Authentic Southern Shrimp and Grits (2024)

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This post is all about authentic southern shrimp and grits, a southern brunch delicacy that warms the soul. The grits and loaded with cream and cheese, topped with crisp bacon, seared shrimp, and drizzled in a flavorful buttery sauce made from the pan drippings.

Authentic Southern Shrimp and Grits (1)

There are two things that are true about southern cooking. We heavily perfectly season our food and we overdo it on the butter, cheese, and all things comforting and decadent.

So if you are searching for an authentic low country southern shrimp and grits recipe, it’s best to take it from someone who actually lives in the deep south and has (too) much experience eating southern cuisine.

These grits are indulgently cheesy and creamy, the shrimp is coated in a Cajun seasoning and seared to perfection. To those pan drippings we add some butter, aromatics, peppers, seasonings, and a dash of heavy cream. Then finally that luscious sauce gets spooned over this bowl of love.

This post is all about how to make the cheesiest, most indulgent and perfectly seasoned southern shrimp and grits.

Authentic Southern Shrimp and Grits (2)

Key Ingredients for Southern Shrimp and Grits:

Large Shrimp – large deveined and peeled shrimp. Medium-sized shrimp can work as well if large ones are unavailable.
Seasonings and Hot Sauce – the key to outstanding shrimp and grits is ensuring they are perfectly and liberally seasoned. You want this dish to be exploding in flavor.
Quick Grits – avoid instant grits but traditional grits work as well they just take a bit longer. Quick grits are my favorite go-to for any grit recipe.
Aromatics – garlic, green onions, and Calabrian peppers are used in this dish to intensify the flavor.
Butter – a no-brainer. Butter truly makes it better. And by “it” I mean everything on earth.
Cream – we use heavy cream in the grits and also a splash in the pan drippings to add a little creaminess.
Cheese – from cream cheese to cheddar and mozzarella, we use lots of cheese in these grits.

How To Make Southern Shrimp and Grits:

I’d consider this southern shrimp and grits dish relatively easy. From start to finish, it took me about 30 minutes or less to pull this together. It’s perfect for a lazy Sunday since you can do this is just two pans/pots and be eating in no time.

  1. Prepare the grits by boiling chicken stock in a pot, slowly add in the grits. Allow grits to cook until they are tender (about 5 minutes). As the grits cook, in a separate pan cook the diced bacon until crispy.
  2. Into the grits add the cream, cream cheese, butter and cheeses. Stir until melted and incorporated. Cover and keep warm while preparing shrimp.
  3. Set aside crispy bacon pieces and reserve half of the pan drippings and set aside.
  4. Cook the seasoned shrimp in the bacon fat over medium high to give them a little bit of color. Cook them on both sides, flipping only once, until they are no longer opaque, about 4 minutes total.
  5. Remove the shrimp and tent with foil. Add butter, garlic, scallions, the seasonings and peppers, allowing to cook another minute, scraping up all the brown pan bits. Add a splash of chicken stock, a squeeze of lemon, dash or Worcestershire, splash of cream. Add the shrimp back into the pan, tossing to coat. Add a handful of chopped parsley.
  6. Add spoonfuls of grits into the bowl then top with shrimp and spoon over the pan sauce and enjoy!

Authentic Southern Shrimp and Grits (3)

Calabrian Chili Paste Substitutes:

Calabrian Chili paste can be tricky to find. However, a jar of whole or chopped Calabrian chilies is easily found at specialty markets like Fresh Market, Whole Foods, etc. You can use whole or chopped Calabrian chilies and just dice them finely to create the chili paste.

You can find Calabrian chili paste HERE on Amazon:
Authentic Southern Shrimp and Grits (4)

Harissa – a middle eastern red chili pepper paste can be used as a substitute
Authentic Southern Shrimp and Grits (5)

Chili Crunch – an Asian-inspired universal chili oil with crunchy garlic and shallots
Authentic Southern Shrimp and Grits (6)

Avoiding Clumpy Grits (A Big NO NO!)

Sometimes the simplest items can be the hardest to master (think, rice). Grits is one of those super easy items to cook that can be easily failed if you don’t follow an easy preparation method. Clumpy lumpy grits are a fail. They are chewy and awkward to eat.

The good news is that we can easy avoid this by quick whisking as you slowly pour the grits into the boiling liquid.

Authentic Southern Shrimp and Grits (7)

Looking for More Comfort Food Recipes?
Authentic Southern Shrimp and Grits (8)

Baked Chicken Alfredo

Chicken Pot Pie with Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits

Chicken Tetrazzini

Smothered Chicken and Gravy

Did you love this recipe for authentic southern shrimp and grits? Be sure to comment below with any questions or feedback. Don’t forget to tag me on IG with any photos; @BadBatchBaking and use #BadBatchBaking

The Best True Southern Shrimp and Grits

5 from 1 vote

By Mallory Austin

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Authentic Southern Shrimp and Grits (13)

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If you're looking for a hearty bowl of southern shrimp and grits, this authentic recipe will surely be in your top favorite brunch dishes you've made. It's bursting with flavor from the creamiest cheesiest grits to the smoky crispy bacon. Then it's all drizzled in a creamy sauce made from those pan drippings. This recipe is an absolute crowd-favorite!

Ingredients

  • 5 strips bacon, diced
  • 3 tablespoons cajun seasoning, divided store-bought or mine is listed below
  • olive oil
  • salt, seasoning salt, and pepper

Shrimp & Pan Sauce

  • 1.5 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced white and green parts
  • 2 tablespoons calibrian peppers crushed/paste + a spoonful of it's oil any chili peppers in oil will work as a substitute or chili crisp, harissa, etc.
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/3 cup chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh squeezed
  • 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

Cheesy Grits

  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup quick grits you can use regular grits but avoid instant.
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 3/4 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
  • 3/4 cup pepper jack or monterey jack, shredded

Cajun Seasoning

  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 1.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 3/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne powder
  • 1/4 tsp freshly cracked pepper

Instructions

Cook Grits & Bacon

  • Prepare the grits by boiling chicken stock in a pot over medium-high, slowly add in the grits, whisking quickly as you go to avoid clumping. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow grits to cook until they are tender (about 5 minutes).

    In a large pan cook the diced bacon until crispy then set aside onto paper towels to absorb grease. Reserve half the bacon grease in a bowl and leave remaining drippings in the pan for shrimp.

  • Into the cooked grits add the heavy cream, cream cheese and butter. Then add the cheeses and stir until cheese has melted, season with seasoned salt and pepper as needed. To thin out the grits to your liking, add a splash more cream and/or stock. Cover and keep warm while preparing shrimp.

Prepare Shrimp & Pan Sauce

  • Toss the shrimp in a few dashes of olive oil then seaon your shrimp liberally with cajun seasoning, coating well on all sides. Reserve 1/2 teaspoon of cajun seasoning to add into your pan sauce.

  • Cook the seasoned shrimp in the bacon fat (about 2 tablespoons) over medium high. Cook them on both sides, flipping only once, until they are no longer opaque, about 4 minutes total. Remove the shrimp and tent with foil. You may need to cook them in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. If so, use the reserved bacon fat.

  • In the same pan, add butter, garlic, scallions and cook until butter melts and garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp cajun seasoning, red pepper flakes, and Calabrian peppers and their oil. Cook for another minute.

  • Add chicken stock and scrape up any brown bits from the pan. Add lemon, worcestershire and cream. Whisk until it comes together as a sauce. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.

  • Place the shrimp back into the pan, add the parsley then toss to coat and another dash of lemon juice over the shrimp. Serve this dish by spooning grits into each bowl then top with shrimp, spoon over the pan sauce, and finish off with crisp bacon.

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Authentic Southern Shrimp and Grits (2024)

FAQs

What ethnicity are shrimp and grits? ›

Originally an African dish of ground maize and shellfish, shrimp and grits migrated with people who were enslaved in plantation kitchens of the Lowcountry of the American South.

What state is best known for shrimp and grits? ›

The true origin of shrimp and grits is believed to be Charleston, South Carolina, where the recipe first appeared in 1950 as a breakfast recipe in the Charleston Receipts cookbook. By 1976, the meal was so popular South Carolina declared shrimp and grits the official state food.

Are yellow or white grits better for shrimp and grits? ›

The Best Grits to Use

And while it may seem obvious, shrimp and grits all starts with the grits. Please, please, please try to get coarsely ground white grits for this.

Do you leave tails on shrimp for shrimp and grits? ›

You can leave the tail on or off: It's easier to eat without the tail in shrimp and grits, but it looks nice with the tail on.

Why are grits only in the South? ›

Grits originated during the 16th century among the Native American Muskogee tribes of southeastern states, including Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. These tribes are credited with grinding dried corn into a coarse, gritty texture and serving it to colonists.

What are grits called in Africa? ›

Ugali, also known as posho, nsima, papa, pap, sadza, isitshwala, akume, amawe, ewokple, akple, and other names, is a type of corn meal made from maize or corn flour in several African countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, DRC, Malawi, Botswana and South ...

Do you eat shrimp and grits with a fork or spoon? ›

Some people may not understand how to eat grits. Grits are fork food and should not be served in a bowl.

What is the secret to good grits? ›

A higher 5:1 ratio by volume of water to grits ensures they cook through fully with no stubborn, hard bits. The recommended stone-ground grits offer the best flavor and texture, particularly when compared to grits made with commercial varieties with a more consistent grind.

Is shrimp and grits a southern thing? ›

Shrimp and grits has been a Southern staple for centuries – perhaps even millennia. So named for their gritty texture, grits were passed from local native tribes, who ground it from hominy, on to newcomers.

Do people eat shrimp and grits for breakfast? ›

Shrimp and grits is a traditional dish in the Lowcountry of the coastal Carolinas and Georgia in the United States. It is a traditional breakfast dish, though many consider it more of a lunch or supper dish.

What is a good side dish to go with shrimp and grits? ›

Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries are a quick and easy way to get crispy fries! Cooked to perfection then dipped in your favorite sauce, yum! Pan Fried Potatoes are simple, easy, crispy, golden bites of heaven! Seared in buttery goodness it's one of the best potato side dishes.

Is shrimp and grits good for you? ›

Shrimp and grits on their own are good for you! Grits are a whole grain and shrimp are packed with protein. The only thing that makes it an unhealthy recipe is the addition of fats and oils like butter, full fat cheese, and heavy cream.

What ethnicity is grits? ›

Origin. The dish originated with the Native American Muscogee tribe using maize. American colonists learned to make the dish from the Native Americans, and it quickly became an American staple.

What cuisine is shrimp and grits? ›

Shrimp and grits is a Southern dish from the Lowcountry of coastal South Carolina and Georgia. It's traditionally served at breakfast, but you can often find it on lunch or dinner menus.

Are grits an African American food? ›

Grits as we know it today originated with the indigenous people in America, passed on to the European settlers, and later taken on by slaves throughout the South. A bowl of grits or porridge was prevalent in slave kitchens and eaten by both the slaves and their owners.

Is shrimp and grits a New Orleans thing? ›

Is New Orleans known for shrimp and grits? While New Orleans may not be known for shrimp and grits as much as gumbo, jambalaya, and beignets, the dish is served and enjoyed in many restaurants throughout the city.

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