Authentic Southern Shrimp and Grits

This post is all about authentic Southern Shrimp and Grits, a soul-warming brunch classic. Creamy, cheesy grits are topped with crispy bacon, perfectly seared shrimp, and a flavorful buttery sauce made from the pan drippings.

Southern cooking is known for its bold seasonings and generous use of butter, cheese, and other comforting ingredients. This recipe comes from someone with deep Southern roots and extensive experience with Southern cuisine.

These grits are indulgently cheesy and creamy, and the shrimp are coated in Cajun seasoning and seared to perfection. The pan drippings are transformed into a luscious sauce with butter, aromatics, peppers, seasonings, and a touch of cream. This delicious sauce is then spooned over the entire dish.

This post will guide you through making the cheesiest, most indulgent, and perfectly seasoned Southern Shrimp and Grits.

Key Ingredients

• Large Shrimp: Deveined and peeled. Medium shrimp can be substituted if necessary.
• Seasonings and Hot Sauce: Generous seasoning is crucial for outstanding flavor.
• Quick Grits: Avoid instant grits. Traditional grits work but take longer. Quick grits are a favorite for any grits recipe.
• Aromatics: Garlic, green onions, and Calabrian peppers enhance the flavor.
• Butter: Essential for richness.
• Cream: Heavy cream is used in the grits and a splash is added to the pan drippings for creaminess.
• Cheese: A combination of cream cheese, cheddar, and mozzarella is used for maximum cheesiness.

How to Make Southern Shrimp and Grits

This dish is relatively easy and takes about 30 minutes from start to finish. It’s perfect for a lazy Sunday brunch.

1. Prepare the Grits: Boil chicken stock in a pot and slowly add the grits. Cook until tender (about 5 minutes).
2. Cook the Bacon: While the grits cook, cook diced bacon in a separate pan until crispy.
3. Cheese Up the Grits: Add cream, cream cheese, butter, and cheeses to the cooked grits. Stir until melted and incorporated. Cover and keep warm.
4. Cook the Shrimp: Set aside the crispy bacon and reserve half of the bacon drippings. Cook the seasoned shrimp in the bacon fat over medium-high heat until they are no longer opaque, about 4 minutes total, flipping only once.
5. Make the Sauce: Remove the shrimp and tent with foil. Add butter, garlic, scallions, seasonings, and peppers to the pan. Cook for another minute, scraping up any browned bits. Add a splash of chicken stock, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and cream. Return the shrimp to the pan and toss to coat. Stir in chopped parsley.
6. Assemble and Serve: Spoon grits into bowls, top with shrimp, and spoon the pan sauce over everything. Enjoy!

Calabrian Chili Paste Substitutes

Calabrian chili paste can be hard to find. However, whole or chopped Calabrian chilies are available at specialty stores. Finely dice them to create a chili paste substitute.

Southern Shrimp and Grits

A rich and comforting Southern classic, this shrimp and grits recipe is packed with bold Cajun flavors, creamy cheesy grits, and crispy bacon, all brought together with a flavorful pan sauce. Perfect for brunch or a hearty dinner!

Time Required

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Servings: 4

Ingredients

For the Shrimp & Pan Sauce

• 5 strips bacon, diced
• 1.5 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (store-bought or homemade, see below)
• Olive oil
• Salt, seasoning salt, and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
• 2 tablespoons Calabrian peppers (crushed/paste) + a spoonful of its oil (or substitute with chili crisp, harissa, etc.)
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ⅓ cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

For the Cheesy Grits

• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup quick grits (avoid instant grits; regular grits work too but take longer to cook)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ¾ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• ¾ cup pepper jack or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Homemade Cajun Seasoning

• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon cayenne powder
• ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

Step 1: Cook the Grits & Bacon

1. In a saucepan, bring 3 cups of chicken stock to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Slowly whisk in the grits, stirring constantly to avoid clumping. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until tender (about 5 minutes).
3. In a separate pan, cook diced bacon until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Save half the bacon grease in a bowl and leave the remaining grease in the pan.
4. Stir heavy cream, cream cheese, and butter into the grits. Mix in the cheddar and pepper jack cheese until melted. Season with seasoned salt and pepper as needed. Cover and keep warm.

Step 2: Prepare the Shrimp

5. Toss shrimp in olive oil and Cajun seasoning, coating well. Reserve ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning for the sauce.
6. Heat 2 tablespoons bacon fat in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook shrimp for about 2 minutes per side, until opaque. Remove shrimp and tent with foil. (Cook in batches if needed.)

Step 3: Make the Pan Sauce

7. In the same pan, melt butter, then add garlic and scallions, cooking for 2 minutes until fragrant.
8. Stir in red pepper flakes, Calabrian peppers, and their oil, cooking for another minute.
9. Pour in chicken stock, scraping up browned bits. Add lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and heavy cream, whisking to combine. Season to taste.
10. Return shrimp to the pan, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and toss to coat.

Step 4: Assemble & Serve

11. Spoon cheesy grits into bowls. Top with shrimp and pan sauce, then sprinkle with crispy bacon.
12. Finish with an extra squeeze of lemon juice and serve warm.