This shrimp and grits recipe comes from our good friend Richard, who grew up in the South and has worked in Southern kitchens for most of his career. Richard’s grits are perfectly creamy, and the shrimp sauce is unbelievably delicious. I can’t wait for you to try this incredible recipe.
Key Ingredients
Shrimp: I use large or extra-large shrimp in this recipe, but medium shrimp are okay (they will just take less time to cook in the sauce). If you have frozen shrimp, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight and pat them dry before using them in the recipe. Bacon: I love the smoky flavor bacon adds to our shrimp sauce. We cook it first to render the fat and then use that fat to cook the rest of the sauce ingredients. It’s delicious! Green onions and garlic: These are the aromatics in our sauce, which add flavor and texture. You’ll use the white and light green parts of the green onion in the sauce, and then you can slice and sprinkle the green parts on top of it for serving. Tomatoes: Fresh chopped tomatoes keep our shrimp sauce light and delicious (I love them). You can use canned diced tomatoes if needed, but I highly recommend fresh tomatoes for this recipe. Creole seasoning: Store-bought Creole seasoning works nicely in this recipe. I’ve also used our homemade Cajun seasoning, and I loved it. Creole seasoning is usually more herbal than Cajun seasoning, but both are lovely in this recipe. White wine: A splash of wine brings our sauce together. Any dry white wine will do. You can substitute a light chicken broth or veggie broth. Grits: We use our favorite grits recipe for the base of our shrimp sauce. We make it with stone-ground grits, stock, butter, cream, salt, and pepper. The recipe is included below.
How to Make Shrimp and Grits
Our family loves this easy shrimp and grits recipe. I start by cooking my grits, which, depending on the brand, takes between 20 and 40 minutes. I’ve used Bob’s Red Mill grits in the video, which take closer to 20 minutes. To make the grits for shrimp and grits, bring stock to a boil and then stream in the grits while whisking at the same time. After 2 minutes, turn your heat to low, whisk in butter, cream, salt, and pepper, and allow them to cook until thick and creamy. For the shrimp sauce, you’ll need a wide skillet. Cook your bacon first, then when it’s crisp, remove it, but leave the bacon fat in the skillet. We’ll use that to cook the rest of the sauce ingredients (yum). Stir in garlic and green onion, then add flour, which will help thicken our sauce later. Add a splash of white wine, then add Creole seasoning, tomatoes, and any juices collected on the cutting board. Cook the tomatoes for 10 to 15 minutes or until they become a sauce. Season with salt, pepper, and some butter, then add your shrimp and let them poach in the sauce gently. Serve the shrimp sauce on top of your grits and garnish with the reserved cooked bacon and sliced green onion. Delicious!
What to Serve with Shrimp and Grits
Shrimp and grits do well as a stand-alone dish, but you can always add a few more dishes to the table. I love adding some vegetables. Try collard greens, sautéed spinach, my favorite corn salad, or fried cabbage. A fresh salad is nice, too. Toss your favorite salad ingredients into a bowl, and then top with balsamic vinaigrette, honey mustard dressing, or homemade ranch. Homemade cornbread, fluffy biscuits, or these cheese drop biscuits are also lovely for sopping up any leftover sauce. 5 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped small (lardons) 1 bunch green onions, sliced, greens and whites separated 3 cloves garlic, sliced thin 1 heaping teaspoon flour 2 cups (400g) chopped tomatoes, 2 large tomatoes 1 ¼ teaspoon Creole seasoning or Cajun seasoning, see notes for adjusting for spice level 2 tablespoons white wine or chicken stock 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt Pinch fresh ground black pepper 1 tablespoon butter 4 cups (945ml) chicken or vegetable stock, try homemade chicken stock or veggie stock 4 tablespoons (55g) butter 1/4 cup (60ml) cream 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 2When they begin to thicken, reduce the heat to a low simmer (helps to prevent splattering). Whisk in the butter, cream, salt, and pepper. 3Continue to cook at a very low simmer until thickened, whisking occasionally. Expect a cooking time of around 20 minutes, depending on the brand and how coarsely your grits are ground (see tips). Continue simmering on low if they need to thicken further. The longer you keep them on the heat, the more they thicken. 2Add the garlic and sliced whites of the green onions to the hot bacon fat. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until it becomes fragrant. 3Stir in the flour and mix it well to remove any lumps, then immediately add the wine and stir until smooth. 4Add the tomatoes, with any juices, and the Creole seasoning. Cook over medium-low heat until the tomatoes break down and you have a more uniform sauce, 10 to 15 minutes. 5Season the sauce with salt and pepper and melt in the butter. When the butter melts, add the shrimp, spacing them evenly and gently pushing down into the sauce. Poach the shrimp until opaque, 3 to 5 minutes. 6Serve the shrimp with the sauce over grits and top with bacon and reserved sliced green onion.
