Shrimp and Grits Recipe

There’s always a bag of shrimp in my freezer. It thaws fast, it cooks in about five minutes, and it’s what I reach for when I need a quick dinner. And I love cheesy polenta. Like, eat-it-straight-from-the-pot love it. So shrimp and grits just made sense.

This version skips the bacon and sausage that most shrimp and grits recipes start with.

Confession: my husband doesn’t actually like grits very much. So when I make this, it’s all for me. (I’m not complaining.)

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Why I Love This Recipe

• No bacon or sausage needed. It has plenty of flavor without them (more on that below).
• The cheese grits. They taste like way more than a side dish. I’d happily eat a bowl with no shrimp at all.
• It’s fast. The shrimp cook in about 5 minutes and the grits in about 10. That’s exactly why shrimp is my answer whenever I need a quick dinner.

Shrimp and Grits Without Bacon or Sausage

Look up a shrimp and grits recipe and almost every one starts by frying bacon, andouille or both. This one doesn’t.

Cooking the grits in seafood stock and wine gives them flavor from the start, and smoked paprika brings the smoky note bacon usually adds.

If you eat seafood but not meat, it fits as written. Just keep the stock seafood or vegetable. One heads-up for vegetarians: Worcestershire sauce is made with anchovies.

Want to add meat anyway? Brown sliced andouille or chopped bacon in the skillet first, then sear the shrimp in the drippings. If you love andouille, my Instant Pot jambalaya is loaded with it.

Ingredients for Shrimp and Grits

Here’s what to know about each ingredient. Full amounts are in the recipe card below.

For the cheese grits:

• Seafood stock: the grits use 15 ounces, so a 32-ounce carton leaves extra for loosening leftovers. Can’t find it? Vegetable broth is my next best option, or make shrimp stock (see the substitutions below).
• Dry white wine: a splash in the grits adds a little brightness. No wine? Use more stock or water.
• Corn grits: I use Bob’s Red Mill corn grits, which cook in about 5 to 10 minutes. Other grits work too; see which grits to buy below.
• Butter and heavy cream: they make the grits rich and creamy.
• Sharp cheddar: I grate it from a block. It melts smoother than bagged shredded cheese.

For the shrimp:

• Shrimp: 1 pound of large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined. Frozen is fine; thaw them first and pat them dry so they sear instead of steam.
• Olive oil: or bacon grease, if you have some saved.
• Seasonings: black pepper, minced garlic, chopped flat-leaf parsley, smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce, a couple dashes of hot sauce (I like Tabasco) and fresh lemon juice.

Which Grits to Buy

The type of grits changes how long they cook and how much liquid they need, so check your bag.

• Bob’s Red Mill corn grits (what I use): Bob’s sells them as corn grits and polenta in the same bag. They cook in about 5 to 10 minutes with the liquid in this recipe, and they’re why my grits taste like the cheesy polenta I love.
• Polenta: works the same way. One reader made this with polenta because old-fashioned grits weren’t available and loved it.
• Quick grits: these cook in about 5 to 7 minutes, but Quaker’s package uses 4 cups of water per cup of grits. That’s about a cup more than this recipe, so have extra stock or water ready if they get too thick.
• Stone-ground grits: they take much longer, often 30 minutes to an hour, and need more liquid. Follow the package for both, and start the grits well before the shrimp.

How to Make Shrimp and Grits

Make the grits first. They stay warm, covered, while the shrimp cook.

PRO TIP: Measure and prep everything before you turn on the stove. The grits and the shrimp both cook fast, and there isn’t time to mince garlic once the shrimp hit the pan.

Step 1: Heat the liquid

Bring the liquid to a boil. In a medium saucepan, combine the seafood stock, white wine, water and kosher salt, and bring it to a boil.

Step 2: Whisk in the grits

Pour the grits in slowly while you whisk. Whisking as they go in keeps lumps from forming. Keep the heat at medium-high.

Step 3: Cook until thick and tender

Stir every minute or so until the grits are thick and tender. With Bob’s Red Mill corn grits this takes about 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 4: Stir in the butter, cream and cheese

Add the butter, heavy cream and cheddar, and gently stir until melted. Cover the pan and take it off the heat. The grits stay warm while you cook the shrimp.

KRISSY’S RECOMMENDATION: Grits keep thickening as they sit. If yours get too stiff, whisk in a splash of warm stock or water until they’re creamy again.

Step 5: Sear the shrimp

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toss the shrimp with the black pepper and add them in a single layer. Cook until they start to turn golden on the bottom, about 3 minutes.

Step 6: Turn the shrimp once

Flip each shrimp just once. Leaving them alone is what gives them that golden sear.

Step 7: Add the seasonings

Stir in the garlic, parsley, smoked paprika, Worcestershire, hot sauce and lemon juice. Cook about 2 more minutes, until the shrimp are pink and opaque all the way through. That makes a quick pan sauce.

Step 8: Serve

Spoon the warm cheesy grits into bowls and top with the shrimp and a little of the pan sauce. Serve hot.

Want More Sauce? Double It

This recipe makes just enough pan sauce to coat the shrimp. That’s how I like it, because I love the cheesy grits on their own and don’t need much sauce. But if you like a saucy bowl, it’s easy to make more.

• Double the seasonings: use twice the shrimp seasonings from Step 7 and keep everything else the same. That’s what readers who wanted more sauce did. TJ doubled the shrimp sauce and added andouille, and Natasha said next time she’d double it because she likes a lot of sauce.
• Loosen it with stock: add a splash of the leftover seafood stock from the carton with the seasonings and let it bubble for a minute.

Common Shrimp and Grits Problems

• Grits still gritty: they need more time, and maybe more liquid. Stone-ground grits take much longer than corn grits or quick grits.
• Rubbery shrimp: they cooked too long. Large shrimp need only about 5 minutes total, so pull the pan off the heat as soon as they’re done.
• Burnt garlic: add it with the other seasonings after you flip the shrimp, not at the start.

★★★★★

“I’m pretty sure I saw tears in my husband’s eyes after his first bite. I paired it with the suggested wilted spinach and have never been so satisfied with a Wednesday night dinner.”

Maggie, reader review

Substitutions and Variations

• No seafood stock: vegetable broth is my next best option. Or make shrimp stock: buy shell-on shrimp, simmer the shells in water (with onion, celery or carrot if you like) until the liquid reduces by about half, then strain. ShaeBreann did exactly that and said it wouldn’t have been the same with another broth.
• No white wine: use more water or stock. One reader swears by sherry instead.
• Cooking wine: it works, but it’s salted. Leave out the 1/2 teaspoon of salt in the grits and taste before adding any.
• Add-ins: andouille, bacon, mushrooms, bell pepper and green onions all fit. Readers have added andouille, green pepper and onion, and even minced fresh chili peppers they grew themselves.
• More heat: add an extra dash of hot sauce, or season the shrimp with my homemade Cajun seasoning mix.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

Shrimp and grits is best right after it’s made; the shrimp firm up when reheated. Here’s how to handle leftovers.

• Store: refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container within 2 hours and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Keep the grits and shrimp in separate containers if you can.
• Reheat the grits: warm them on the stove or in the microwave, whisking in a splash of stock or water to bring back the creaminess.
• Reheat the shrimp: warm them gently, covered, just until hot. The USDA recommends reheating leftovers to 165°F.
• Make ahead: the grits are best made fresh, but you can peel and devein the shrimp, mince the garlic, chop the parsley and squeeze the lemon earlier in the day.

What to Serve with Shrimp and Grits

Shrimp and grits only needs a green vegetable to round out the meal. For a Southern flair, you can’t beat collard greens with bacon. Wilted garlic spinach is quick and goes great too (it’s what Maggie served with hers). Or keep it simple with a green salad and my lemon vinaigrette salad dressing.

If you love Southern seafood dinners, try my seafood gumbo or crawfish étouffée next.

What kind of shrimp is best for shrimp and grits?

Large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, work best. Wild-caught shrimp, fresh or frozen and thawed, are great here, and medium shrimp work too if you shorten the cooking time a little.

Can I use already-cooked shrimp?

Yes. Skip the searing, and just warm the cooked shrimp in the pan with the seasonings for a minute or two. A couple of readers have used leftover cooked shrimp and still loved it.

How do I know when the shrimp are done?

They’re done when they turn pink and opaque all the way through and curl into a loose C shape. The safe internal temperature for shrimp is 145°F.

Can I double this recipe?

Yes. The recipe card scales for you, so the amounts change when you change the servings. Use your biggest skillet, or sear the shrimp in two batches so they brown instead of steaming.

How do you serve shrimp and grits?

Spoon the creamy grits into a shallow bowl or onto a plate and top them with the shrimp and pan sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley or green onions.

More Shrimp Recipes

If you keep a bag of shrimp in the freezer like I do, here are a few more ways to use it.

Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Shrimp Scampi

Seafood Gumbo

Instant Pot Jambalaya