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Delicious smothered shrimp served over creamy grits, a soulful Southern dish.

Smothered Shrimp and Grits

Creamy stone-ground grits topped with Cajun-seasoned shrimp in a smoky bacon cream sauce. Ready in under an hour and big on flavor.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Southern
Calories: 720
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • -For the Grits:
  • 1 cup stone-ground grits
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 4 tbsp butter divided
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • -For the Shrimp and Sauce:
  • 1 lb medium shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 6 slices bacon chopped
  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 1 small green bell pepper finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • -For Garnish:
  • 2 green onions sliced
  • Fresh parsley chopped

Method
 

  1. Bring 4 cups of salted water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in the grits in a steady stream. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, for 20 to 25 minutes until thick and tender.
  2. Remove grits from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of butter and the shredded cheddar until melted and smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
  3. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the drippings in the pan.
  4. Season shrimp with Cajun seasoning and smoked paprika. Add to the skillet and cook 2 minutes per side until pink and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
  5. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Saute onion, bell pepper, and garlic over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until softened.
  6. Pour in the heavy cream and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
  7. Return the bacon and shrimp to the skillet and stir to combine. Heat through for 1 minute.
  8. Spoon grits into bowls and top with the smothered shrimp and sauce. Garnish with green onions and fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

Notes

Don't drain the bacon drippings between steps. They're essential for the sauce flavor. Pat the shrimp dry before seasoning so they sear properly. If your Cajun seasoning is very salty, taste before adding more to the sauce.