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The Soul Food Pot - Black Folks Southern Shrimp And Grits

Black Folks Southern Shrimp And Grits

Creamy Southern grits made with mascarpone cheese are topped with garlic-butter jumbo shrimp and a rich, seasoned Creole cream sauce in this Black folks’ Southern shrimp and grits recipe from The Soul Food Pot®.
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Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Soul Food, Southern Food
Servings: 6
Calories: 508kcal
Author: Shaunda Necole • The Soul Food Pot®

Equipment

  • 10-inch cast iron skillet
  • Large frying pan with a lid
  • Medium-size saucepan

Ingredients

Ingredients for the shrimp

  • 2 pounds shrimp jumbo, frozen or thawed, peeled and deveined
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil (I use avocado oil)
  • 1 tablespoon butter unsalted
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Ingredients for the grits

  • 1 cup white corn grits I use Bob’s Red Mill Grits.
  • 2 ½ cups chicken broth
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream and another ½ cup on reserve in case it’s needed for the grits when assembling the finished dish
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • ¼ cup mascarpone cheese

Ingredients for the sauce

  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granulated
  • 3 strips crumbled bacon optional, to garnish the finished dish
  • 1 tablespoon chopped green onions optional, to garnish the finished dish

Instructions

Instructions for the shrimp

  • Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add the shrimp, garlic, salt, and black pepper.
  • Sauté for about 4 minutes, or until the shrimp turn coral/pink.
  • Remove the cooked shrimp from the skillet and set aside while you prepare the grits and sauce.
    Jumbo shrimp sautéed with butter and garlic until pink for The Soul Food Pot Southern shrimp and grits recipe.

Instructions for the grits

  • Bring the chicken broth, ½ cup heavy whipping cream, salt, and butter to a boil in a large frying pan or skillet. Stir in the grits.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Fold in the mascarpone cheese, then immediately remove the grits from the heat.
  • Cover and set aside to keep warm. Reserve the additional ½ cup heavy whipping cream for loosening the grits during final assembly, if needed.
    Creamy white corn grits cooked with butter, heavy cream, and mascarpone for The Soul Food Pot shrimp and grits recipe.

Instructions for the sauce

  • In a medium saucepan, stir together the heavy whipping cream, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and chicken bouillon. Bring to a boil, about 3-5 minutes.
  • Watch the sauce closely and stir occasionally so the cream doesn't overcook or burn.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes, then remove from the heat.
    Creole cream sauce made with heavy cream, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic, cayenne, and chicken bouillon for Southern shrimp and grits.

Instructions to assemble shrimp and grits

  • Spoon the prepared grits into a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. If they've become too thick while sitting, stir in ¼-½ cup of the reserved heavy whipping cream as needed to loosen them.
  • Arrange the cooked shrimp over the grits.
  • Pour the Creole cream sauce generously over the shrimp and grits.
  • Place the skillet in a 150-degree F oven or on the oven's “warm” setting for 5-7 minutes to warm everything together.
  • Remove from the oven and, if desired, finish with crumbled bacon and chopped green onions. Serve immediately and enjoy!
    Southern shrimp and grits assembled in a cast-iron skillet with creamy grits, jumbo shrimp, and Creole cream sauce.

Video

Notes

Grit consistency: The grits will continue to thicken as they sit. That's why I reserve an additional ½ cup heavy whipping cream. During assembly, add only as much as needed to return the grits to a creamy, spoonable consistency.
Layer the flavor: The shrimp, grits, and Creole cream sauce are each seasoned separately before they're assembled. Don't skip seasoning one component and expect the sauce to do all the work.
Garnishes: Bacon and green onions are optional. The recipe is fully seasoned without them.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 508kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 1023mg | Potassium: 295mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2949IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 1mg

❤️ Shaunda's Soul Food Standard

Created and tested by Shaunda Necole, creator of The Soul Food Pot® (real cook, real kitchen). Rooted in African American culinary traditions, with modern shortcuts that never sacrifice flavor or legacy. No AI-generated instructions. Every measurement, timing note, and technique is written, cooked, and verified by Shaunda, with make-it-your-way guidance so you can cook confidently with the tools you have.

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