Enjoy a single serve Shrimp and Grits in just 20 minutes! Our recipe features creamy, cheesy grits and buttery shrimp with onions, garlic, and red bell peppers for a quick Southern comfort meal.
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Total Time20 minutesmins
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: cheese grits, grits, shrimp, shrimp and cheese grits, shrimp and grits
Mix the milk, water, salt, garlic powder, and smoked paprika in a 1-quart saucepan. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
Stir in the grits and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the grits become soft and thick. Remove the pan from the heat.Pro Tip: The brands of grits I often use only take between 8 to 10 minutes to cook. Depending on the brand of grits you use, the cooking time may be longer. Be sure to read the directions on the package you purchase.
Stir in the butter and cheese. Cover and set the pan aside.Pro Tip: Grits will thicken as they cool. If they are thicker than you like, stir in a few teaspoons of water or milk.
Cook the shrimp
Melt butter in an 8-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally for 1 to 2 minutes until the onions are translucent.
Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring frequently for 30 seconds.
Season the shrimp with salt and black pepper. Add the shrimp to the pan and cook on one side for 1 to 2 minutes, then flip the shrimp over and cook the other side for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the lemon juice over the shrimp and vegetables and stir.
Assemble
Pour the cheese grits into a bowl.
Pour the cooked shrimp, the vegetables, and the buttery sauce over the grits. Grits are best served immediately.
Notes
Expert Tips
Read through the entire recipe and the Ingredient Notes section of the post and gather your ingredients. Shrimp and Grits come together quickly so it's a good idea to have everything ready before beginning. Although this dish is easy to make, you might have questions about the process and many of your questions may be answered in the Ingredient Notes section and from the process photos and pro tips above.
If you'd like to use bacon in this recipe, cook the bacon first and use the bacon drippings instead of butter to cook the vegetables and then the shrimp.
Make the grits cheesy. Cheese adds a richness to the grits that you won't want to miss out on. Mix it in at the very end along with the butter.
Don't skip the lemon juice. Shrimp with cheese grits is a very rich dish and the small addition of lemon juice helps to cut the richness and adds a burst of freshness.
NOTE: The best grits to use when making shrimp and grits are coarsely ground grits or stone-ground grits. The brands of grits I often use only take between 8 to 10 minutes to cook. Depending on the brand of grits you use, the cooking time may be longer. Be sure to read the directions on the package you purchase. I use House Autry White Stone Ground Grits or Bob's Red Mill White Corn Grits.