deveined): Use giant, uncooked shrimp for one of the best texture. Frozen shrimp can be utilized if thawed correctly. You ca depart tails on or take away them earlier than cooking..
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic gives one of the best taste, however jarred minced garlic works too.
- Bacon: Use customary bacon or thick-cut. You’ll need to use precise bacon, quite than pre-cooked, as a result of you can be cooking the shrimp within the leftover bacon fats.
- Lemon Juice: Bottled lemon juice works properly and retains prep to a minimal, however freshly squeezed all the time has one of the best taste.
- Scorching Sauce: High off along with your favourite sizzling sauce.
Shrimp Choices
You’ve got just a few choices to select from in relation to shrimp, actually it’s various. There are completely different sizes, frozen or contemporary, veined or deveined, peeled or entire, and all of them work!
For comfort, we desire to cook dinner with already peeled and deveined shrimp. In case you use frozen, be sure you thaw them earlier than utilizing.
Immediate vs. White Grits
Immediate grits could cook dinner up quicker, nonetheless, they lack the higher taste of white grits. It’s price it to take the time to cook dinner up the actual factor which can end result within the creamiest, most flavorful, completely restaurant-quality grits you may make at house.


Avoiding Lumpy Grits
In case you’re having points with clumping, don’t fear, you aren’t alone. It’s a standard downside that may be simply mounted. The most typical reason for clumping isn’t stirring the grits instantly after including them to the liquid. This may trigger the grits to stay collectively and type lumps.
To forestall lumps, make sure that to stir the grits constantly for the primary jiffy after including them to the liquid. Stir, stir, stir!
Add grits somewhat at a time whereas stirring to make sure that the grits are evenly dispersed within the liquid. You possibly can simply gently sprinkle them excessive of the boiling liquid.
In case your grits are already lumpy, seize a whisk! Strive whisking vigorously. In case you can’t whisk them out, add a splash of sizzling water and hold whisking till the clumps dissolve. For further cussed clumps, you possibly can even use an immersion blender briefly to easy them out. Simply don’t overmix.


Alter the Warmth
For much less warmth: In case you don’t tolerate spice properly, be happy to depart out the recent sauce solely. If you would like somewhat spice however not a number of warmth, add a pinch of paprika and chili powder as an alternative.
For extra warmth: Be at liberty to simply add extra sizzling sauce. Or, add 1/4–1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper when cooking the shrimp for much more warmth. You might additionally high with contemporary jalapeño slices or a sprinkle of pink pepper flakes.
Storage and Reheating Directions
Refrigerate leftovers in an hermetic container for as much as 3 days.
Reheat leftover grits in a saucepan on low warmth. Add somewhat little bit of water or hen broth to maintain the grits from drying out, and stir sometimes to make sure that they warmth via evenly.. Reheat the shrimp in a skillet over medium warmth which can solely take 1 to 2 minutes.
Microwave the grits in 30-second increments till warmed via. Add a small quantity of water to the grits to skinny out as wanted. Add shrimp on the very finish or reheat individually as they reheat a lot quicker and can get rubbery when overcooked.
Freeze leftover grits in an hermetic container or resealable plastic freezer bag for as much as 3 months. Once you’re able to eat them, thaw within the fridge in a single day and reheat as normal.
Extra shrimp recipes…
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