Shrimp and Cheese Grits
If you've got large shrimp, peeled and deveined, smoked thick-cut bacon and stone-ground grits, you're most of the way to this pork: about 75 minutes of cooking across 7 steps. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 7 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and saucepan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (4)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Bring the water and milk to a gentle boil in a heavy saucepan, then whisk in the grits in a slow stream and a pinch of salt, reduce the heat to low, and simmer covered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until thick and creamy.
- Stir 2 tablespoons of the butter and all of the shredded cheddar into the cooked grits until melted and smooth, then cover and keep warm over the lowest heat.
- While the grits cook, fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, then transfer to paper towels, leaving the rendered fat in the pan; once cool, crumble the bacon.
- Dice the onion and both bell peppers and saute in the bacon fat over medium heat for 6 to 7 minutes until softened, then add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Pat the shrimp dry and season with salt and black pepper, then add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the skillet, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook the shrimp for about 2 minutes per side until they turn pink and opaque and reach 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Stir the lemon juice and crumbled bacon into the shrimp and vegetables and remove from the heat.
- Spoon the cheese grits into shallow bowls, top with the shrimp and pepper mixture, and finish with sliced green onions before serving immediately.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet · Saucepan · Pan · Whisk
Ingredient substitutions
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk · ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
- Lemon
- lime · 1 tbsp white wine vinegar per lemon
Tips & common questions
How long does Shrimp and Cheese Grits take to make?
About 75 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 15 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of milk?
Try any unsweetened plant milk. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Shrimp and Cheese Grits is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Shrimp & Grits - Sautéed shrimp with mushrooms, scallions & bacon served over cheese grits 2.jpg by City Foodsters, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.