Shrimp and Grits Casserole

As you may know, I already have a Shrimp and Grits recipe in the archives here on the site. It’s good, and it’s one I’ve served over and over for years. It’s a family favorite here at the house, and clients order it for all sorts of occasions–family get-togethers, rehearsal dinners, brunch–and I make it for them. It’s a shrimp-sausage-tomato gravy sort of thing, and we serve it over fancy, creamy, cheese grits. It’s a classic. But this Shrimp and Grits Casserole is a different kind of dish altogether.

I was introduced to this Shrimp and Grits when a lovely catering client I’ve known forever walked into the shop before Mardi Gras this year, recipe in hand. She was on the hook to host a Mardi Gras brunch. She’d had this dish at someone’s house and liked it so much she asked for the recipe. Now she wanted to serve it, but would rather not make it. Could we make it for her? As I recall the recipe came from a Southern Living holiday cookbook. It was called Shrimp and Grits Dressing, and looked good. Of course we could make it for her, so she left a copy of the recipe with me.

I made it, and we all liked it a lot. Since it was nothing like my other Shrimp and Grits, I thought it could be a good addition to our revolving grab-and-go lineup. I made another batch the next day for our cooler. But I really didn’t think that “dressing” was the right descriptive name for our purposes, because I felt it was confusing. To be fair, it is dressing-like, what with the stick of butter, eggs, breadcrumbs and all. And my recipe tweaking was inspired by my own Thanksgiving dressing recipe. Long story short, I tweaked the recipe and renamed it. Shrimp and Grits Casserole flew out of the cooler, and the phone starting ringing. Soon we were making it all the time.

So is Shrimp and Grits Casserole a main dish or a side? Happily, it’s easily either, or both! It’s a showstopper brunch dish served with bacon, fruit, and biscuits. It’s a dandy supper with a simple green salad and garlic bread. But don’t stop there! Next time you throw a couple of steaks on the grill, Shrimp and Grits Casserole makes amazing swap for baked potatoes. I also happen to know the leftovers–if you’re lucky enough to have any–are a shockingly good accompaniment to Conecuh sausage dogs.

So, this one’s for you, @cupcakekristin! Don’t forget to share with Martha! (And make her sign up for the newsletter while you’re at it. ♥️)

Great to make ahead a couple of days and bake before serving. A cold casserole will take longer to cook, so plan accordingly.

1 stick butter
1 red bell pepper, diced
½ cup chopped green onions–that’s about 4 scallions
3 cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup uncooked quick (not instant) grits
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs–Panko is fine, so are unflavored Italian crumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp, medium-size raw shrimp

Preheat oven to 325°. Grease a 9”X 12” casserole dish.

Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan and sauté red pepper until limp, add the green onions and sauté for another minute or so.

Add chicken broth, salt and cayenne pepper to the pot and bring to a boil. Whisk in grits, briefly return to a boil, and turn the heat to low and cover. Cook, whisking a few times, until grits are tender, 6 or 7 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl combine eggs, breadcrumbs, and parmesan cheese. Gradually stir about one-fourth of hot grits at a time into the egg mixture. Stir in shrimp until blended. Pour grits/shrimp mixture into the prepared casserole dish.

Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour or until mixture is set in the center. Let stand 10 minutes.