Shrimp and Grits
Creamy grits topped with garlicky shrimp and bacon.
Ingredients
- 200 g Cornmeal
- 500 g Shrimp
- 120 g Bacon
- 80 g Cheddar cheese
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 500 ml Milk
- 40 g Butter
- ½ tsp Cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp Salt
- 3 Scallions (optional)
Method
- Mince the garlic, slice the scallions, and dice the bacon.
- Cook the cornmeal in the milk and a splash of water over low heat, stirring often, until thick and creamy, about 18 minutes, then beat in the butter, cheese, and salt.
- While the grits cook, crisp the diced bacon in a skillet over medium heat until golden, about 4 minutes, then lift out, leaving the fat.
- Sauté the shrimp with the garlic and cayenne in the bacon fat until pink and just firm, about 4 minutes.
- Spoon the grits into bowls and top with the shrimp, bacon, and scallion.
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About Shrimp and Grits
Shrimp and grits is a cornerstone of Lowcountry cooking from the coastal Carolinas and Georgia, born as a simple fishermen's breakfast and now a Southern restaurant staple. At its heart are grits — coarse ground corn cooked slow and patient until thick and creamy — here enriched with milk, butter, and cheddar for a savory, spoonable base beneath the shrimp. The other half of the dish is bacon, whose rendered fat becomes the cooking medium that ties everything together.
The contrast is what makes it: smooth, cheesy grits against plump garlicky shrimp and crisp bacon, with a whisper of cayenne heat running through. It is comfort food that eats as happily at brunch as at dinner, the kind of bowl that feels indulgent yet comes from humble ingredients. This version keeps the technique honest — the grits cook low and slow while the bacon crisps and the shrimp sauté in that same smoky fat — so every component carries flavor from the ones before it, and the whole thing lands on the table in about thirty-five minutes.
Shrimp and Grits: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Shrimp and Grits?
A serving has about 660 calories — 43.1g protein, 46.3g carbs, 34.5g fat, 4.6g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 43.1g of protein, roughly 26% of its calories.
Is Shrimp and Grits gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Shrimp and Grits has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
Is Shrimp and Grits dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Cheddar cheese, Milk, Butter. Swapping those for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
Do I need every ingredient to make Shrimp and Grits?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out scallions — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Shrimp and Grits make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.