Authentic Southern Shrimp and Grits
A comforting Southern dish featuring creamy grits topped with succulent shrimp, crispy bacon, and bright green onions.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Southern
- Diet: None
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup grits
- 4 cups water
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Boil that water: In a medium pot, bring the water to a boil and add the grits. Cook according to package instructions until they are creamy, stirring occasionally.
- Creamy bliss: Once your grits are nicely cooked, stir in the heavy cream and cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then set aside.
- Sizzle the bacon: In a skillet, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove and let it rest on paper towels.
- Sauté the shrimp: Using the leftover bacon fat in the skillet, add the shrimp along with minced garlic. Sauté until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through, about 4-5 minutes.
- Brighten it up: Stir in the lemon juice and season the shrimp with salt and pepper.
- Assemble the plate: Serve the shrimp over a bed of grits, top with crispy bacon and chopped green onions.
Notes
Use fresh or frozen shrimp and season the dish to taste. It can be made ahead of time by preparing shrimp and grits separately.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 180mg