This post may include affiliate links; for details, see our disclosure policy.
This shrimp and grits recipe will wow everyone at the table! Here’s how to recreate this classic at home, with creamy grits, succulent shrimp, and a flavorful Cajun-inspired sauce. Impress your guests and yourself with this dish that that won over Gordon Ramsay’s discerning palate!
Why we love this recipe
Our friend Tanorria Askew is a MasterChef finalist turned personal chef and author of the cookbook Staples +5. We are beyond excited that she’s sharing her famous recipe for shrimp and grits with us here on A Couple Cooks!
Why is this recipe famous? When Tanorria competed on MasterChef, Gordon Ramsey himself proclaimed her shrimp and grits the best in the MasterChef kitchen. How’s that for impressive? Hold onto your hats for this one: it truly is a masterpiece, with those creamy grits, tender shrimp, and luscious veggie gravy!
How to make shrimp and grits
Tanorria taught us all the secrets to making the best shrimp and grits: creamy grits, veggie gravy, and shrimp. Her original shrimp and grits recipe uses Andouille sausage, which is classic in a Cajun shrimp and grits. For sharing here on the A Couple Cooks website, she created an new spin sans sausage. Here are some of Tanorria’s tips and tricks for a next level shrimp and grits recipe.
Tips for making creamy grits
Grits are ground cornmeal that is boiled and made into a porridge. The dish originated in the Southern US and is usually served with savory toppings, either for breakfast or dinner. Grits are very similar to polenta, which is essentially the Italian version of grits. There are some minor differences between grits and polenta. But for this recipe, simply look for packages labeled medium grind cornmeal or grits.
The secrets to these creamy grits? It’s all about the butter and cream! Here’s a general overview of what to do:
- First, you’ll boil a mixture of milk, seafood stock, and butter. Once it’s boiling, whisk in the cornmeal or grits and reduce the heat to low.
- Add the salt and allow the grits to simmer until thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- When done, stir in the cream and mix until creamy.
You’ll find that these grits will taste savory and cheesy, but there’s no cheese! The butter and cream carry it all the way. What we love about these grits is that they have delicious little lumps throughout!
The Cajun holy trinity
Once you’ve got those grits simmering, you can move on to the veggie gravy. Here Tanorria uses a take on the Cajun holy trinity to make this gravy shine.
What’s the Cajun holy trinity? It’s a mix of the three “holy” vegetables in Cajun cuisine: onions, bell peppers and celery. These are used as the base for many Cajun/Creole dishes like crawfish étouffée, gumbo, and jambalaya. For Tanorria’s version of the holy trinity, she’s dropped celery in favor of garlic. After tasting, we are 100% behind that decision.
For the gravy in this shrimp and grits, you’ll dice the onion, dice the peppers, and mince the garlic. Then saute the veggies, adding Old Bay (yes!) and smoked paprika (double yes!). Add seafood stock and then simmer to let it thicken into a gravy.
Tips for cooking the shrimp
The final step in this shrimp and grits recipe is the shrimp. The shrimp cook right on top of the vegetables in the skillet. Here’s what Tanorria does to make sure they cook evenly and don’t over cook:
- Place the shrimp on top of the vegetables in a clockwise circle. This way, you’ll remember which was the first shrimp in the pan and which will cook the fastest.
- Watch for the shrimp to start to turn pink on the bottom side, which should take about 2 minutes.
- Flip the shrimp using tongs, and then remove from the heat right when all the translucence is gone. This will be another 1 to 2 to minutes. Plate up your grits, add the shrimp, top with spoonfuls of gravy—and prepare to be amazed!
The best type of shrimp to use
For this recipe, here’s the type of shrimp we’d recommend using:
- Find large shrimp, tail on, that has already been deveined. (Here’s How to Devein Shrimp.)
- Either fresh or frozen shrimp work here (make sure to thaw shrimp if necessary).
- Look for wild-caught fish if possible. If you live in the US, look for US caught if you can. Imported seafood runs the risk of being overfished, caught under unfair labor practices, or farmed in environmentally harmful ways.
This is hands down the best recipe we’ve had for shrimp and grits. A huge thank you to Tanorria for sharing her recipe and showing us how it’s done! Make sure to follow Tanorria on Instagram and give her some social love.
Dietary notes
This shrimp and grits recipe is pescatarian and gluten-free.
Frequently asked questions
While quick grits are convenient, stone-ground grits are recommended for a more authentic Southern flavor and texture. Stone-ground grits take longer to cook but yield a creamier, more flavorful result.
Shrimp and grits is a hearty dish that can be served on its own, but you can also pair it with simple sides like a green salad, roasted vegetables, or crusty bread. For a truly Southern experience, try serving it with collard greens or fried green tomatoes.
While it’s best to cook the shrimp and grits just before serving, you can prepare components like the grits and sauce in advance. Reheat them gently before adding the cooked shrimp to maintain the best texture and flavor.
“Famous” Shrimp and Grits
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 1x
Description
This shrimp and grits recipe will wow everyone at the table! Here’s how to recreate this Southern classic at home, with creamy grits, succulent shrimp, and a flavorful Cajun-inspired sauce. Impress your guests and yourself with this dish that that won over Gordon Ramsay’s discerning palate!
Ingredients
For the grits
- 1 ½ cup medium or coarse grind cornmeal or grits
- 1 cup milk
- 3 cup seafood stock
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ cup heavy cream
For the shrimp
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 green pepper
- 1 red pepper
- 1 yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 lb 21/30 ct Shrimp, peeled and deveined (tail on optional)
- 1 ½ tablespoons Old Bay seasoning (purchased or homemade)
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 cup seafood stock (or ½ cup seafood stock and ½ cup white wine)
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- Chopped chives, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat medium pot to high heat. Add seafood stock, milk, and butter. Let it come to a boil. Quickly whisk in cornmeal and reduce the heat to low. Add the salt. Let it simmer until thick, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, dice the peppers and yellow onion. Mince the garlic.
- Heat a large skillet to medium heat. Add the peppers, onions, and garlic. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, then season with the Old Bay, smoked paprika, and salt. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, then add the lemon zest and lemon juice. Pour in the seafood stock and let it simmer 2 to 3 minutes until thickened.
- Add the shrimp on top of the vegetables, working in a clockwise direction (see the video!). Cook until they are just starting to turn pink on one side, about 2 minutes, then use tongs to turn the shrimp and cook until pink and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Drizzle the cream on top, and use tongs to work it in until it’s just incorporated, without stirring. Remove from the heat.
- Once the grits are done, pour in the cream and mix until creamy and incorporated.
- Place the grits into bowls and top with shrimp and spoonfuls of gravy. Garnish with chives.
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Southern
I made this recipe to a T and will make it again. Next time though , I definitely will not use the juice of a whole lemon. It was way too sour and I had to add more stock and reduce it more in order to try and mitigate it. Definitely just use the lemon to taste.
I’ve made shrimp and grits before, however, the zesty flavorful ingredients of this recipe was absolutely delicious 😋, all I can say in my “Rachel Ray’s” voice is Yummo. This is forsure going in my will house of recipes for the seafood lovers!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I followed the homemade old bay seasoning recipe too. My husband doesn’t like cheddar cheese and so many shrimp and grits recipes call for cheddar. This was just a delicious comforting meal.
So glad you enjoyed it!
This was a great recipe! I really enjoyed making it for my family of 6 defiantly need to double the recipe we have about here servings left for lunches the next day.
This is my favorite shrimp & grits recipe! Always fantastic and on the regular menu rotation at my house. Thank you!
Finally made this tonight! I halved the recipe and added a little andouille sausage to supplement the small amount of shrimp we had. We really enjoyed this! Best grits I’ve ever made! (only grits I’ve ever made, but they were very good) after the grits were done and the rest of the food was cooking, the grits became very thick. I splashed in probably around another half to three quarters cup of water and whisked it in really well. Didn’t compromise the flavor at all.