Southern cooking tastes like a warm hug feels. Like the concept of home in food form. Not a revolutionary opinion, I know, but it’s too true to deny. And this low carb shrimp and grits really drives this concept home with its indulgent, rich, and oh-so-creamy cheesiness.
Looking for more low carb comfort food? Check out my cauliflower fried rice, loaded cauliflower casserole, and more keto dinners.
Keto Shrimp and Grits Video
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Low Carb Shrimp and Grits to Bless Yer Li’l Heart
Shrimp and grits hail from the hot, humid coastal plains of the Carolinas and Georgia, and have been a Deep Southern classic since waaaay back when. Now there are festivals across the nation wholly dedicated to this humble dish. And aren’t we lucky for that!
Because shrimp and grits are an absolute gift to the world.
My recipe uses cauliflower rice instead of grits, and they make the perfect supplement. The cauliflower has no trouble picking up the creamy texture and complements the cheese and the shrimp to world-rocking perfection. It’s a really simple dish, but oh man it’s just sooo good.
If you’re looking for some classic home-cookin’ and your soul could use a little feeding, definitely make these keto shrimp and grits for dinner this week!
What to Expect From This Recipe
Y’all know I love swapping grains for veggies–Especially when those veggies are cooked and smothered in cream and cheese, then topped with herbs and juicy shrimp. Here’s what to expect before making these keto shrimp and grits:
- Creamy + cheesy
- Comforting
- Herbaceous
- Simple techniques
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Important Ingredients Notes
Follow these tips and tricks for the best keto shrimp and grits recipe eva!
- Cauliflower (as always) is an amazing sub, with its grit-like texture, and adaptable flavor. Cooked together with a little cream, a little butter, and a little cheese, oh my! All the makings for quintessential comfort food.
- Bacon — It’s true, many bacon products have added sugar (and nitrate/nitrites if that’s something you watch out for). I splurge on my bacon to avoid both of these, just read labels carefully to make sure they jive with your goals. Now. How do you feel about bacon in your keto shrimp and grits? Me? Always. In fact, I like to fry the shrimp in its grease for an extra oomph of bacony flava! But, you can use avocado oil to sear your low carb shrimp and cauliflower grits instead.
- Shrimp — Long ago, I learned (the painful way), that grabbing the wrong package of shrimp, means you’ll be peeling and deveining for hours. So, when making low carb shrimp recipes, opt for peeled and deveined shrimp–it takes this dish from laborious to a weeknight meal. Now, you’ve probably heard that cooking shrimp with the peel-on adds flavor to most keto shrimp recipes, however, since we aren’t cooking the shrimp into a broth or sauce, the added flavor would be negligible. So, easy keto shrimp and grits = peeled!
- Cream cheese in grits?! I know it isn’t traditional, but this keto cheese amps up the creaminess, making the texture more grit-like.
How do I Keep Grits From Sticking to the Pot?
Easy! Use cauliflower rice instead of traditional grits. I can’t tell you how much easier they are to cook: No constant stirring, no fear of clumping. Just perfectly smooth, creamy, low carb grits in a matter of minutes.
What Veggies Go with Shrimp and Grits?
We often eat this easy shrimp and grits recipe as is (since our grits are keto vegetables already). But they work marvoulsly well with a side of sauteed collard greens.
How Many Carbs Are in Shrimp and Grits?
In a traditional shrimp and grits recipe, you have around 20 g carbs per serving–most of which come from the grits. Now, this cheesy shrimp and grits recipe contains only 8 g net carbs per serving, which you can cut down even more if you eat less of the grits–bacon, shrimp, and herbs have zero to a negligable amount of carbs.
Can You Eat Shrimp on a Low Carb Diet?
Why not?! As far as shrimp nutrition goes, these guys are almost entirely protein. They’re one of my favorite options for a satiating, meatless meal. The carbs in shrimp dishes can add up when you toss in a sweet sauce or a breading–which is why our shrimp and grits dressing is made of lime juice, bacon, and herbs. Win!
Recipe Variations
It’s pretty hard to mess with this keto shrimp and grits classic! BUT, if you must, here are some ideas for you:
- Try a different veggie for “grits”. Cauliflower grits are my fave, but other mild-tasting veggies like broccoli will work too.
- Use mashed cauliflower instead. Have some leftovers? Serve your shrimp, over a warmed-up pile.
More Keto Shrimp Recipes
- Creamy Garlic Shrimp
- Shrimp Marinade
- Grilled Shrimp
- Shrimp Carbonara
- Shrimp Stir Fry
- Shrimp Curry
- Shrimp and Avocado Salad
Keto Shrimp and Grits
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
Cauliflower Grits:
- 24 Ounces Cauliflower Rice frozen (note 1)
- 1/4 Cup Water
- 1/4 Cup Cream Cheese
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 1 1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 1 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
Shrimp:
- 6 slices bacon chopped (note 2)
- 1 pound shrimp peeled, deveined + tails removed
- 4 teaspoons Fresh Lime Juice
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley
- 1 Bunch Green Onions thinly sliced. white + pale green part only
- 3 Large Garlic Cloves minced
Instructions
- Make the grits. Add cauliflower (24 ounces) and water (1/4 cup) to a large heavy bottom pan. Bring water to a simmer and cover until soft — about 8-10 minutes (will vary depending on the heat of your pan – you want the cauliflower soft, and completely defrosted). Remove from heat and stir in the cream cheese (1/4 cup), butter (1 tablespoon), and cheddar (1 1/2 cup), salt (1 1/2 teaspoon) , and pepper (1/2 teaspoon). Stir until the cheddar has completely melted into the cauliflower. Set aside.
- Saute. Fry the bacon (6 slices) in a heavy bottom pan until crispy. Place cooked bacon on a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Add shrimp (1 pound) to the bacon grease and cook over medium heat until cooked through and pink (you may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your pan). Add the lime juice (4 teaspoons), parsley (2 tablespoons), green onions (1 bunch), and garlic (3 large cloves), and saute for 3 minutes. Add bacon (and shrimp if you cooked it in batched) back to the pan and toss to coat in sauce.
- Enjoy! Spoon cauliflower grits onto a plate and cover with shrimp and sauce. Enjoy that cheesy goodness!
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Lindsey’s Tips
- Cauliflower rice. Frozen works best, as it softens into a grit-like texture more easily. If you use fresh instead, simply adjust the cooking time until you reach your desired texture.
- You can skip the bacon and use 2 tablespoons of mild-tasting oil to cook the shrimp.
- Want to cut down on carbs? The carbs in the recipe come from the grits. Consider eating less for a lower carb meal.
- Nutritional information is for 1 serving if you divide this recipe into 4:
