Description
Classic Southern comfort food featuring creamy, cheesy grits topped with savory sautéed shrimp and crispy bacon, enhanced with a touch of spice and fresh green onions for a flavorful and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheesy Grits
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth or water
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup white stone ground grits (not instant)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 Tablespoons salted butter
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
Shrimp
- 3–6 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups sliced mushrooms
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
- ¼ cup chopped green onions
Instructions
- Prepare the Grits: Bring chicken broth and milk to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Whisk in the grits and salt, then reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 35 to 40 minutes until thickened and creamy.
- Finish the Grits: Remove the grits from heat and stir in sharp cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, butter, black pepper, and Tabasco sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
- Cook the Bacon: In a large skillet over medium-low heat, cook the chopped bacon until crispy, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving about 1 ½ tablespoons of bacon drippings in the pan. If needed, add peanut oil to reach this amount.
- Cook the Shrimp: Toss shrimp with flour to lightly coat, shaking off excess. Add shrimp to the hot bacon grease and cook until shrimp just turn pink, about 1 minute, stirring for even cooking.
- Sauté Mushrooms and Combine: Add mushrooms and reserved bacon to the skillet, cooking for 1 minute. Then add garlic, lemon juice, Tabasco sauce, and half of the green onions. Stir to combine and heat through.
- Plate and Garnish: Spoon about 1 cup of cheesy grits onto each plate or shallow bowl, top with shrimp mixture, then sprinkle with remaining green onions for freshness and color.
Notes
- For cheesier grits, increase total cheese to 2 cups and experiment with white cheddar or gouda for varied flavors.
- Storage: Keep shrimp and grits separate in airtight containers; shrimp stays fresh up to 3 days, grits up to 2 days in the refrigerator.
- Freezing: Shrimp mixture freezes well for up to 2 months; avoid freezing grits due to texture changes.
- Reheating: Warm shrimp gently in a sauté pan with a splash of chicken stock. Reheat grits in a saucepan with added whole milk, stirring to restore creaminess.
- Make Ahead: Prepare components separately and store refrigerated. Reheat with extra liquid for best texture before serving.
