Shrimp & Grits

Classic Shrimp and Grits is an out-of-this-world meal for any time of day. Creamy cheese grits topped with a fresh tomato sauce studded with tender, flavor-packed shrimp and vegetables…what’s not to love? “Yellow grits” (not “quick cooking” or “instant”) are most often used in this dish and can usually be found in the organic grains section. That being said, you can also prepare this with the white “old-fashioned” grits sold in the breakfast aisle.

Shrimp & Grits

Print Recipe

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

55 mins

Author: The Perfect Portion

Recipe type: Everyday Meals

Makes: 4 Dinner portions

Ingredients

4 cups water
½ teaspoon salt, divided
½ teaspoon pepper, divided
1 cup stone-ground grits
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ¼ pounds extra large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup diced yellow onion
½ cup diced green bell pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 large tomato, diced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

In a sauce pot over high heat, bring the 4 cups of water, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper to a boil. Add the grits, cover, and reduce heat to low. Let cook for 20–25 minutes, or until all water is absorbed.
Meanwhile, start preparing the shrimp by placing the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the shrimp, onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the skillet, and sauté for 2 minutes.
Stir the diced tomato, tomato paste, lemon juice, thyme, the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper into the shrimp, and continue sautéing for 3 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink on the outside and opaque on the inside.
Once the grits have finished cooking, remove from heat, and stir in the butter and Cheddar cheese.
Serve the cheese grits topped with the shrimp and vegetables, sprinkled with the chopped fresh parsley.