You can prepare this quick meat sauce in just ten minutes, then go about your business for the next hour. Despite not being the thickest sauce, it is still excellent.
| Prep Time: | 30 mins |
| Cook Time: | 45 mins |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 15 mins |
| Servings: | 8 |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup coarsely ground grits
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 2 pounds uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
- salt to taste
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1 medium lemon, juiced
- 1 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 5 slices bacon
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Bring water and 2 teaspoons salt to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Whisk grits into the boiling water, and then whisk in half-and-half. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until grits are thickened and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.
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- Season shrimp with salt and cayenne pepper. Add lemon juice, toss to combine, and set aside to marinate.
- Place sausage slices in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove sausage from the skillet.
- Add bacon to the same skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain, then chop or crumble when cool enough to handle. Leave bacon drippings in the skillet.
- Add bell peppers, onion, and garlic to the bacon drippings; cook and stir until onion is translucent, about 8 minutes.
- Stir cooked sausage and marinated shrimp into the skillet with the cooked vegetables. Turn off the heat and set aside.
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour, stirring to create a smooth roux. Turn heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is golden brown in color, 8 to 10 minutes. Watch carefully, mixture burns easily.
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- Pour the roux over the sausage, shrimp, and vegetables.
- Place the skillet over medium heat, add chicken broth, bacon, and Worcestershire sauce, and stir to combine. Cook until sauce thickens up and shrimp turn opaque and bright pink, about 8 minutes.
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- Just before serving, mix Cheddar cheese into grits; stir until cheese is melted and grits are creamy and light yellow.
- Spoon grits onto plates and serve shrimp mixture over top.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 618 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 16 g |
| Cholesterol | 270 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Protein | 39 g |
| Saturated Fat | 20 g |
| Sodium | 1635 mg |
| Sugars | 3 g |
| Fat | 44 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
The recipe was easy enough to follow and since I chopped the veggies and gathered all of the ingredients before starting the cooking process, I was able to tend to each detail. And yes, it was totally worth it. It turned out wonderful! The first bite confirmed that this is exactly what I’ve been looking for. The only change I made was that I added 1/4 cup of half and half along with the chicken broth, directly to the roux. I still used the 2 cups of half and half with the grits but felt like I’d have a better roux by adding just a smidge of cream. Simple, yet so elegant and tasty. I will be making this again for our annual Christmas Eve brunch.
Easy and delicious!!!! Everyone loved it❤️!
Very Good!!!
Recipe was delicious! I only changed up using polenta cakes instead of grits but it soften up like grits with the sauce and I would definitely make this again 😀 my husband loved it as well
I’ve made this a few times and it is an excellent recipe. It’s not too spicy like some dishes at restaurants. I did not add the garlic because the sausage has enough already for my taste.
I signed up for an Allrecipes account so ai could rate this. It is the best thing I ever tasted, and I can’t believe I made it myself. Thx Chef John!!!
I’ve been making this for years. This is better than restaurants! Follow the recipe to the T and they will love this more than a restaurant’s. I get asked to cooked this all the time.
Have made this several times and is very good. Restaurant quality. Better than. Just need to take time and not rush yourself. Awesome.
Outstanding recipe–I added in 4 oz of bacon which I cooked as well as corn from a cooked fresh corn on the cob and 4 oz of chopped ham. Everyone loved this–thanks for a great recipe.
Delicious. Added some fresh parmesan to the grits in addition to the cheddar and topped with chives. One of the better shrimp and grits I’ve had.
I love this recipe. I’ve made it several times and it never disappoints! Great warm comfort food on a cold Minnesota night!
This recipe is so, so delicious! I used quick cooking grits and it was really good. It’s my husband’s favorite dinner!
It’s the only recipe I make. Exceptional!
Fabulous. Even the “grits?!” folks enjoyed it. Double the prep time, and prep everything as far as possible before final cook and assembly. It’s not an easy dish to finish under time pressure and with other menus items needing attention. More filling than than I expected. Great leftovers.
OH MY GOODNESS!! This such a wonderful comfort dish and I’ve been requested to make it several times since. I love, love it!
This is my go to shrimp and grits recipe and it never fails. So good!
Always looking for the best shrimp and grits recipe that doesn’t burn my face off. DH said it was awesome but he’s pretty agreeable as long as it doesn’t burn his face off. We are spice wimps and OK with it.
I tried this recipe about a month ago. Although I have eaten shrimp and grits alot being from Charleston, this was my first attempt cooking them myself. This recipe was easy and delicious. I added just a little Cajun seasoning to the grits it was just enough to spice it up. I’m making this dish again tonight. Thank you.
I’ve tried several recipes and this is by far the best. Shrimp and grits is my favorite meal to order when we are out for brunch or dinner. This one is better than many restaurants. No leftovers as everyone cleaned their plates.
I made this dish for our Monday morning meeting at work. They ABSOLUTELY loved it! I wouldn’t change anything on this recipe. It’s perfect!
Absolutely marvelous recipe!!! I added some cayenne pepper for some heat and perfection was created as if it wasn’t there already!!!