TL;DR (Quick-Answer Box)
- What it is: A classic Southern dish featuring creamy stone-ground Cheddar grits topped with succulent sautéed shrimp, crispy bacon, garlic, and fresh green onions.
- Why you’ll love it: Ready in just 30 minutes, this rich Lowcountry comfort food delivers big flavor with tender shrimp and smoky bacon over ah-MAZ-ing cheesy grits.
- How to make it: Simmer grits and stir in Cheddar and butter. Fry bacon, cook shrimp in bacon grease with garlic and lemon, then layer together.
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This southern shrimp and grits recipe is a classic low-country dish adored by just about everyone on the planet—and if someone says they don’t love it, they’re lying. You can certainly count The One and me among its fans.
We first had a plateful of this divineness at a lovely little restaurant in Charleston. We then got a tutorial from Beth Price, the then Director of Recipe Testing for LC and dyed-in-the-wool Charlestonian.
Taking everything we learned from Beth, I settled on this recipe by Paula Deen. It seems simple enough, accessible enough, and damn, isn’t it tasty?!
Chow,
Featured Review
Wow, this recipe came out perfect!! I will definitely make it again!! This is perfect for a family of 3 or 4. Note: You won’t have enough for seconds, so I suggest doubling the recipe if you are hungrier or have more people.
Your shrimp and grits questions, answered
Grits are basically ground corn, usually made from starchy, less sweet varieties. The corn is processed in an alkali solution in order to remove the tough outer hull. The corn is washed and dried, giving us hominy. The hominy is then stone-ground and the result is grits.
Well, yes and no. While grits are from the American South and polenta is from Italy, both are made from ground corn. One difference is the type of corn used to make each: Grits are usually made from white corn (hominy)—but not always, which adds to the confusion–while polenta is made from yellow corn.
The biggest difference, though, is texture. Polenta is usually ground coarsely, and that lends a pleasant chewy texture prized in Italy. Grits, on the other hand, are typically ground finer, making it smoother.
Being mildly flavored, grits are marvelously versatile. They can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. And they can be simple (just a few pats of butter and salt and pepper) or elaborate (smothered in cheese). Even better, they can be topped with all sorts of things, such as maple syrup, jam, herbs, shrimp, pulled pork, poached eggs, bacon, sausage–you name it. And you can even blanket grits with any sauce you’d top pasta with, although you might get strange looks from true Southerners.
What should I serve with shrimp and grits?
Let’s face it: this shrimp and grits recipe, with its cheese and bacon, is a rich dish. And there’s nothing wrong with that! Still, you might want to round out the meal with a salad with a lip-puckering dressing to cut through the richness. Something like this apple, Parmesan, and mixed green salad with mustard dressing does the trick nicely. A jar of quick pickled red onions does much the same, with its vinegar snap slicing right through all that cheesy richness.
Keeping with the Southern vibe, okra cornmeal cakes are also wicked good. Jones for veggies? A tangle of charred greens with garlic will do mighty well. And if you want to send the gaggle of guests home happy (read: satiated and smiling), a slice of Kentucky bourbon cake is the closer. For sure!
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If you make Paula Deen’s shrimp and grits recipe, or any seafood dish on LC, consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David
Featured Review
Oh my! I’ve only had grits a time or two in the past and was never impressed. This recipe, however, is delicious! As suggested by one reviewer, I used chicken broth in lieu of water for the grits and also removed much of the bacon grease before adding the shrimp. Will definitely make this again!
Paula Deen’s Shrimp and Grits
Ingredients
- 1 cup stone-ground grits
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup (2 oz) butter
- 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined, left whole if small and roughly chopped if medium or large
- 6 slices bacon, chopped into tiny pieces
- 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 cup thinly sliced green onions, white and green parts
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a roiling boil. Pour in the grits, add a goodly amount of salt and freshly ground black pepper, and stir well with a whisk. Turn down the heat to the lowest setting. (A flame tamer is a great idea if you have a particularly aggressive stove.)
- Cook the grits until all the water is absorbed, about 10 to 15 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the butter and Cheddar cheese. Cover the pot and keep it warm until ready to serve.
- Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy and brown, then transfer to a paper towel to drain. Dump the shrimp into the skillet and sauté them in the bacon grease over medium heat until they just turn coral pink, about 3 minutes.
☞ TESTER TIP: Whatever you do, don't overcook them. You don't want rubbery shrimp. Immediately drizzle in the lemon juice and mix in the parsley, green onions, and garlic. Take the skillet off the heat.
- To serve the shrimp and grits, ladle the grits into a large serving bowl. Scrape the shrimp mixture over top the grits. Sprinkle with bacon and hightail it to the table!
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Recipe Testers’ Reviews
Did you know only 68% of the recipes we test make it onto the site? This recipe survived our rigorous blind testing process by multiple home cooks. It earned the Leite’s Culinaria stamp of approval—and the testers’ reviews below prove it.
My first experience eating grits was not the best. Then I tried some at a small restaurant in North Carolina and realized that if the grits are properly cooked, they really could be amazing. When I finally decided to make grits at home, this shrimp and grits recipe was my first try, and it couldn’t be any easier to make. The grits came out wonderful—filled with strong cheese flavor yet not so overwhelming that I couldn’t enjoy the shrimp and bacon. This is extremely filling and better suited to lunch so you can enjoy a little nap afterward.
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Wanted to let ya’ll know ’bout a small but wonderful grist mill in Helen, GA called Nora Mill Granary. You can watch them grind not only grits but oats, et al. Their grits are the best we ever had. Definently a five-star granary. Their “menu” is on line and they will ship.
Thanks for that, Shirley.
Oh, sure, it looks like a great recipe for shrimp and grits. Fine. But the real thing y’all have is the recipe for an awesome blog with some of the absolute best comments I have ever read on a foodie site! This rocks! Maybe I’ll even make something 😉
Katie, now that is a comment that makes me hungry! Thank you.
Katie, you are my new fave person in the world. How lovely of you to take the time to let us know. Many thanks! And let us know when you get around to making something!
Okay, don’t blast me immediately, but hear me out. I can just imagine what you grit aficionados are going to think. Anyway, growing up in Chicago, I never heard of a grit until I played college baseball in the North and we went to the University of Southern Mississippi and Jackson State and stayed in the dorms and ate at the cafeterias. Grits was the only thing that kept me going…and I’ve learned to love them. But…I don’t have time to cook them for 30 minutes, so I’ve eaten the Quaker instant grits often…and love them…so I tried this recipe with them. Well, it was great! I like being able to control the consistency of the grits by adding more boiling water (I like ’em soupy), and I added a couple of diced shallots to the bacon oil and Old Bay Seasoning. Be gentle with me…
John, if that’s the way you likes ’em, that’s the way you likes ’em. We’re a Certified No-Judgment Zone® here at LC. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
Well John, I’m just pleased as punch that non-Southerner loves grits. And I’ve been known to pull out those instant grits in a pinch. Especially on school days when we are all running late. Signed grits (girl raised in the South)
Thanks to Beth and David for letting me off the hook for doing it my way. Made them again this week and this time added Nigerian Cayenne, which I had in the spice rack. Extra spicy!
John, so glad you liked this. I made it again on Saturday (seems I can’t get enough of it). They sure are tasty. And if Beth, our GRITS (Girl Raise In The South), gives her nod of approval, you’re all set.
Sounds amazing, John. Love the heat!