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The Easy Lemon Garlic Shrimp & Grits Recipe That Stands Above The Rest

It’s one of the South’s favorite traditional dishes. And when you’re in the southern states’ “Grits Belt” (Louisiana to North Carolina), you’ll discover that most true Southerners LOVE their grits. If you’ve never had shrimp and grits, you are in for a surprise as this recipe will leave you both inspired and “fixin'” to eat like a true Southerner!

This solid 5-Star easy-to-follow recipe is a simple mix of sautéed shrimp seasoned with garlic, cayenne pepper (optional), lemon and butter, and placed over warm, fluffy grits mixed with butter and parmesan cheese (or cheddar, if you prefer). Yum!

This recipe uses instant grits (Quaker brand), however, the best BY FAR are stone-ground grits, such as House-Autry Yellow Stone Ground Grits or the Hodgson Mill Stone brand at Walmart, which are grounded the old-fashioned way. They are slightly chunkier and will have more of the corn’s natural, rich flavor so you would get the fresh corn taste. It’s very, very delicious!

Trying the iconic Southern dish will you back in time to its rich and deep history of the Native American’s Muskogee tribe’s preparation of stone-ground Indian corn (grits), and the French-speaking Acadian Cajun shrimp cuisine. A perfect combination so popular earning its own festivals and will remain an essential Southern dish.

Try it. We guarantee it will become your new favorite food!

Scrumptious! My family loved it! Very easy to make. I used cheddar cheese instead of parmesan. – Dawkinspowell

Love this recipe. Make it for dinner with friends and always gets rave reviews. Definitely give it a try, you won’t be sorry!! – lnrowlan

HOW TO MAKE LEMON GARLIC SHRIMP AND GRITS

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes


Ingredients:

  • 3/4 Cup instant grits
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 Cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 3 Tbs unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon, plus wedges for serving
  • 2 Tbs roughly chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

  1. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat, covered. Uncover and slowly whisk in the grits, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parmesan and 1 tablespoon butter. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.
  2. Meanwhile, season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, garlic, and cayenne, if using, and cook, tossing, until the shrimp are pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and add 2 tablespoons water, the lemon juice, and parsley; stir to coat the shrimp with the sauce and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Divide the grits among shallow bowls and top with the shrimp and sauce. Serve with lemon wedges.

Notes:

  1. Try other tasty cheese alternatives on your grits like the classic sharp cheddar and smoked gouda.
  2. Cook your grits in a slow cooker if you’re cooking for a larger crowd.

Want Another Delicious Shrimp Recipe? Now Watch How To Make Easy Cheesy Shrimp Crostini!