Creamy rice grits, tender shrimp, smoky bacon, blistered tomatoes, mushrooms, and crispy garlic make this Southern-inspired dish rich, comforting, and full of texture.
Our August Cookbook Club pick, The Southerner’s Cookbook from the editors of Garden & Gun, celebrates the ingredients, recipes, and stories that define Southern cooking. This shrimp and rice grits recipe is a standout: rooted in Lowcountry tradition, but fresh enough to feel unexpected.
A Lowcountry Twist on Shrimp and Grits
Classic shrimp and grits is hard to beat, but swapping corn grits for nutty Carolina Gold rice grits gives the dish a delicious twist.
The rice grits cook into a creamy Parmesan base, while shrimp, bacon, mushrooms, scallions, tomatoes, lemon, cayenne, and hot sauce create a savory topping with plenty of brightness and heat.
Serve it for brunch, dinner, or a very satisfying late-night meal.
What Are Rice Grits?
Rice grits are small, broken pieces of rice that cook into a soft, creamy texture similar to corn grits. Carolina Gold rice grits have a lightly toasted, nutty flavor that pairs especially well with shrimp.
The recipe calls for Anson Mills Carolina Gold rice grits, but you can also make your own by briefly pulsing long-grain rice in a high-powered blender until the grains break into small pieces.
Shrimp and Rice Grits
Recipe from The Southerner’s Cookbook by the editors of Garden & Gun Magazine
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken stock, divided
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup Carolina Gold rice grits
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, minced and divided
- 1 pint grape tomatoes
- 1 ounce applewood-smoked bacon, diced
- 1½ cups sliced cremini mushrooms
- 1 cup sliced scallions
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Hot sauce, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Make the Rice Grits
Bring 3½ cups chicken stock to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the butter, then slowly whisk in the rice grits.
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
Cook the Toppings
Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until golden. Transfer the garlic to a paper towel-lined plate.
Add the tomatoes and cook without stirring for 1 minute. Stir, then cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until blistered. Transfer to a bowl.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Add the mushrooms to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes, until they release their moisture. Stir in the scallions.
Cook the Shrimp
Season the shrimp with salt and cayenne. Add them to the skillet with the remaining garlic and cook for about 3 minutes.
Pour in the remaining ½ cup chicken stock, lemon juice, and hot sauce. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and opaque.
Stir in the blistered tomatoes and season to taste.
Serve
Spoon the warm rice grits onto plates and top with the shrimp mixture. Finish with parsley, crisp bacon, and toasted garlic.
Serve immediately.
Tips for the Best Results
Let the tomatoes sit against the hot skillet long enough to develop dark, blistered spots. Watch the garlic closely, since it can burn quickly.
Avoid overcooking the shrimp, and taste before adding extra salt—the stock, Parmesan, and bacon already bring plenty of seasoning.
Rice grits are best served fresh. If they become too thick, loosen them with a splash of warm stock.
What to Serve With Shrimp and Rice Grits
This dish is hearty enough to stand on its own, but a crisp green salad, sautéed greens, roasted okra, or sliced cucumbers would make an easy side.
For brunch, add biscuits or fresh fruit.
August Cookbook Club
The Southerner’s Cookbook is packed with Southern recipes, culinary traditions, practical techniques, and plenty of personality.
This recipe captures what makes the book such a fun pick: it honors a beloved Southern dish while adding thoughtful touches like Carolina Gold rice grits, blistered tomatoes, crispy garlic, and bacon.
The result is creamy, smoky, bright, and just spicy enough.