This iconic Southern dish was historically served as a morning meal. We find it irresistible 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 scorching sauce and a squeeze of recent lemon and also you’ve bought 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 filled with taste.
- It’s topped off with just a little lemon juice, scorching sauce (after all), 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 organize, hearty and filling, whereas delivering huge taste. Buttery, tacky grits mixed with savory bacon and garlic shrimp makes our mouths water! Prime all of it off with just a little scorching sauce and also you’ve bought 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.
- Hen Broth: Utilizing a low-sodium possibility means that you can greatest management the flavour. It’s a terrific chef tip.
- Butter: We use salted butter so as to add simply the correct amount 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 forestall clumping.
- Shrimp (peeled and deveined): Use giant, uncooked shrimp for the most effective 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 the most effective taste, however jarred minced garlic works too.
- Bacon: Use normal bacon or thick-cut. You’ll wish to use precise bacon, moderately 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 at all times has the most effective taste.
- Scorching Sauce: Prime off together with your favourite scorching sauce.
Shrimp Choices
You’ve a couple of choices to select from relating to shrimp, actually it’s various. There are completely different sizes, frozen or recent, veined or deveined, peeled or entire, and all of them work!
For comfort, we desire to prepare dinner with already peeled and deveined shrimp. In case you use frozen, make sure you thaw them earlier than utilizing.
Prompt vs. White Grits
Prompt grits might prepare dinner up sooner, nonetheless, they lack the higher taste of white grits. It’s price it to take the time to prepare dinner up the true factor which can outcome 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 typical downside that may be simply fastened. The commonest reason behind clumping will not be stirring the grits instantly after including them to the liquid. This will trigger the grits to stay collectively and type lumps.
To forestall lumps, be certain that to stir the grits constantly for the primary jiffy after including them to the liquid. Stir, stir, stir!
Add grits just a little at a time whereas stirring to make sure that the grits are evenly dispersed within the liquid. You may 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 scorching water and preserve whisking till the clumps dissolve. For additional cussed clumps, you may even use an immersion blender briefly to easy them out. Simply don’t overmix.


Modify the Warmth
For much less warmth: In case you don’t tolerate spice properly, be happy to depart out the new sauce solely. If you’d like just a little spice however not lots of warmth, add a pinch of paprika and chili powder as a substitute.
For extra warmth: Be happy to simply add extra scorching sauce. Or, add 1/4–1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper when cooking the shrimp for much more warmth. You could possibly additionally prime with recent 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 just a little little bit of water or rooster broth to maintain the grits from drying out, and stir often to make sure that they warmth by means of 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 by means of. 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 sooner and can get rubbery when overcooked.
Freeze leftover grits in an hermetic container or resealable plastic freezer bag for as much as 3 months. While you’re able to eat them, thaw within the fridge in a single day and reheat as common.
Extra shrimp recipes…
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