This Creole shrimp and grits recipe is super easy yet delicious! Shrimp and grits using quick grits (cook in 5 minutes) actually make a much creamier version of the southern corn dish. This savory dish is so popular there is even a Shrimp and Grits Festival Destin Fl.
Ingredients in this savory Shrimp and Grits recipe
Most of the ingredients in this dish are already in your pantry! You may need to find one or two items, but majority you should already have. For the bacon, if you have a very thick type only use 6 slices or your dish may be a little on the greasy side.

Bring the water to a boil and cook the grits with the salt on low for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the cheese and a half stick of butter. Incorporate with a whisk, then cover and set aside. The grits are done!

Let’s cook the shrimp!
The the chopped bacon and cook on a medium high heat until cooked through and slightly crispy. Remove the bacon from the grease then add the shrimp directly to the bacon grease along with the creole seasoning.
Cook only for 3 minutes on each side. Remove promptly.
Add the onions to the skillet, cook until soft then add the garlic to cook for a couple minutes. Add the flour and cook for a few more minutes.
Then slowly start to add the broth whisking all the time. Add the green onions and parsley. Followed by the cream.
Allow the sauce to cook together for a minute or so, add a little butter if desired.

Add a little more butter to grits if they need, before serving! Creole shrimp and grits are a regular on the Cagle table. Try this recipe and you’ll see why.

Creole Shrimp and Grits
This easy creamy shrimp and grits recipe is rich and savory yet so simple to put together. The smokiness of the bacon and shrimp paired with the cheesiness of the corn grits really hits the right spot for a taste of the South!
Ingredients
- Quick cook Grits, 2 x Cups
- Water, 8 x Cups
- Salt, 1/4 tsp
- Cheddar cheese, 2 x Cups
- Bacon, 8 x Slices (6 if the bacon is thick) chopped
- Shrimp, 3lb peeled and deveined
- Creole Seasoning, 1 tbsp
- Onions, 1 x Cup Chopped
- Garlic, 4 x cloves
- Flour, 3 tbsp
- Chicken Broth, low sodium 2 x Cups
- Green Onions, x 4
- Fresh Parsley, 1 tbsp chopped
- Cream, 1 x Cup
- Butter, 1-1/2 sticks
- Butter, 1-1/2 sticks
- Cream, 1 x Cup
- Lemon, juice of 1
- Lemon, juice of 1
Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil then add the grits and salt. Stir, cover and allow to simmer on low for 5 minutes.
- After the grits have simmered, add the grated cheddar and whisk together with 1/4 stick of butter. Cover and put aside.
- Cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy. Remove the bacon and put aside. Keep the grease from the bacon in the skillet.
- Add the shrimp and the Creole Seasoning and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Remove the shrimp promptly and put aside.
- Add the onions to the grease and cook on a medium heat until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Add the flour and cook together for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Slowly start to add the chicken broth, stirring constantly with the whisk.
- Add the Parsley and Green onions
- Add the bacon and the shrimp back to the pan. Stir for a minute or so then add the cream.
- At this point you can do a taste test, some people prefer a spicier flavor and so more creole seasoning can be added to taste.
- Serve on top of a bed of cheesy grits and eat right away.
Notes
Depending on the thickness of the sauce the extra butter remaining can be added if you need the sauce to be runnier.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 686Total Fat 42gSaturated Fat 24gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 15gCholesterol 475mgSodium 2559mgCarbohydrates 21gFiber 2gSugar 4gProtein 54g
Tasso Shrimp and Grits recipe
The bacon in this recipe can be substituted using Tasso (a South Louisiana highly spiced and cured pork). If you can’t get Tasso and still want a substitute – you could try a Spicy Chorizo, Canadian Bacon, or Andouille Sausage.
Shrimp and Grits Wine Pairing
I’m often asked what wine pairs with shrimp and grits. I like a nice light Pinot Noir with this dish. It is savory enough with the cheesy grits to have a red wine accompany but we don’t want the wine to overpower the sweet shrimp, so Pinot Noir is the perfect choice.
Do you have a Shrimp and Grits that was a reddish sauce?
Hi, sorry Sam, I don’t at this time.