Instant Pot Shrimp and Grits

4.86 from 28 votes

Instant Pot Shrimp and Grits is a delightful one-pot meal. Tender shrimp and crisp bacon in a spicy tomato sauce combine with creamy grits to create a delicious fusion of flavors.

Servings servings

Ingredients

Shrimp Ingredients

1 lb shrimp (500 grams) peeled and deveined
2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning or more to taste
3 strips bacon diced
⅓ cup onion chopped
½ cup bell peppers red and/or green, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic minced
2 tablespoon sherry or dry white wine
[Use 3 tablespoon - divided- for stovetop version]
1 ½ cups diced tomatoes canned or fresh
2 tablespoon lemon juice or to taste
¼ cup low sodium chicken broth [Use ½ cup - divided- for stovetop version]
¼ teaspoon Tabasco sauce or hot sauce, more to taste
½ teaspoon salt or to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper powder or to taste
¼ cup heavy cream [Use ½ cup for stovetop version]
¼ cup green onions sliced thin (green parts only)
1 tablespoon butter [Use for stovetop version]
3 tablespoon all-purpose flour [Use for stovetop version]

Grits Ingredients

½ cup grits
1 cup milk [Use 1 ¼ cups for stovetop version]
1 cup water [Use 1 ¼ cups for stovetop version]
salt to taste
pepper to taste
2 tablespoon butter add more or less, to taste
2 oz. shredded cheddar cheese or your choice of cheese (57 grams) optional
2 tablespoon heavy cream optional, for creamier grits

Instructions

Instant Pot Directions

Pat shrimp dry and sprinkle with Old Bay seasoning. Set aside.
Select Saute mode, cook bacon until crisp, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove to a plate and set aside.
Saute onions and bell peppers in the rendered bacon fat till onion is translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add garlic and saute briefly.
Turn Instant Pot off.
Deglaze with white wine (or sherry), and stir well to remove any browned bits, allowing the wine to mostly evaporate. Make sure there's no food stuck on the bottom of the pot.
Stir in tomatoes, lemon juice, broth, hot sauce, salt and pepper.
Place trivet in the Instant Pot.
In a medium bowl that will fit in the Instant Pot, stir together grits, milk, water, salt and pepper. Place bowl on trivet.
Close Instant Pot lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes.
Allow the pressure to release naturally. [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods]
Open the Instant Pot, remove the grits and set aside.
Remove the trivet.
Carefully stir in shrimp.
Close the Instant Pot immediately and allow the shrimp to finish cooking in the residual heat. Instant Pot will be in Keep Warm mode.
While shrimp is cooking, add butter, cheese, and cream (if using) to the grits and fluff grits with a fork. Make sure you remove all lumps while fluffing the grits.
After 10 minutes, open the Instant Pot. Gently stir the shrimp.
Select Saute mode and stir in cream. Heat through (don't boil) and turn off Instant Pot by pressing Cancel.
Garnish with scallions and bacon.
Serve grits topped with shrimp and sauce.

Stovetop Directions (Grits) [See Note 1]

In a medium saucepan, bring equal parts water and milk to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.
Gradually whisk in the grits, bring to a boil, and keep whisking until the mixture starts to thickened, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more milk as needed if the grits are too thick.
Add butter, cheese, and cream (if using) to the grits and fluff with a fork. Make sure you remove all lumps while fluffing the grits. Remove from heat and keep covered until ready to serve.

Stovetop Directions (Sauce)

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and saute for 2 minutes.
Add ½ cup heavy cream and ¼ cup chicken broth. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in green onions and 1 tablespoon sherry. Add ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Simmer for another 3 minutes. Keep the sauce warm over very low heat.

Stovetop Directions (Shrimp)

Season shrimp with Old Bay seasoning, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Dredge in flour, shaking off any excess and set aside.
Cook bacon in a nonstick skillet until crisp, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate and set aside.
Saute onions and bell peppers in the rendered bacon fat till onions are translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute briefly. Deglaze with 2 tablespoon sherry and cook for 1 minute, or until the sherry evaporates.
Add the shrimp and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, ¼ cup broth, and hot sauce. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until the shrimp is cooked through, stirring to loosen any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
To serve, divide the grits among four bowls and top with shrimp and serve sauce on the side.

Video

Notes

Prep time does not include steps that are already accounted for in the ingredient list, e.g. chopped onions, minced garlic, peeled shrimp, etc.
Note 1: Double all grits ingredients for a heartier meal.
You can substitute Old Bay seasoning with Cajun seasoning or Creole Seasoning. Adjust the quantity of added salt as needed.

Nutrition