Equipment
Ingredients
Shrimp Stew
- 680 g shrimp, peeled and deveined, raw, tail-off
- 200 g andouille sausage, diced into 1cm pieces
- 150 g yellow onion, diced
- 150 g red bell pepper, diced
- 100 g celery, diced
- 12 g garlic, minced
- 400 g diced tomatoes, canned, with juices
- 30 g tomato paste
- 480 ml chicken stock
- 120 ml heavy cream
- 15 ml worcestershire sauce
- 30 ml olive oil
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 20 g all-purpose flour
- 5 g smoked paprika
- 2 g dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- ml hot sauce
- g salt
- g black pepper
- 30 g green onions, sliced
Crispy Grits Topping
- 150 g quick grits
- 360 ml water
- 240 ml whole milk
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 150 g sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided (100g mixed into grits, 50g sprinkled on top)
- 30 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1 egg, large, lightly beaten
- 3 g salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
Only basic nutrition values are available for this recipe. More detailed nutrient data is incomplete.
- Calories
- 723 kcal
- Protein
- 45 g
- Carbohydrates
- 40 g
- Fat
- 59 g
- Sodium
- 1444 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Lightly butter a 9x13 inch baking dish and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, bring water and milk to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Add salt, then slowly stream in grits while whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
Reduce heat to low and cook grits, stirring frequently, until thick and creamy, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 30g butter, 100g cheddar, and parmesan until smooth.
Whisk the beaten egg into the warm grits mixture until fully combined. Set aside while you prepare the stew.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced andouille and cook until edges are browned and fat renders, about 4 minutes. Transfer sausage to a plate with a slotted spoon.
Add onion, bell pepper, and celery to the same skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and onion turns translucent, about 6 minutes.
Push vegetables to one side of the skillet. Add 30g butter to the cleared space and let it melt. Sprinkle flour over the melted butter and stir into a paste, cooking for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
Stir minced garlic, smoked paprika, and thyme into the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add tomato paste and stir to coat the vegetables, cooking for 1 minute to deepen the flavor.
Pour in diced tomatoes with their juices, chicken stock, heavy cream, and worcestershire sauce. Add the bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 6 minutes.
Return the browned sausage to the skillet along with the raw shrimp. Stir gently to submerge the shrimp in the sauce. Cook just until shrimp begin to turn pink and curl, about 2 minutes - they will finish cooking in the oven.
Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and hot sauce. The stew should be well-seasoned since the grits topping will absorb some salt during baking.
Transfer the shrimp stew to the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer.
Spoon the grits mixture evenly over the shrimp stew, spreading to the edges with a spatula to seal in the steam. Sprinkle the remaining 50g cheddar cheese over the top.
Bake uncovered at 200°C/400°F for 20 minutes, until the grits topping is set and the stew bubbles around the edges.
Switch the oven to broil and move the rack to the upper position. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese topping is deeply golden and crisp - watch closely as broilers vary.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with sliced green onions. The internal temperature of the casserole should reach 74°C/165°F.
Chef's Notes
- Use pre-cooked grits or make ahead: cook grits up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate. Reheat with a splash of milk before assembling the casserole.
- For deeper Southern character, swap sweet paprika for hot smoked paprika and add 2g of cayenne pepper with the spices.
- Patting the shrimp dry with paper towels before adding to the stew prevents excess liquid from thinning the sauce.
- The egg in the grits mixture is essential - it acts as a binder that allows the topping to crisp and slice cleanly rather than crumbling during baking.
- If using frozen shrimp, thaw completely under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels to prevent a watery stew.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Cover tightly with foil or transfer to an airtight container once cooled.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze unbaked for best texture; thaw overnight in refrigerator before baking, adding 10 minutes to bake time.
Reheating: Reheat covered in a 175°C/350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 74°C/165°F. Broil for 2 minutes to re-crisp the topping.
Troubleshooting
Grits topping is soft or pale rather than crispy
Cause: Did not broil at the end, or grits mixture was too wet going into the oven
Fix: Return to the oven under the broiler for 2 to 3 additional minutes, watching closely
Prevention: Ensure grits are cooked thick before adding egg, and always finish under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes
Shrimp are rubbery or tough after baking
Cause: Shrimp were fully cooked on the stovetop before going into the oven
Fix: Cannot be fixed once overcooked
Prevention: Only cook shrimp until they just begin to turn pink and curl - they will finish cooking to 74°C/165°F during the bake
Stew is too thin and watery after baking
Cause: Did not simmer long enough to reduce, or too much liquid in the pan
Fix: Stir in a slurry of 10g cornstarch mixed with 15ml cold water and return to the oven for 5 minutes
Prevention: Simmer until thickened to a stew consistency before transferring to the baking dish
Grits topping has a raw flour or grainy taste
Cause: Grits were not cooked long enough on the stovetop to soften fully
Fix: Cannot be reversed after baking; cook grits longer next time
Prevention: Cook grits until very thick and creamy before assembling the casserole
Casserole separates into watery stew and grits when served
Cause: Did not let the casserole rest before serving, or grits were too thin
Fix: Let portions rest on the plate for 2 minutes before eating so the layers reabsorb
Prevention: Always rest for at least 5 minutes after removing from the oven so the layers set
Cultural Context
Shrimp and grits is a cornerstone of Lowcountry cuisine from the coastal Carolinas and Georgia, originally a humble fisherman's breakfast that paired locally caught shrimp with stone-ground corn. Over the past century it has evolved from a simple porridge into a celebrated Southern staple, especially in Charleston where it is deeply tied to Gullah and Geechee cooking traditions. This casserole interpretation preserves the essential contrast of creamy corn and savory shrimp while adapting the dish into a shareable weeknight format.
