Shrimp and Grits – Grandbaby Desserts

Ain’t nothing like some cozy Southern Shrimp and Grits y’all. It sticks to your ribs with every chew feeling like a heat hug. We spoon a brilliant flavorful and fragrant shrimp gravy over creamy, buttery, seafood inventory infused grits with crispy pancetta as a garnish for added texture. The 2 collectively are a legit match made in heaven. Should you wanna really discover a shrimp and grits recipe that received’t disappoint, you’ve gotten come to the suitable place.

Disclosure: I partnered with COLUMBUS® Craft Meats for this recipe put up, however all opinions expressed listed below are my very own. I’m grateful for genuine partnerships like this.

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After I need to simply chill at dwelling on the sofa with some good ole original consolation meals, I make this shrimp and grits recipe. It simply makes me really feel so so good. Grits are already certainly one of my fave meals ever. They’re easy, no fuss and down proper delish.

They’re a reminder that you just don’t want an entire lot to make one thing style good. However boy oh boy, if you spoon a wealthy savory plump shrimp sauce over a bowl, that’s some bomb consuming. Let’s get into it.

Two bowls of New Orleans shrimp and grits on white countertop with pancetta package in background

The Lowdown on This Shrimp and Grits Recipe

Closeup of Jocelyn in pink dress smiling

Delicacies Inspiration: Southern consolation

Main Cooking Methodology: Sautéing and Simmering

Dietary Data: Might be made gluten-free with ingredient swaps

Key Taste: Hearty creamy grits with savory, wealthy shrimp

Talent Stage: Simple y’all (No Sweat Fam!)

There’s a purpose why this Southern dish is such a success. These down-home flavors are past satisfying and all the time hit the spot.

Making this dish ain’t laborious in any respect boos. Whether or not you make it for a no-fuss weeknight dinner or serve it as much as impress ceremonial dinner friends, the easy directions make it simple peasy to tug off.

Hear, we construct flavors in so some ways from creating our personal quick shrimp inventory to infuse our grits with further depth to including pancetta as a substitute of bacon to our shrimp sauce to up the flavour.

Elements you’ll must make one of the best shrimp and grits

Ingredients to make a classic shrimp and grits recipe
  • Inventory & Grits Base: Shrimp shells, pancetta, inexperienced onions, and water come collectively to create a poppin inventory basis for the grits.
  • Outdated-Customary Grits: Go for the actual deal like a self-respecting Southerner—no taking part in round with prompt grits round these components. We wish the final word creamy texture.
  • Butter: This brings the plain richness and indulgence to our grits and shrimp gravy.
  • Kosher Salt and Freshly Floor Black Pepper: This helps season our meals to perfection boos.
  • Extra Pancetta: Bacon is the standard go to however belief me with this swap. We elevate the savory taste with some delish COLUMBUS® Craft Meats pancetta. The standard is undefeated. You’ll be able to actually style the daring smoky distinctive taste if you crisp it up and add to the shrimp sauce.
  • Onion, Celery, and Inexperienced Bell Pepper: The Holy Trinity of Southern cooking. It gives the earthy notes and texture to our savory base.
  • Garlic: We gotta mince some up for that fragrant punch.
  • All-Function Flour: This thickens the sauce good.
  • Creole Seasoning: I seize no-salt so I can add a flavorful pop with out the additional sodium.
  • Reserved Shrimp Inventory: We make it early within the recipe and use within the grits and likewise as a taste basis for our shrimp sauce.
  • Massive Shrimp: Deveined and peeled, these are prepared to absorb all that taste. Don’t overlook to avoid wasting the peels. They go in our inventory boos!
  • Roma Tomato: Diced for a recent, vibrant observe.
  • Inexperienced Onion Tops: Sliced thinly for that closing recent garnish.

How one can make shrimp and grits

Pancetta added to a pan on white countertop
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In a big nonstick skillet, add COLUMBUS® Craft Meats pancetta and cook dinner over medium warmth till calmly crispy and fats is rendered, about 3 minutes. Put aside 2 tablespoons cooked pancetta.

Butter and crispy pancetta in a pan being cooked
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Add butter to the skillet.

Onion, celery and bell pepper added to pan to cook.
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As soon as melted, add onion, celery, and bell pepper.

Veggies being cooked in butter with garlic
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Cook dinner till the veggies are softened, about 6-7 minutes. Add in garlic and cook dinner for 1 further minute.

Flour and creole seasoning in a pan with sauteed veggies.
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Whisk in flour and Creole seasoning and cook dinner for 1 minute.

Whisked in stock to make a shrimp sauce for easy shrimp and grits
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Whisk as you slowly pour in 1 ½ cups inventory. Let combination simmer vigorously, persevering with to whisk because it thickens.

Raw shrimp and tomatoes to a sauce to cook.
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Stir in shrimp and tomatoes plus a little bit salt.

Cooked shrimp in a sauce until translucent before adding to grits.
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Cook dinner till the shrimp go from translucent to opaque, about 4 minutes, flipping midway by. Simmer till combination continues to thicken, about 2-3 minutes.

Grits and shrimp plated on a white plate with green onions and pancetta in the white background with two silver forks
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Take away from warmth and serve instantly over grits. Garnish with darkish components of inexperienced onions and reserved pancetta.

What to serve with New Orleans Shrimp and Grits

Recipe Substitutions

  • Home made shrimp inventory: To chop down on the work, you possibly can sub in seafood inventory or rooster inventory.
  • Grits: Should you gotta lower down on the time, use fast grits that are prepared in about 5 minutes. Polenta additionally works.
  • Shrimp: Go together with one thing enjoyable like scallops and even lobster for a complicated twist.
  • Creole seasoning: You’ll be able to swap in Outdated Bay seasoning and even cajun seasoning right here. Ensure it’s low sodium or no salt so you possibly can construct in as a lot salt as you need.

Recipe Variations and Additions

  • Cheese Up These Grits: Swap out these shrimp inventory infused grits for tremendous creamy melty cheese grits as a substitute.
  • Get Tremendous Cajun: Substitute Creole seasoning with some Cajun seasoning mix and add andouille sausage to the sauce. That’s good eatin boos!
  • Get Into Candy Potatoes: Change the grits with these candy potato grits for a novel candy and creamy possibility.
  • Add some veggies: Including some spinach to the shrimp sauce is a enjoyable method to get extra veggies into the combo.
A large close up of grits and shrimp on white countertop

Skilled Ideas and Tips for making one of the best Southern shrimp and grits recipe

  1. Go High quality: Go together with the nice high-quality shrimp boos. They may style so juicy and flavorful if you happen to do.
  2. Don’t Skip The Home made Inventory: We add the selfmade shrimp inventory to this recipe as a result of it makes the flavors pop much more in these grits and the gravy.
  3. Don’t Overcook: Shrimp cooks shortly y’all. You wanna cook dinner them till they only flip pink and opaque. Should you overcook them, they may style tremendous robust and rubbery.
  4. Style and Modify: I preserve the sodium down as a result of I would like you to taste each the grits and the shrimp sauce to your liking and choice. Do you boo!
  5. Serve Instantly: You wanna serve the shrimp whereas sizzling and tender and never overcooked. And also you wanna serve these grits when they’re good and creamy earlier than they get too thick in texture.

How one can retailer & reheat grits and shrimp

I prefer to retailer the leftovers individually in hermetic containers within the fridge. You may also add to freezer baggage in order for you. Whenever you need to reheat, pour the grits right into a small pot and add some further milk or broth to loosen them and return them to a creamy texture. For the shrimp sauce, you gotta warmth on low warmth in order that they don’t overcook.

How lengthy will shrimp and grits final within the fridge?

They may final within the fridge for as much as 3 days.

Can I freeze grits and shrimp?

Boos you possibly can however I don’t advocate it. The freezing and reheating of the shrimp could make them tremendous rubbery. The grit texture may even change.

Easy Shrimp with Grits being dug into with spoons to eat on white countertop

Ceaselessly requested questions

Can I exploit frozen shrimp for this shrimp and grits recipe?

Completely boos. Simply be certain that they’re utterly thawed and dried earlier than you utilize them.

Assist! Why are my grits lumpy?

Ahh you in all probability didn’t whisk the grits into the liquid constantly. You’ll be able to assist make them easy and creamy by whisking them up and including extra liquid if it’s essential.

What ought to I do if my grits are too thick?

You’ll be able to simply skinny them out by whisking in additional liquid.

Can I make these Southern shrimp and grits forward?

Shrimp and grits are greatest loved as quickly as you make them boos. Nonetheless if it’s essential make forward, you possibly can reheat each individually over low warmth. Simply watch out to not overcook the shrimp making them robust.

A large bowl of Southern shrimp and grits recipe being eaten on white countertop

The very best shrimp and grits recipe you’ll ever style is true right here y’all. The flavors are popping. The grits are insanely creamy and buttery. The shrimp sauce is downright delish with so many flavors and textures. Put them collectively and prepare for a bomb match made in heaven.

Extra Shrimp recipes

Shrimp and grits

A scrumptious Southern shrimp and grits made with a superbly flavorful juicy shrimp gravy served over shrimp inventory infused creamy buttery grits.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook dinner Time 40 minutes

Complete Time 55 minutes

For the Inventory and Grits

  • To make a flavorful inventory for grits, mix shrimp shells, pancetta, and inexperienced onions in a medium saucepan. Deliver to boil, then simmer for quarter-hour.

  • Pressure inventory into heat-safe container, urgent on all of the solids to get as a lot water out as attainable. Discard solids.

  • Reserve 1 ½ cups inventory for shrimp. Put aside.

  • In the identical saucepan, carry 4 cups inventory to a boil. Whisk in grits, 2 tablespoons butter, salt and pepper. Whisk constantly for the primary 30 seconds. As soon as it comes again to a boil, cut back warmth to low and cook dinner for 12 minutes, whisking often. Take away from warmth and stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Grits will thicken up as they cool.

For the Shrimp

  • In a big nonstick skillet, add pancetta and cook dinner over medium warmth till calmly crispy and fats is rendered, about 3 minutes. Put aside 2 tablespoons cooked pancetta.

  • Add butter to skillet and as soon as melted, add onion, celery, and bell pepper. Cook dinner till greens are softened and simply starting to get shade across the edges, about 6-7 minutes. Add in garlic and cook dinner for 1 further minute.

  • Whisk in flour and Creole seasoning and cook dinner for 1 minute. Whisk as you slowly pour in 1 ½ cups inventory. Let combination simmer vigorously, persevering with to whisk because it thickens.

  • Stir in shrimp and tomatoes, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook dinner till shrimp go from translucent to opaque, about 4 minutes, flipping midway by. Simmer till combination continues to thicken, about 2-3 minutes.

  • Take away from warmth and serve instantly over grits. Garnish with darkish components of inexperienced onions and reserved pancetta.

*When purchasing for shrimp, you need to be certain that the shells are nonetheless on as a result of they may assist us make a brilliant flavorful inventory. Nonetheless, you continue to need to make life simple, so buy the EZ peel type, the place the shell continues to be on, however the shrimp have been deveined and lower, so it’s a lot simpler to take away the shell.

How one can retailer & reheat grits and shrimp

I prefer to retailer the leftovers individually in hermetic containers within the fridge. You may also add to freezer baggage in order for you. Whenever you need to reheat, add the grits to a small pot and add some further milk or broth to loosen them and return them to a creamy texture. For the shrimp sauce, you gotta warmth on low warmth in order that they don’t overcook.

How lengthy will shrimp and grits final within the fridge?

They may final within the fridge for as much as 3 days.

Can I freeze grits and shrimp?

Boos you possibly can however I don’t advocate it. The freezing and reheating of the shrimp could make them tremendous rubbery. The grit texture may even change.