Creamy Shrimp and Grits
Creamy Shrimp and Grits
Ingredients
For the Shrimp and Sauce
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Southern Made Creole seasoning
- 4 strips bacon
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 1/2 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups seafood stock, or chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Southern Made seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon crab boil seasoning, or a pinch of cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons green onion, chopped, for garnish
For the Grits
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup quick-cooking grits
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Optional Catfish Topping
- 2 catfish fillets
- 1 cup vegetable oil, for frying, or as needed
- 1/2 cup cornmeal, for dredging
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
- 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning, for dredging
Instructions
- 1
Season the peeled and deveined shrimp with Italian seasoning and Southern Made Creole seasoning. Mix well and set aside.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
In a large skillet, cook the bacon strips over medium heat until crispy. Remove the cooked bacon, crumble it, and set aside. Leave the bacon grease in the pan.
⏱️ 8 min
- 3
Add the seasoned shrimp to the skillet with the bacon grease. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until the shrimp are pink and opaque. Remove the shrimp from the pan, reserving any drippings, and set aside. The cooked shrimp will be added back to the sauce later for better presentation.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
In the same skillet, add the chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery. Sauté over medium heat until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min
- 5
Add 1/4 cup of water to the skillet to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
⏱️ 2 min
- 6
Stir in the minced garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min
- 7
Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
⏱️ 1 min
- 8
Gradually whisk in the seafood stock (or chicken broth) and heavy cream until smooth. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
⏱️ 3 min
- 9
Season the sauce with granulated garlic, granulated onion, paprika, Southern Made seasoning, and crab boil seasoning (or cayenne pepper). Stir in any reserved drippings from the cooked shrimp. Continue to simmer until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency, about 5-7 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
⏱️ 7 min
- 10
While the sauce simmers, prepare the grits. In a separate medium pot, combine 2 cups of heavy cream and 2 cups of chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
⏱️ 5 min
- 11
Slowly whisk in the quick-cooking grits to prevent lumps. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
⏱️ 15 min
- 12
Once the grits have simmered, stir in the unsalted butter, salt, black pepper, and shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Mix until the butter is melted and the cheese is fully incorporated, creating creamy grits.
⏱️ 3 min
- 13
(Optional Catfish) If adding catfish, heat vegetable oil in a separate pan over medium-high heat. In a shallow dish, combine cornmeal, all-purpose flour, and Creole seasoning. Dredge the catfish fillets in the mixture, shaking off excess. Fry the catfish for 3-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
⏱️ 10 min
- 14
To assemble, spoon a generous portion of creamy grits into serving bowls. Ladle the shrimp sauce over the grits. Arrange the cooked shrimp on top of the sauce.
⏱️ 2 min
- 15
Sprinkle the crumbled crispy bacon bits over the shrimp and grits. Garnish with chopped green onion. Serve immediately, with the optional fried catfish on the side.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Creamy Shrimp and Grits
For the Shrimp and Sauce
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Southern Made Creole seasoning
- 4 strips bacon
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 1/2 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups seafood stock, or chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Southern Made seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon crab boil seasoning, or a pinch of cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons green onion, chopped, for garnish
For the Grits
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup quick-cooking grits
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Optional Catfish Topping
- 2 catfish fillets
- 1 cup vegetable oil, for frying, or as needed
- 1/2 cup cornmeal, for dredging
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
- 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning, for dredging
Instructions
- 1
Season the peeled and deveined shrimp with Italian seasoning and Southern Made Creole seasoning. Mix well and set aside.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
In a large skillet, cook the bacon strips over medium heat until crispy. Remove the cooked bacon, crumble it, and set aside. Leave the bacon grease in the pan.
⏱️ 8 min - 3
Add the seasoned shrimp to the skillet with the bacon grease. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until the shrimp are pink and opaque. Remove the shrimp from the pan, reserving any drippings, and set aside. The cooked shrimp will be added back to the sauce later for better presentation.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
In the same skillet, add the chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery. Sauté over medium heat until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min - 5
Add 1/4 cup of water to the skillet to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
⏱️ 2 min - 6
Stir in the minced garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min - 7
Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
⏱️ 1 min - 8
Gradually whisk in the seafood stock (or chicken broth) and heavy cream until smooth. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
⏱️ 3 min - 9
Season the sauce with granulated garlic, granulated onion, paprika, Southern Made seasoning, and crab boil seasoning (or cayenne pepper). Stir in any reserved drippings from the cooked shrimp. Continue to simmer until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency, about 5-7 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
⏱️ 7 min - 10
While the sauce simmers, prepare the grits. In a separate medium pot, combine 2 cups of heavy cream and 2 cups of chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
⏱️ 5 min - 11
Slowly whisk in the quick-cooking grits to prevent lumps. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
⏱️ 15 min - 12
Once the grits have simmered, stir in the unsalted butter, salt, black pepper, and shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Mix until the butter is melted and the cheese is fully incorporated, creating creamy grits.
⏱️ 3 min - 13
(Optional Catfish) If adding catfish, heat vegetable oil in a separate pan over medium-high heat. In a shallow dish, combine cornmeal, all-purpose flour, and Creole seasoning. Dredge the catfish fillets in the mixture, shaking off excess. Fry the catfish for 3-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
⏱️ 10 min - 14
To assemble, spoon a generous portion of creamy grits into serving bowls. Ladle the shrimp sauce over the grits. Arrange the cooked shrimp on top of the sauce.
⏱️ 2 min - 15
Sprinkle the crumbled crispy bacon bits over the shrimp and grits. Garnish with chopped green onion. Serve immediately, with the optional fried catfish on the side.
⏱️ 2 min