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creamy shrimp and grits in speckled bowl with gold spoon on striped linen

Creamy Lowcountry Shrimp and Grits

  • Author: Quin Liburd
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Breakfast, Brunch
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Southern

Description

Listen, a bowl full of this Lowcountry Shrimp and Grits is the epitome of cozy-deliciousness, peeps. It starts with cheese grits that simmer low and slow until smooth and creamy, with plump shrimp and andouille basking in a rich gravy. You’ll enjoy the flavor and richness of the coastal Lowcountry region here. This delectable shrimp and grits recipe is super versatile and can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!


Ingredients

Scale

For the cheese grits:

  • 3 ½ cups water, plus more as needed
  • 1 cup chicken broth or stock
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • 1 cup grits (not instant grits)- we love Marsh Hen Mill!
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ⅓ cup half and half
  • ½1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • ¼ teaspoon white pepper

For the shrimp gravy:

  • 1 lb shrimp, peeled & deveined- preferably Gulf Coast shrimp
  • 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning (I use Tony Chachere’s)
  • ¼ teaspoon white pepper
  • 4 tablespoons butter, divided (or bacon drippings)
  • 6 ounces andouille sausage, sliced into rounds
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1/2 small yellow onion, finely diced
  • 1 stalk of celery, finely diced
  • 6 cloves of garlic, pressed or finely minced
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¼ cup chicken broth or stock
  • ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley, plus more for garnish

Instructions

For the cheese grits:

  1. In a large saucepan, bring the water, chicken broth/stock, and salt to a boil over medium-high heat. When boiling, gradually whisk in the grits, a little at a time to prevent clumping, stirring well until blended. Then reduce the heat to low and cover the saucepan. Let the grits slowly cook and simmer, going back to the pot often to whisk the grits to prevent lumps, until tender- about 30 minutes. During the cooking process, add a splash of water to the grits if you see that they’re looking too stiff. We want them thick, but not stiff.
  2. Remove the grits from the heat. Stir in the butter, half and half, ½ cup of cheddar cheese, and white pepper until thoroughly combined. Give the grits a taste, if you like your grits extra cheesy, sprinkle in ½ cup more shredded cheddar cheese. Season with more salt, if desired. Keep the grits warm on the lowest setting while you make the creamy shrimp gravy. Note: If the grits start to lock up and get stiff, simply add a splash of water to help loosen. You want the grits to have a thick yet creamy texture.

For the shrimp gravy:

  1. In a large bowl, add the shrimp and sprinkle with the Creole seasoning and white pepper. Toss shrimp with seasonings to fully coat and then set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
  2. In a large skillet, melt two tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Working in batches, add the shrimp in a single layer and sauté for 1-2 minutes until opaque and slightly pink in color. Flip the shrimp onto the other side and continue cooking for 1 minute. Then use a slotted utensil to transfer the sautéed shrimp to a clean plate and set aside. Repeat the process until all shrimp is sautéed and set aside. Add the andouille into the skillet and cook just until golden brown and slightly crisp on both sides, about 2-3 minutes. Then use a slotted utensil to transfer the andouille to the plate with the shrimp.
  3. Add the remaining two tablespoons of butter into the skillet. When hot, add the diced bell pepper, onion, and celery. Sauté the veggies until tender and golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Then stir in the garlic and continue cooking until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Sprinkle in the flour and stir with the veggie mixture, tossing well to cook out the flour, about 1 minute. Gradually stir in the chicken broth/stock, stirring well to fully combine. Let broth/stock simmer for 1 minute until all flour has dissipated. Then stir in the heavy cream and cook, stirring, until the gravy is smooth and thick, about 2-3 minutes. 
  4. Add the sautéed shrimp and andouille back into the skillet along with any residual juices, and toss well to coat in the gravy. Continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes for the flavors to meld. Stir in the chopped parsley. Taste the shrimp gravy and add more Creole seasoning, if necessary. 
  5. Divide the warm grits evenly among serving bowls. Top grits with an even amount of the shrimp gravy. Garnish the creamy lowcountry shrimp and grits with more parsley, if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. Gluten-free needs? Swap the all-purpose flour for any gluten-free flour as a 1:1 ratio (we love Bob’s Red Mill gf flour!).
  2. Please read blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.

Keywords: shrimp and grits, low country shrimp and grits, southern shrimp and grits, lowcountry food, creamy shrimp and grits, gulf coast shrimp, southern food