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Shrimp and Cheesy Grits

Shrimp and Cheesy Grits

This dish combines sweet shrimp with hearty, cheesy grits to make a comforting bowl of Southern food.
Servings: 2 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

For Grits:

  • 1/2 cup grits, uncooked, yellow
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/3 cup Gouda cheese, shredded
  • 1/3 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • salt and black pepper to taste

For the shrimp and sauce:

  • 3 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 2 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 tablespoon seafood seasoning
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • 1/2 large sweet yellow pepper, chopped
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, garnish
  • 2 slices lemon
  • salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • In a large skillet, cook bacon strips over medium heat until crispy, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.
  • While bacon is cooking, bring 2 cups of vegetable broth to a boil over medium high heat in a saucepan. Stir in 1/2 cup of grits and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. When done, stir in one tablespoon butter, shredded Gouda and Cheddar cheeses. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
    yellow grits
  • In the same skillet with the bacon grease, add one tablespoon of butter and melt over medium heat. Season the shrimp with seafood seasoning. Add the shrimp to the skillet and sauté for about 2 minutes on each side. Remove the shrimp to a plate.
  • Add sweet pepper, celery and green onions to the skillet and cook for 3 or 4 minutes. Stir in the vegetable broth, scraping up all the brown bits from the pan. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add one more tablespoon of butter. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the shrimp back to the sauce and cook for one more minute. Crumble bacon into sauce.
    Shrimp and Cheesy Grits
  • Place a large scoop of grits in the bottom of a shallow bowl. Spoon the shrimp and sauce over the grits. Squeeze some lemon over each bowl. Garnish with more green onions or fresh parsley, if desired. Serve with cornbread and a tall glass of sweet iced tea. Recipe makes 2 servings.
    Shrimp and Cheesy Grits

Equipment

  • 1 large skillet
  • 1 medium saucepan

Notes

Substitutions and Variations:
    • Not a fan of shellfish? Swap out the shrimp for white fish of your choice. You'll want to pan sear and cook the fish in the sauce before adding it to the grits.
    • Add sliced smoked sausage to the sauce instead of bacon. It makes the sauce even more hearty and is simply delicious served over grits.
    • Change up the vegetables used in the recipe. Don't have celery, use carrots to add sweetness to the sauce. Chopped kale, spinach, green cabbage, tomato, and green peas all make great additions to the dish. If using kale, be sure to massage it before adding it to the sauce. This will soften it slightly.
    • Make it creamy! Add 1/4 cup half-and-half to the sauce and cook for an extra 2 minutes before serving. This will thicken it and make it creamy.
    • Really make the dish zesty by adding a few dashes of hot sauce to each bowl. We love it spicy!

Nutrition

Calories: 753kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 35gFat: 48gSaturated Fat: 26gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 227mgSodium: 2772mgPotassium: 563mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2557IUVitamin C: 95mgCalcium: 501mgIron: 2mg