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When it comes to comfort food that warms the heart and delights the palate, few dishes can rival the classic Southern charm of Cheesy Shrimp and Grits.
This iconic dish has its roots deeply embedded in the American South, capturing the essence of its culinary traditions and blending them into a harmonious and flavorful concoction.
If you’re seeking a delightful gastronomic adventure that marries creamy grits, succulent shrimp, and bold creole seasoning and flavors, then this dish is a must-try.
If you love the flavors of this recipe, I’m confident you’ll love my Cajun Shrimp Pasta, Blackened Salmon, and Instant Pot Jambalaya too!
Why You Should Make It
- Rich Southern Cajon flavors that are downright delicious.
- Customize it to your liking by adjusting the spice level or adding other ingredients like andouille sausage or bacon for an extra layer of depth.
- Quick and easy to make!
Ingredients Needed
Exact quantities are listed in the recipe card below, but here is a summary.
- For the cheese grits: Seafood stock, white wine, water, salt, grits, heavy cream, butter, sharp cheddar cheese.
- For the shrimp: large uncooked shrimp, olive oil, pepper, garlic, parsley, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, lemon juice
How to make Shrimp and Cheese Grits
Detailed step by step instructions are listed in the recipe card below, but here is a summary.
Cook the grits
Heat liquid: Combine seafood stock, wine, water, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil.
Add grits: Whisk in the grits and continue to stir as they cook.
add grits
Cook the grits over medium-high heat. Continue to stir them periodically until they have thickened and the grits are tender- about 5-10 minutes total.
Add the heavy cream and cheddar cheese: Once the grits are done, add the heavy cream and grated sharp cheddar, stir the mixture well, cover with a lid, and remove the pan from the heat.
Cook the shrimp
Heat pan: Add oil to large sauté pan and add the shrimp in a single layer.
Cook shrimp: Cook until they start to turn golden brown, about 3 minutes, then turn and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Create sauce: Add remaining ingredients to shrimp, stir, and remove from heat.
To serve, spoon shrimp with sauce over warm cheese grits.
Cooking Tip When Making Shrimp and Grits
Prep the ingredients: Since both shrimp and grits are quick to cook, be sure to prepare and measure all of the ingredients before cooking.
Recommended Sides for Shrimp and Grits
Shrimp and grits only need a nice green vegetable to round out the meal. If you want to add a nice Southern flare, you can’t beat Collard Greens with Bacon. Wilted Garlic Spinach or Creamed Spinach are a nice addition. A simple green salad always works too.
Reheating and Storage
Shrimp are best if eaten when cooked. If there are leftovers, store in an air tight container and consume within a few days.
To reheat, do so gently. You will only want to warm the leftover shrimp and not cook it, so low power in the microwave in 1-minute increments should do the trick.
FAQs
Wild caught, uncooked, fresh (or frozen and thawed), deveined, and peeled shrimp work well. Medium to large sizes are commonly used for shrimp and grits.
Absolutely. Sausage, bacon, mushrooms, bell pepper, and green onions are common additions that can enhance the flavor.
While the grits are best made fresh, you can prep the shrimp and other components ahead of time and assemble just before serving.
Serve the creamy grits on a plate or bowl and top them with the cooked shrimp. Garnish with chopped herbs, like parsley or green onions.
If you tried this Shrimp & Grits recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
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Equipment
Ingredients
Grits:
- 15 ounces seafood stock
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 cup grits I use Bob’s Red Mill
- 3 tbsp heavy cream
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
Shrimp:
- 2 Tbsp olive oil or bacon grease
- 1 lb shrimp shelled and deveined large raw shrimp
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves minced, should be a heaping teaspoon
- 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley chopped
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 dashes hot sauce i.e. Tabasco
- 4 tsp lemon juice usually equivalent to the juice of 1 whole lemon
Instructions
- Heat liquid for grits: In a medium saucepan, bring the 15 ounces seafood stock, 1/2 cup white wine, 1/2 cup water, and 1/2 tsp Kosher salt to a boil.
- Cook grits: Whisk in the 1 cup grits and cook over moderately high heat. Continue to stir periodically until thickened and the grits are tender- about 5-10 minutes total. Add the 3 tbsp heavy cream, 3 tbsp unsalted butter, and 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese and gently stir. Cover and remove from heat. Set aside.
- Cook shrimp: To cook the 1 lb shrimp, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil (or bacon grease if available) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat shrimp with 1/4 tsp black pepper and cook in skillet until they start to turn golden brown for approximately 3 minutes. Once turned, stir in remaining ingredients (3 garlic cloves , 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley , 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 dashes hot sauce , 4 tsp lemon juice) to create a sauce and cook for an additional 2 minutes or until they are fully cooked.
- To serve, spoon the warm cheesy grits into a bowl and top with shrimp with a bit of sauce. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was originally published in May 2019 and has been updated with helpful information, ingredient and process photos, as well as recipe tips. Don’t worry – the recipe hasn’t changed!
Can you use cooking wine instead of white wine? I don’t feel like going back to the store. Lol. Or what could I use to substitute the white wine?
sure can!
Could I sub the white wine for anything else? Or omit it?
I would just substitute with more water or stock.
Sherry. The alcohol burns off, but the unique taste of sherry kicks it to a restaurant level. If avoiding use of alcohol definitely use more stock rather than water, IMO.
This sounds really good! I want to make it but in my small town I can’t find seafood stock. Is there a good substitution?
vegetable broth would be your next best option.
Buy shell-on shrimp. Remove the shells and put them in a pot covered with water. Add onion/celery/carrot if you want, and simmer until liquid is reduced 1/2. Shrimp stock!
I had frozen cooked shrimp and found this recipe for shrimp and grits. I treated the shrimp very tenderly and it was delicious. Only thing, there was no sauce. Still delicious. Only problem, my husband might not eat instant cheese grits again.
Super good! We grow our own chili peppers and added a few minced “Super Chilis” to the shrimp. Otherwise followed the recipe to a “T”. Will definitely make again!
John, I bought grits from Carolina Plantation for this recipe. It is the first time trying grits and this recipe. It turned out great and I will be making this often. the shrimp were outstanding.
This is one of the most delicious things I have ever cooked. It was quick, easy, and my husband wanted more.
OMG just made it using polenta because old fashioned grits are not available. So good. The flavors meld perfectly.
I’ve been making this dish for several years now. I love the seasoning used and regularly vary this by using chicken and shrimp as well as steel cut oats for the “grits”. I don’t add the cheese and use a lighter fat than heavy cream- (cholesterol issues) the wine in the grits is AMAZING and barely there but a total game changer! Also, thank you for detailing the prepping and method for
Cooking the shrimp – it has really made a difference in my outcomes!
This is amazing! So quick to make. Minimal ingredients. Will make it often!
Truly thus recipe is delicious!!!!
we just got done and I can barely keep the fork out of my mouth to write this. We will put this up and use it often!
Made this this morning. It was delicious. I didn’t have seafood stock on hand so I used vegetable broth. I added a green pepper & onion to shrimp sauce. Next time I will double the sauce. I like a lot of sauce.