Easy Classic Shrimp and Grits
This Classic Shrimp and Grits recipe is easy, simple, and the ULTIMATE Southern comfort food. This traditional low country recipe features bacon and is served with a simple sauce. It uses stone-ground grits with cheese (but it’s easy to adapt to have no bacon for a pescatarian option, or other flavors and ingredients, like peppers and onions, etc.). And the whole thing only takes 30 minutes to make!
Shrimp and grits is a Southern staple. It originated in the Low Country of the South Carolina coast, during the season when shrimp were plentiful. It’s traditionally a breakfast or brunch dish, but I love it for a quick dinner.
Other Southern regions have developed their versions of shrimp and grits- for example, you can find blackened shrimp and grits in New Orleans with a creole/cajun spin. This is where I first tasted the dish, when I lived in New Orleans.
In this version, the grits are cooked with milk, butter, and chicken broth, with cheese melted in at the end. The shrimp is cooked in bacon fat and then mixed with a simple buttery sauce, then served on top of the grits with crumbled bacon and green onions. It’s so insanely delicious!
I love the simplicity of this recipe. Often, shrimp and grits recipes are made with peppers and onions, or with blackening seasoning for extra flavor. You can make these how you want – I’ve provided options for adding different types of flavors, using other ingredients, and how to lighten it up a bit.
Hope you enjoy this recipe for one of the best dishes on the planet!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Grits – try to use stone-ground grits. If you can’t find them, polenta is the same thing! Using instant or quick grits is fine, but the texture will be different.
- Milk
- Chicken broth – water can be used instead if you want, or vegetable broth.
- Butter
- Sharp cheddar cheese – or another cheese of choice. Or omit for a lighter version.
- Bacon
- Shrimp – preferably jumbo size.
- Green onions – for garnishing at the end
- Salt and pepper – and any other seasonings you want!
What kind of grits to use for Shrimp and Grits
I used Bob’s Red Mill Yellow Corn Grits/Polenta. Make sure you don’t buy cornmeal by accident- it’s not the same! Polenta and grits are one in the same. Polenta is typically used in Italian recipes, Grits for American. Grits are often white, Polenta is yellow. Either will work!
I yellow grits to make these shrimp and grits. You can use white if you want, and they are more traditional… the only reason I used yellow is because it’s the only thing my grocery store had.
Stone ground grits are classic. They are the steel cut oats of the grit world. The texture has some bite to it, and the flavor is, for lack of a better word, super “corny.”
They do, however, take longer to cook than quick cooking grits or instant grits. If you are pressed for time, you can certainly use one of these as a substitute.
How to make Quick Cheesy Grits for Shrimp and Grits
Here’s my time-saving trick for cooking up these delicious grits: you don’t have to whisk them continuously. Many people think that you do have to whisk or stir them for almost the entire cooking time.
The thought is that the more you whisk the grits, the more starch is released, and the creamier the grits become. Kind of like when you cook risotto.
And while this may be true, I find that grits will get creamy no matter what, and it’s not worth the labor of constantly attending to them.
Instead, I whisk them every few minutes for about 10-15 minutes. Then, when they are creamy but still not quite done, I cover them and remove them from the heat to let them steam the rest of the way. It comes out perfect, with much less labor and boiling grits sputtering in your face!
This method also allows plenty of time to prepare the bacon, shrimp, and sauce portion of the shrimp and grits.
How to cook shrimp for shrimp and grits
First, cook up the bacon until it’s crispy, then remove from the skillet. You’ll crumble them after they cool a bit. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease from the skillet. Add the shrimp after patting dry and seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook in the bacon grease, then when they’re JUST done (don’t overcook them!), stir in a little butter and chicken broth until a nice sauce forms.
You can use other seasonings on the shrimp. I sometimes add chili powder. You can also sauté peppers and onions in the bacon grease before adding the shrimp. This is a good chance to experiment with different flavors and use things that you prefer!
To serve, pile the shrimp and sauce on top of the cheesy grits, top with the crumbled bacon. Garnish with green onions and serve.
What kind of shrimp to use for Shrimp and Grits
While we’re on the subject of what’s worth the time and what’s not, I recommend buying already peeled and deveined shrimp.
I spent a good 20 minutes peeling and deveining the shrimp myself, and while I may have saved some money, I didn’t think the time spent peeling them was worth it.
You can save a bit of money buying shrimp with the peels on, but I don’t think it’s worth it. The grits are so cheap, so spend a little more money on some already peeled and deveined shrimp.
I DO recommend buying large or jumbo shrimp. They are easier to cook, and have a meatier texture that holds up well with the creamy soft grits. And I think the flavor is better, since they are harder to overcook.
How to make shrimp and grits
Cooking shrimp and grits is easy- just cook the grits and add some cheese. While they’re cooking, sauté some bacon, cook the shrimp in the bacon grease, then make a simple butter sauce in the same pan!
- Cook the grits in a mixture of chicken stock and milk. I also added a little butter for extra richness.
- Then, cook up some bacon until it’s crispy, then remove it from the pan and chop it up when it’s cool.
- Pat the shrimp dry and season it with salt and pepper, and sauté the shrimp in the bacon fat. This will only take a few minutes, since shrimp is really fast to cook.
- Add some butter and chicken stock to the shrimp. Once the butter is melted, turn off the heat so the shrimp doesn’t overcook. The butter will melt into everything and the chicken stock will help deglaze the pan, making a super flavorful sauce to spoon over the grits. SO GOOD!
- Stir in some shredded cheese into the grits. YUM. I used cheddar.
To serve, spoon some grits into a shallow bowl, and scoop some of the shrimp and some of the sauce on top. Then, sprinkle with the chopped bacon and some sliced green onions. It’s so simple and delicious!
FAQs and Variations
This is a dish best eaten immediately. But if you do have leftovers, they are salvageable! The grits may clump together, so I recommend reheating them on the stovetop with a little extra water or chicken stock to thin them out. Reheat the shrimp in the microwave for only a few seconds, so they don’t get rubbery/overcooked.
Absolutely! You can make it completely meat-free by sautéing the shrimp in olive oil or butter instead of bacon fat. You may want to season the grits and shrimp with a little extra salt, since bacon is salty. And you can always add some other meat, such as andouille sausage or chorizo.
This would be great with sautéed mushrooms or other veggies such as peppers and onions. I recommend cooking them in the bacon fat before adding the shrimp.
Yes! Use all chicken stock for the grits instead of milk, and omit the cheese.
You can make a thicker, more luxurious sauce by making a simple gravy. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of flour into the leftover bacon fat along with a tablespoon of melted butter. Whisk together for a minute or so to make a roux. Then, add one cup of chicken stock and whisk together, continuing to cook until heating.
I love adding chili powder to the seasonings. You can add any other spices you love – cayenne or other hot pepper for heat, herbs, etc.
The History of Shrimp and Grits
Like so many Southern recipes, the origins of Shrimp and Grits can be traced back to the enslaved African Americans of the region. It was originally a lighter dish involving peppers and onions in a simple sauce, without any added bacon, cream, and cheese. Like so many foods, the dish has evolved over time and passed through many hands, as well as other regions. This is a great article that covers a more in-depth history of shrimp and grits.
(And a quick shoutout to Michele, a reader who chimed in with this history in the comments! Thank you!)
If you want a lighter version…
This recipe for shrimp and grits is admittedly on the richer side – a result of the aforementioned evolution over time! If you want to lighten it up a bit, replace some or all of the whole milk with more chicken broth (or water, or vegetable or seafood stock) when cooking the grits, and omit the cheese. You can stir in a couple pats of butter if you want a bit of richness in the grits.
Also, instead of sautéing bacon as a starting point, sauté some peppers, onions, and maybe some sliced mushrooms in butter or oil, along with some spices (Cajun seasoning would be great here!), then add the shrimp and cook, serving the shrimp and veggie mixture over the grits.
Other Southern Comfort Food Recipes
Other Easy Shrimp Recipes:
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Easy Classic Shrimp and Grits
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Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth preferably low sodium, divided
- 2 cups whole milk
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 3/4 cup grits I used Bob's Red Mill, see notes
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 4 strips bacon (or 2-3 thick-cut slices)
- 1 lb. jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- thinly sliced green onions for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups of the chicken broth, the milk (2 cups), 3 tablespoons of the butter, and a pinch of salt to a gentle boil in a medium sized pot. Add the grits and whisk together. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until grits are soft and creamy, whisking every few minutes. Cover and set aside off heat – they will finish softening up while they sit.
- Cook the 4 bacon strips until crispy in a nonstick or cast iron skillet. Set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Once cool, chop into small pieces.
- Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease from the skillet.
- Rinse the shrimp with cold water and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper (if your shrimp is treated already with sodium – check the ingredients! – then only use a little bit, if any, of added salt), and any other spices you want to add (optional). Cook in the bacon grease until only just cooked- about 2 minutes per side.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and 1/2 cup of chicken broth to the shrimp and stir until melted and broth is heated. Taste and add salt if necessary.
- Stir in the cheese to the grits (1 cup) until melted. Taste and add salt if necessary.
- Serve the shrimp mixture over the grits, making sure to spoon some of the liquid from the skillet over the grits, and sprinkle with the bacon pieces and sliced green onions, if using. Serve immediately.
Notes
- A note on grits: I use Bob’s Red Mill grits / polenta, which are widely available around the country. These tend to cook faster than other stone-ground grits, especially artisan or smaller brands typically sold in Charleston and that area. They may take longer to cook because they tend to be coarser. So keep in mind, you may need to adjust timing depending on what brand of grits you’re using!
- Grits and polenta are one in the same – Grits is the American word, Polenta is Italian. Polenta is usually yellow, grits are usually white (and have a sweeter flavor). Use either one!
- Money Saving Tip: Buy frozen shrimp and defrost them yourself. Most “fresh” shrimp you buy at the store has actually been previously frozen, but is marked up anyway.
- This recipe is best served right away, since shrimp get rubbery from reheating and grits turn more solid after they cool. If you have leftovers, the grits can be reheated on the stovetop with some extra water to break them up, whisking them as they reheat. Heat the shrimp only for a few seconds in the microwave- as little as possible. Or, enjoy the leftover grits plain and add the cold cooked leftover shrimp to a salad to prevent overcooking.
- You can use water instead of chicken broth to cook the grits.
- To save time, you can use quick cooking grits instead of stone-ground (but the texture will be different).
- I used yellow grits, since it’s all I could find. You can use white if you want to!
- Spice it up! Add other seasonings, herbs, or hot pepper to the shrimp with the salt and pepper. You can also serve it with hot sauce.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and reflects one serving of the recipe (total servings indicated at top of recipe card). It does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
I was looking for something a little different but I think I will stick with mine,you have to make a roux and we use fresh American caught wild shrimp not frozen farm raised from over seas! You can not cook NO style with Chinese shrimp and no roux!
I’ve seen shrimp and grits with and without roux, I bet it’s delicious with one if you have the time to make one! Fresh shrimp is very hard to come by unless you buy specifically from a seafood market near the ocean – almost all shrimp, Gulf / American shrimp included – is frozen at sea (and it’s sold frozen, or, if you see it “fresh” in the grocery store, it’s often been thawed out). Just make sure you ask your fish people about it if that’s important to you! Depending on where you are living, access to American shrimp may be difficult (it is for me), so using what you have accessible may be the only option for some. Happy cooking!
What brand of stone ground grits do you recommend?
I used Bob’s Red Mill!
Delicious
So glad you liked it!
Sometimes I forget how blessed I am. Commercial fisherman all my life and get my shrimp heads on straight from the boat or a local market where I know all their seafood is fresh. Even the wild salmon is flown in.
Isn’t it wonderful to live on the coast? We don’t have much in the way of fresh shrimp up here in New England, but there’s cod and haddock and oysters… so lucky!
It’s beautiful and so delicious. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!
So glad you liked it!
I need to make this for a party of about 40 people. I would like to make it ahead and either refrigerate or freeze. How would this recipe hold up if I made it ahead? I’m excited to try it. Thanks!
Oh man, cooking shrimp ahead of time is hard! It can overcook so easily so reheating has to be done with care, and it’s never going to be quite as good as fresh. That said, I’m also of the mindset that cooking ahead of time relieves SO much stress, so I often think the sacrifice is worth it. Here’s what I’d do.
I’d cook the grits up as directed, then reheat over low heat with maybe a little extra liquid added to it in a big pot. For the shrimp, cook a day or two in advance and refrigerate (or if you freeze, completely defrost before reheating). Maybe make a little extra sauce than the recipe calls for by adding more chicken broth. Since you’re going to be making a lot, it might not fit in a skillet to reheat on the stovetop. Instead, I’d put it in a baking dish and cover with foil and reheat at 300 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or so until the shrimp are *just* heated through. I’ve never done this so I can’t guarantee results but that’s my best advice! Hope that helps and good luck!
All commercially caught shrimp are frozen on the boat while out at sea to maintain freshness. I only learned this recently and it’s changed how I look at frozen shrimp.
Yes! 👏 Frozen does not mean bad, and it often means fresher than what you’d otherwise get. Same with veggies and fruits!
Made this tonight. Cook times and recipe were perfect. On the shrimp I used s/p, paprika, garlic powder and garlic onion powder. Will make this again and again.
So glad you liked it!
This was so delicious! I substituted half the milk for water. I topped it with bacon and scallions like the recipe called for. My boyfriend and I loved it! Definitely making this again soon!!
So glad you liked it!
Thank you! I had this for the first time in New Orleans and had a hankering in for it…followed the recipe exactly and loved it…. maybe chop up a few more onions in the future. Delish!
I also had shrimp and grits for the first time in New Orleans, in a little cafe in the Marigny! So glad you liked it.
Perfect Shrimps and Cheesy Grits!!! I’m from the Deep South (SC) and this was always my favorite breakfast but I needed a boost to my recipe and this was it!! The only thing is, it wasn’t enough for my big family (Family of 9), but I made more and it was all good!! Thank you for sprucing up my old recipe!!!
So glad you liked it!
Have made this twice now and both times so delicious! Used grits the first time and polenta the second time either are great. I use Old Bay for seasoning just what I had. Definitely impressed and will use often. Quick and delicious!
So glad you liked it!
Very tasty. I had grits from an old mill in North Carolina and they were fabulous. I added a squeeze of lemon ( for acid) and sauted onion and garlic before adding the shrimp. Topped with fresh parsley
So glad you liked it! Love the idea of brightening it up with a bit of lemon.
Born and raised in the Deep South..I’ve made several different recipes of Shrimp and Grits. All were good but just mediocre. This recipe is easy, fast and very yummy! used heavy whipping cream and chicken broth in the yellow stone ground grits. They cooked beautifully no issues. I used 1 C of extra sharp cheddar cheese and a 1/4 of a small block of velvetta cheese for additional creaminess. I made the luxurious gravy as described using chicken broth and a small bit of whipping cream to desired consistency. Then put the shrimp in. Just wonderful and will make again! Thank you for sharing!.
So glad you liked it! And thanks for adding your tips and suggestions. I bet the velveeta was a really nice addition as well as the cream!
This recipe SUCKS. No stone-ground grits I know of cook in 10-15 minutes. No direction on whether to cover or uncover the grits during cooking. Also, chicken broth with cooked shrimp in a cast iron pan makes a mess. Do NOT use this recipe!
This is an interesting choice to leave this feedback without actually trying the recipe, amidst hundreds of positive and 5-star reviews! If you make it, please feel free to let me know how it comes out.
If you don’t know how to actually cook grits before trying this recipe, maybe use the instructions on back of the grits container.
Oh my goodness! This turned out so amazing! Just made it, and added jerk seasoning to the shrimp as an optional seasoning, and smoked cheddar to the grits. Then added some spinach to the shrimp. Put the shrimp, bacon and spinach over the cheesy grits, and it was delicious! Looking forward to enjoying this again.
So glad you liked it! I bet the jerk seasoning was fantastic in this!
Does anyone have an experience with Seafood stock? I picked up a carton from Wegmans. I do not want to use it in case I mess up the recipe, so I may stick with the chicken stock. Just curious. Thank you
I’ve never used it but I think it would work well in this recipe!
This is a fantastic recipe! Very simple to make (twice as of now for me) and it’s incredibly tasty. Next time I will use gouda cheese as I’ve made grits and eggs with that before – it turned out great. Thank you for sharing!
So glad you liked it!
Haven’t tried it yet but I love the sound of it
Hope you love it!
Made this for hubby who had been sick and felt like eating today. He often orders this at restaurant. This is only the 2nd time I tried to fix this dish and WE GOT REALLY GOOD. This will stay in my favorites.
So glad you liked it! Hope your hubby feels better soon!
My whole family LOVED this and asked to put it in the meal plan rotation!
Thank you so much :)
So glad you and your family liked it!
I’m usually not one to comment, but this recipe is amazing. Super easy and absolute delicious. Definitely restaurant quality. My family devours it every time I make it. Thanks for the recipe!!
So glad you liked it! And thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
I loved it! I added a Cajun seasoning mix to the shrimp. Absolutely delicious. I will make this again.
So glad you liked it! Good call adding Cajun seasoning to it!
I made the Easy Shrimp and Grits recipe for the first time, today, Christmas 2024. I kept thinking the whole time that I hoped it was good. It was delicious!!! I used white instant grits. The grits turned out creamy and delicious. The shrimp were frozen jumbo shrimp which I thawed all night and ran some tepid water over them to remove any icy areas. I used some Old Bay to spice it up along with salt and pepper. Also on top of grits and shrimp I put crumbled bacon and thinly sliced green onions. On the side I served lemon wedges and and tomato wedges. This is a recipe I will be making very often.
So glad you liked it! What a lovely thing to make for Christmas dinner!