A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending the 2:1 Conference with some of my favorite people in the world. We found this restaurant near the conference that was absolutely fabulous – Stone Cove KitBar its called. And I tried Cheese Grits. Oh.my.goodness. Where have you been all my life? Then, because I liked the cheese grits so much my friend Marcy said I should try the Shrimp and Grits. And I do like shrimp. So I did. And now there is no going back. I crave this dish. Seriously crave.
I’m also in love with my Instant Pot, so it seemed like a very natural thing to try and marry my love for all things IP with my newfound love for Shrimp and Grits. So today, a Low Country Shrimp and Grits in the Instant Pot recipe was born. I’m sure I will tweak this recipe a bit, but it was so good just like this. I’m looking forward to the next time I make this dish and I literally just ate it a few minutes ago. Sigh.
In this version of Shrimp and Grits in the Instant Pot you will notice that it is a combination of cheese grits and shrimp. I was concerned at first that this was not traditional but my friend assured me that it is perfectly normal to serve cheese grits with shrimp in this way! I’m glad, because it is so good. Also, the good news is — it only takes about fifteen minutes to cook Shrimp and Grits in the IP! Add ten minutes for the pot to come up to pressure when you are planning.
So when you make grits in the Instant Pot you need to use the pot-in-pot method. If your in Facebook groups for the Instant Pot, we often call that PIP. Or the PIP method. That means you put the normal insert into the Instant Pot, add water, and place a trivet in the bottom. Your IP came with a trivet. Then you set another, smaller pot on top of the trivet. I use this Fat Daddio 6″ Pan, with 4 inch sides and can cook a double recipe of the grits with no problem.
Since only my daughter and I will eat them, the recipe below will feed two people ten shrimp each. But you can definitely double this Instant Pot Shrimp and Grits recipe with no problems! I don’t think you will even need to increase the time, but at most increase the time by about 5 minutes for a double recipe. I’ll try it and update this post soon.
Also – I burned the butter the first time because I started my shrimp ten minutes out instead of five. Don’t be like me. I’m gonna have to make Instant Pot Shrimp and Grits at least six more times this week just to get good pictures. Lunch every day! Yay me!
Low Country Shrimp and Grits for the Instant Pot
- Prep Time: 5 Minutes
- Cook Time: 10 Minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 People 1x
Ingredients
Cheese Grits in the Instant Pot
- 2 Cups Water
- 1/2 Cup Grits (Old Fashioned or Stone Ground — Both work.)
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 4 Ounces Extra Sharp Cheddar, grated
- 2 Tablespoons Parmesan (Grated)
- 2 Drops Tabasco Sauce (Or sub 1 dash ancho chili powder or cayenne instead.)
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Butter,
- 2 Tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream
Pan-Seared Shrimp in Butter
- 20 Shrimp (Deviened and cleaned)
- 3 Tablespoons Butter,
- 1–2 Teaspoon Coarse Black Pepper
- 1–2 Teaspoon Coarse Kosher Salt
- 2 Drops Tabasco Sauce (Or sub 1 dash ancho chili powder or cayenne instead.)
Instructions
- Add 1/2 cup water to the bottom of the Instant Pot insert.
- Set the Instant Pot on sauté.
- Set the trivet down in the bottom of the Instant Pot insert.
- Use the pot in pot method to cook the grits. Find a small mixing bowl or cake pan or even a small glass dish that will fit into your IP on top of the trivet.
- Add 1/2 Cup of Grits with 2 Cups of Water and salt into the small bowl. Stir.
- Turn off the sauté function and switch the IP to manual mode. Set it for ten minutes.
- Once the IP has started counting down and gets down to about five minutes, place butter in the skillet and preheat until just starting to brown.
- Toss your shrimp in the spice mixture and tabasco sauce.
- Sautee your shrimp.
- When your instant pot finishes the pressure cycle, do a quick release of the pressure by immediately turning the valve.
- To the grits, add the cheeses, butter, heavy cream, tabasco sauce or ancho chili powder, and stir until well blended.
- Top with hot shrimp in their butter, and serve!
Notes
This recipe can be doubled!
I just got an instant pot yesterday and the first recipe I decided to make was grits. I found your recipe online and followed it to make only grits. Your instructions were very very helpful. I am not sure if it was because I was using sprouted coarse grits but I had to pressure cook for additional 10 mins – 20 mins total to get them cooked. But they were excellent! What a time saver! Thank you!
You say to stir in heavy cream for the grits. How much? I don’t see it in the ingredient list.
Thanks.
I’ll fix that thanks!
How much heavy cream? And I’m a newbie. It sounds like you don’t put the shrimp in the IP. Am I reading that correctly?
I definitely did not put the shrimp in the IP. I seared it on the stove. A quick sear. I cannot for the life of me understand why I left the heavy cream amount off, but I’m going to have to make it again to measure what I do. I don’t typically measure unless I’m making the recipe to publish lol.
So shrimp is so not in my food budget but my husband loves grits so I think I need to try the grits recipe alone.
You can definitely do the grits by themselves, and even leave out the cheese if you prefer non-cheese grits 🙂
Just a suggestion for the grits. Next time, instead of water, use chicken broth. It adds another layer of flavor.
My husband loves shrimp and grits!
I can’t wait to get an instant pot.
So simple and yummy. I’m from Louisiana and I love grits!
Being a New Orleans girl I would always add more Tabasco!
I have a nice pyrex that I use for my PIP recipes.
This makes a nice lunch too with a salad.
My mother used to make a similar thing with cubes of ham. Not the same of course, but being from New Orleans I like grits with everything.
I could eat this breakfast, lunch and dinner – I tell ‘ya!
I just bought a huge bag of shrimp and I thought of you, oh yeah!
I have not made shrimp and grits for a long time, about time to make some 🙂
This makes a nice light lunch with soma arugula salad I bet.