Southern Shrimp and Grits with Sweet Potato Hush Puppies
There are some dishes that just feel like the South, and shrimp and grits is definitely one of them. Creamy, cheesy grits topped with seasoned shrimp, smoky bacon, garlic, green onions, and just enough Creole seasoning? That’s Southern comfort food in a bowl. And because y’all know I believe cornbread deserves to be the main character too, I paired my shrimp and grits with Sweet Potato Hush Puppies from my new cookbook, The Cornbread Collection.
The combination is SO good. You get the savory, creamy shrimp and grits paired with a slightly sweet, crispy hush puppy. That sweet-and-savory combination is exactly what this plate needed.
A Little History of Shrimp and Grits
Long before shrimp and grits became a popular restaurant entrée, versions of the dish were part of the food traditions of the coastal South, particularly the Lowcountry of South Carolina and Georgia.
The history is deeply connected to the foodways and fishing traditions of African Americans and Gullah Geechee communities along the Southern coast. The Southern Foodways Alliance notes that Black fishing traditions helped shape Southern coastal cuisine and traces shrimp and grits to enslaved Africans supplementing their food rations with shrimp they caught themselves. Grits were inexpensive, filling, and readily available, while shrimp could be harvested from the coastal waters. What we now think of as a special brunch or dinner dish has much humbler roots.
Shrimp and grits was traditionally associated with breakfast in the Lowcountry. Over time, chefs began putting their own spins on it and serving it in restaurants. By the 1980s, chef Bill Neal at Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, helped introduce a restaurant version of shrimp and grits to a much wider audience.
Today you’ll find everything from Cajun-style shrimp and grits to versions made with sausage, gravy, tomatoes, cream sauces, and all kinds of seasonings. That evolution is part of what makes Southern cooking so interesting: we hold onto the traditions while still making dishes our own.
Why Shrimp and Grits Is Southern Comfort Food
For me, a good bowl of shrimp and grits is all about the layers.
The grits need to be creamy and flavorful, which is why I cook mine in chicken broth instead of water and finish them with butter and Cheddar cheese.
Then there’s the shrimp. Instead of dirtying another skillet, we're cooking them right in that bacon fat. Because why would we let all that flavor go to waste?
Add Creole seasoning, fresh garlic, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, green onions, and that crispy bacon back into the skillet, and you have a shrimp mixture packed with flavor.
Spoon all of that goodness over those cheesy grits and dinner is served.
And then I decided to take it one step further.
Don't Forget the Sweet Potato Hush Puppies!
I served my shrimp and grits with my Sweet Potato Hush Puppies, and this might be one of my favorite pairings. The shrimp and grits are rich, savory, cheesy, and a little smoky from the bacon. Then you bite into a warm hush puppy with that crispy outside and subtle sweetness from the sweet potato. Savory shrimp and grits + sweet potato hush puppies = the perfect bite.
The Sweet Potato Hush Puppies recipe is one of the 21 cornbread recipes in my cookbook, The Cornbread Collection. The collection celebrates everything I love about cornbread from old-school Southern favorites to fun, creative twists. If you want the hush puppy recipe to complete this meal, make sure you grab your copy of The Cornbread Collection.
Shrimp and Grits Recipe
Ingredients
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup uncooked 5-minute grits
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, chopped
2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
Creole seasoning, to taste
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
6 green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Instructions
Add the chicken broth and grits to a medium saucepan. Add the salt and bring to a boil.
Cook the grits, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until thickened. Add the butter and shredded Cheddar cheese and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring until creamy and the cheese has melted. Remove from the heat, cover, and keep warm.
Add the chopped bacon to a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until crispy. Remove the bacon from the skillet and set aside, leaving the bacon drippings in the pan.
Season the shrimp with Creole seasoning to taste.
Add the seasoned shrimp to the skillet with the bacon drippings. Cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are almost pink.
Add the lemon juice, green onions, Worcestershire sauce, and minced garlic. Continue cooking for about 3 minutes, or until the shrimp are fully cooked. Stir the crispy bacon back into the shrimp mixture.
Spoon the warm cheesy grits into individual bowls and top generously with the shrimp and bacon mixture.
Serve immediately and if you're making it Spilling the Sweet Tea style, don't forget those Sweet Potato Hush Puppies on the side!
A Few Tips for the Best Shrimp and Grits
Don't overcook your shrimp. Once they turn pink and opaque, they're ready. Overcooked shrimp can become rubbery quickly.
Keep those grits creamy! Grits continue to thicken as they sit, so if yours get too thick before serving, stir in a splash of warm chicken broth.
And please don't throw away that bacon grease. Cooking the shrimp in the bacon drippings adds another layer of smoky flavor without requiring another sauce.
What to Serve with Shrimp and Grits
You can absolutely serve shrimp and grits by themselves, but adding something made with cornmeal on the side just makes sense to me. My Sweet Potato Hush Puppies bring sweetness and crunch to a dish that's already creamy and savory. They're also a reminder that cornbread doesn't always have to come out of a skillet. Hush puppies are part of the larger Southern cornmeal tradition too and that's exactly why I included them in The Cornbread Collection.
Grab The Cornbread Collection
If you love recipes like this, grab your copy of The Cornbread Collection. Inside, I'm sharing 21 recipes celebrating cornbread from the old-school Southern recipes many of us grew up eating to creative twists that show just how versatile cornmeal can be.
And yes, the Sweet Potato Hush Puppies you see paired with these shrimp and grits are in the ebook! Because around here, cornbread isn't just something sitting on the side of the plate.
Shop This Shrimp & Grits Meal
Want to make the whole meal at home? I made it easy for you! I’ve put together Walmart grocery lists so you can shop the ingredients for my Shrimp & Grits and the Sweet Potato Hush Puppies I served alongside them.
🛒 Shop My Shrimp & Grits Grocery List https://walmrt.us/4lzeWSD
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📖 Grab Your Copy of The Cornbread Collection- Link to download the ebook is below.
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