This Keto Shrimp and Grits Recipe with Low Carb Loaded Cauliflower Rice Is A Total Game-Changer (2024)

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Shrimp and grits-the ultimate Southern comfort food with all of the classic rich and cheesy, buttery flavor and texture you’d expect from the traditional recipe less carbs thanks to a one of a kind cauliflower rice that makes this the ultimate keto comfort food with 5.6 net carbs!

This Keto Shrimp and Grits Recipe with Low Carb Loaded Cauliflower Rice Is A Total Game-Changer (1)

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Have you been looking for delicious comfort food that’s not loaded with carbs?Me too!

I’ve been getting tired of all the recipes promising authentic tasting low carb Southern-style cuisine only to end up disappointed after slaving over a hot stove and steaming pots of cauliflower rice.

No offense to Northern folks, but when it comes to good old-fashioned Southern cooking, Y’all should probably leave that to those of us born South of the Mason Dixon line.

I created this keto shrimp & grits recipe mostly to prove that it could be done & because I was starving! But first, I had some questions that needed answers.

How Shrimp & Grits Became A Thing

You may be surprised to learn – or you may not give a rip – about this culinary classic’s humble beginnings as a simple, cheap breakfast for the fisherman in the Lowcountry marshes of South Carolina and Georgia.

Shrimp & Grits didn’t gain any real attention until the mid-eighties…

Since we love a good story here, I did some digging Paul Harvey style investigating & learned in 1982 a self-taught chef named Bill Neal changed the trajectory of the recipe for-evah & made Southern comfort food a 4-star staple after serving his signature version at Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Chef Neal’s recipe featured grits infused with cheddar and parmesan cheese topped with seasoned jumbo shrimp, mushrooms, and bacon. In 1985, The New York Times’ Craig Claiborne published the recipe and well, the rest is history.

Making It Keto & Slap Your Mama Good

Here’s the thing.

I’m a Mississippi girl and I grew up on grits. (A low carb nightmare:) I fell in love with John Currence’s Shrimp & Grits recipe while I was a student at Ole Miss. As a matter of fact, I don’t think I have ever ordered anything else from John’s restaurantCity Grocery in over 20 years! Now, I don’t know if that makes me loyal or boring, but I do know this: his fabulous carb loaded recipe helped me gain way more than the Freshman 15.

Dear Comfort Food: I Just Can’t Quit You

As Y’all know, I’ve lost over 148 pounds on the keto diet, an entire fourth grader, but I miss Southern comfort food. So, I did what any hungry girl would do & made my favorite “grits” low carb.

And y’all…

This Keto Shrimp and Grits Recipe with Low Carb Loaded Cauliflower Rice Is A Total Game-Changer (2)

It’s legit Slap Your Mama Good!

*Disclaimer: I’m not telling you to slap your mother. I do not need Mama Drama!

Important Notes About The Cauliflower Rice

We took the easy route & bought the 12 ounce bags of chopped cauliflower. You could also buy a medium head of cauliflower – rinse & chop – & save money.

Either way, you’re going to have to use a food processor or grater to get the texture right & steam it!

We steamed ours right there on the stove with a little water & a careful eye for about 7 minutes.

You can also steam it in the microwave. Just put it in a microwave safe bowl with a tablespoon of oil & cover with plastic wrap. Set the microwave for 3 minutes & you’re done! *If you use the microwave method-put the rice back into a medium-large sauce pan over low heat.

Are you ready?

Because you can throw away all the other keto/low carb/healthy/shrimp & grits recipes you have. This is the only one you need! Bold claim? Sure. But you’re just going to have to trust me.

This Keto Shrimp and Grits Recipe with Low Carb Loaded Cauliflower Rice Is A Total Game-Changer (3)

I’m so happy to share this keto recipe with you. Mad props go to my daughter Savannah for helping me create it. Thank you, Sav!

If You Love Comfort Food, Here’s A Few More Keto Recipes You Need

Original Mississippi Pot Roast Recipe Is Your New Favorite Keto Crockpot Recipe

Keto Crockpot White Shredded Chicken Chili

Fully Loaded Keto Cauliflower Soup

25 Insanely Delicious Keto Comfort Food Dinner Recipes

This Keto Shrimp and Grits Recipe with Low Carb Loaded Cauliflower Rice Is A Total Game-Changer (4)

Keto Shrimp and Grits Recipe with Loaded Cauliflower Rice

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Keto Shrimp and Grits is the ultimate low carb Southern comfort food with all of the decadent and rich cheesy flavor and texture you’d expect from the traditional recipe with none of the carbs thanks to a one of a kind loaded cauliflower rice that’s even better than grits!

Ingredients

  • 2 12 ounce bags Chopped Cauliflower
  • 2 lbs Shrimp (Peeled & Deveined)
  • 1 8 ounce block Sharp Cheddar Cheese
  • 1 8 ounce block Pepper Jack Cheese
  • 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
  • 4 Tablespoons Salted Butter
  • 3/4 Cup White Button Mushrooms
  • 6 Thick Cut Strips of Bacon
  • 1 Lemon (Cut in Half-Squeezed for Juice)
  • 1 Bunch Green Onions - Chopped

Instructions

  • Fry Bacon - Keep The Grease - Set Aside - Resist Temptation to Eat It All Right There!
  • Rinse shrimp - take off tails - devein if you want to take it that far
  • Rinse & slice mushrooms
  • Grate Cheddar & Pepper Jack Cheese (Pre-Shredded will work - just know the manufacturer adds preservatives to keep it pretty on the shelf - which also adds a few carbs.
  • Prep The Cauliflower Rice
  • In a medium - large saucepan on low heat add the cheese to the cauliflower rice
  • Stir in heavy cream
  • Keep an eye on that
  • In another saucepan, saute shrimp, mushrooms, lemon juice butter & around 2 tablespoons bacon drippings until shrimp is golden brown.
  • Final Step: Combine Cauliflower Rice + Shrimp (Or Serve the shrimp over the Cauliflower Rice) & Top with Green Onions
  • Enjoy!

Notes

You may omit the bacon if you're just not a bacon person or if you're not feeling it. The recipe is still fabulous without it!

Need spice? Chop a Jalapeño Pepper and add it into the shrimp saute!

Or add a little Tony Chachere's to the shrimp-it is by far the best Creole Seasoning you can buy!

If you want even more heat-add a teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper!

Add a splash of Hot Sauce-to taste.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 763Total Fat: 46.7gSaturated Fat: 25.1gSodium: 874.9mgCarbohydrates: 6.3gNet Carbohydrates: 5.6gFiber: 0.7gSugar: 3gProtein: 54.3g

Stock Your Keto Pantry!

Get the go-to keto pantry staples, meal plans and exclusive Word To Your Mother reader discounts on my Shop Page here. Need a shopping list? Click here!

And for more than 500 Low Carb Keto Meal ideas and easy recipes, check out my Keto Recipes Index!

Kickstart Keto Without Giving Up Your Favorite Foods!

I’ve lost 148 pounds on the keto diet and maintained that weight loss for six years!

This Keto Shrimp and Grits Recipe with Low Carb Loaded Cauliflower Rice Is A Total Game-Changer (8)

I wrote a book that explains every detail of how I lost the weight on keto – without doing macro math at every meal. If you are a woman who is tired of trendy diet B.S. and you need a real-world roadmap to help you get healthy (low-carb style), Rebel Keto will be your new best friend.

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This Keto Shrimp and Grits Recipe with Low Carb Loaded Cauliflower Rice Is A Total Game-Changer (9)
This Keto Shrimp and Grits Recipe with Low Carb Loaded Cauliflower Rice Is A Total Game-Changer (2024)

FAQs

Can I eat cauliflower rice everyday on keto? ›

With only 5 grams of carbs (3 grams net carbs) per cup, yes: Cauliflower rice is keto. Normal portions of cauliflower rice are unlikely to kick you out of ketosis, especially if you consume them with plenty of healthy fat. Don't be shy with the olive oil.

Can I eat unlimited cauliflower on keto? ›

How Much Cauliflower Can You Eat on a Keto Diet? The Harvard School of Public Health recommends that people eat no more than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day while on a keto diet. You can eat up to 900 grams of cauliflower per day when on a ketogenic diet because 100 grams of it only contains 5 grams of carbohydrates.

Is grits good for a low carb diet? ›

Are Grits High in Carbohydrates? As mentioned above, grits are made solely from corn—a high starch, high carb food. A typical serving size of our Creamy White Corn Grits contains 32 grams of total carbohydrates.

What are keto grits made of? ›

Most keto grits recipes use cauliflower as a replacement for cornmeal. Unfortunately, cauliflower grits don't taste like real grits. It tastes like cheesy cauli rice. Using lupin meal instead will be your go-to recipe for grits instead of cauliflower grits.

Is it OK to eat riced cauliflower everyday? ›

The fact that it's a vegetable makes cauliflower automatically good for you. Additionally, cauliflower is packed with nutrients that give it unique benefits, such as fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K and choline. These properties give you a good reason to eat it frequently or even daily.

How many carbs in 2 cups of cooked cauliflower rice? ›

In addition, cauliflower rice is low in carbs. It provides only 3 grams of net carbs per cup (107 grams) — 18 times fewer carbs than the same quantity of rice ( 1 , 2 , 3 ).

What foods can I eat unlimited on keto? ›

Foods you can eat on the keto diet include fish and seafood, meat and poultry, non-starchy vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, and zucchini, avocados, berries, nuts and seeds, eggs, high-fat dairy products, olive oil and other oils, and high-cocoa chocolate.

Can you eat unlimited salad on keto? ›

Can you eat too much salad on keto? Vegetables do contain carbohydrates, so it is possible to eat too much salad and exceed your carb limit for the day. However, if you're careful about the greens and other veggies you include and don't overdo it, delicious salads can be a staple in your keto diet.

Can you eat unlimited meat on keto? ›

If you're embarking on a ketogenic lifestyle, you should know that you actually can't eat a ton of meat on the keto diet. In fact, eating too much protein can kick you out of ketosis, so while meats are definitely okay in moderation on a keto diet, they shouldn't be its number one staple.

How many carbs a day to lose weight? ›

Losing weight requires you to burn more calories than you consume. Experts say you should aim to burn 500 calories more than what you eat each day. As far as how many carbohydrates to eat, Pratt says 100 to 150 grams of carbohydrates is safe for most people who are trying to lose weight.

Who should not eat grits? ›

Because grits have a high carb content, they can spike blood sugar levels. So, if you're diabetic, you need to eat them in moderation.

What are the healthiest grits to eat? ›

Stone-ground varieties are more nutritious, as they undergo less processing than quick, regular, or instant types. Though grits are fairly healthy, they're typically served with high-calorie ingredients. These may include milk, cheeses, syrups, sugar, bacon, and other fried or processed meats.

Is shrimp good for low carbs? ›

So, is shrimp low-carb? Definitely. Shrimp has just 0.2 grams of carbs in a 3-ounce serving; although shrimp come in different sizes, this is roughly 3-5 shrimp. Shrimp has less than a gram of fat per serving that comes from omega-3 fatty acids and polyunsaturated fats that are beneficial to your body.

How many carbs are in shrimp and grits? ›

Skinny Taste Shrimp And Grits (1 cup) contains 39g total carbs, 36.5g net carbs, 8g fat, 22g protein, and 311 calories.

What is a good replacement for grits? ›

You can use cornmeal as a substitute for grits in some recipes, but the texture may be different. It's best to adjust cooking times and liquid ratios accordingly to achieve a similar consistency. Keep in mind that the final result might vary slightly due to the differences in coarseness.

Can you eat too much cauliflower rice? ›

While everyone's tolerance is different, too much cauliflower can create G.I. distress, like excess gas and bloating.

How many days is cauliflower rice good for? ›

Cooking cauliflower rice prevents it from developing a funky smell as quickly. Cooked cauliflower rice keeps for approximately 4 days in a sealed container in the fridge.

Is cauliflower rice good for belly fat? ›

Using cauliflower rice, which is rich in fibre, will benefit weight loss. Moreover, the cauliflower will give you additional nutrients, making your meal healthier without sacrificing the flavour and taste.

How to get into ketosis in 24 hours? ›

You can make several diet changes to reach ketosis in 24 hours, including:
  1. Increasing your fat intake.
  2. Cutting out added sugars and processed snacks.
  3. Eating moderate amounts of protein.
  4. Consuming an abundance of non-starchy vegetables.
  5. Taking supplements such as exogenous ketones.
Jan 31, 2023

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