Southern Shrimp & Grits is one of those comfort food combos that never gets old. The flavors of the gravy made by the shrimp, bacon, and chorizo combined with the creamy grits make the effort to make this dish all worth it.

This Keto Southern Shrimp and Cauliflower Cheese Grits recipe is a low carb remake to Southern Shrimp & Grits! I will say that this recipe requires quite a bit of prep, but that it comes together pretty easily after that. This recipe makes enough of this dish to last my family for 2 days. Even though it might be tempting to make half a recipe, I’d encourage you to keep this as is and just enjoy the leftovers! 

What is a keto alternative to grits?

This recipe actually uses a version of my Easy Cheese Cauliflower Grits recipe. I’m using cauliflower rice in place of grits. I love using cauliflower rice instead of grains to save on carbs, but also because the cauliflower rice cooks quicker than regular rice. If you enjoy cauliflower rice as much as I do, I’d recommend that you also check out this Seared Scallops and Cauliflower Risotto recipe that takes less than 30 minutes to make from start to finish!

Why does this recipe use tapioca starch?

I first made this Southern Shrimp & Cauliflower Cheese Grits dish after a round of Whole30 when I learned that Tapioca Starch was a much better alternative to corn starch. In this recipe, it’s used as a sauce thickener. Some who are “strict keto” might omit this ingredient simply because tapioca starch is mostly carbs. However, I included it because the amount used in this recipe amounts to 1g net carb per serving. 

What are alternatives to tapioca starch?

If you would like to make this Keto Southern Shrimp & Cauliflower Grits recipe and use an alternative to tapioca starch, then I’d recommend using Unflavored Collagen Peptides. As I’ve continued in my keto journey, I’ve learned that this is a carb-free way to thicken sauces. In fact, I used Collagen Peptides as a thickener for the Keto Sweet Chili Sauce that is included in my Bang Bang Shrimp recipe. You can use 1 scoop of Unflavored Collagen Peptides to replace the tapioca starch in this recipe.

What if I don’t eat pork?

Southern Shrimp & Grits has pork in it. However, if you don’t eat pork, you can make this dish with turkey bacon and use Chicken Chorizo sausage. I typically get Chicken Chorizo sauce from the meat section in my local market. Another option is to use Chicken Andouille Sausage. 

If you love shrimp, then check out my Low Carb Bang Bang Shrimp or Indian Shrimp Curry recipes!

Southern Shrimp & Cauliflower Cheese Grits

This is a keto-friendly Southern Shrimp & Grits recipe that will wow! The flavors of the shrimp, chorizo & bacon create a pan sauce that is a flavor explosion. I substitute cauliflower rice for the grits that are usually included in this dish. 

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Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 579kcal

Author: Davinah S. Smith

Ingredients

Southern Shrimp

• 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp Dried parsley
• 2 lb shrimp
• 6 slices Sugar-free Bacon regular bacon works, but I prefer sugarfree
• 2/3 lb hot chicken chorizo sausage pork works also - remove the casing
• 5 mini baby bell peppers chopped
• 2 shallots chopped
• 1/4 cup green onion chopped
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 1 scoop Unflavored Collagen Peptides or 2 tsp of tapioca starch
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chicken broth or seafood broth

Cheddar Cauliflower Grits

• 16 oz cauliflower rice
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 2 oz cream cheese
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper
• 1 tsp Dried Chives
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Instructions

• Make shrimp spice mix by combining the first 8 ingredients
• Sprinkle the shrimp with the mixture and set aside
• Heat 12 in skillet on medium heat
• Cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and put on a plate
• Cook chorizo in bacon drippings. Remove from pan and put on a plate with the bacon
• Saute vegetables in the bacon and chorizo fat (~2 minutes)
• Add tapioca starch and cook with the vegetables. A sauce will begin to form (~5 minutes)
• Pour lemon juice, broth, bacon, chorizo and seasoned shrimp into the pan
• Cook until shrimp is pink
• Heat a skillet over medium-low heat
• Add cream, broth, and cream cheese. Mix until the cream cheese is melted (~5 minutes)
• Add cauliflower, butter salt, chives and pepper
• Stir on medium-low until the cauliflower rice is tender (~5-10 minutes)
• Add cheddar into the pan and allow it to melt

Recipe Nutrition Facts

Nutrition Facts

Southern Shrimp & Cauliflower Cheese Grits

Amount Per Serving

Calories 579 Calories from Fat 333

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 37g 57%

Saturated Fat 19g 95%

Trans Fat 0g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0g

Monounsaturated Fat 0g

Cholesterol 483mg 161%

Sodium 2490mg 104%

Potassium 546mg 16%

Total Carbohydrates 12g 4%

Dietary Fiber 3g 12%

Sugars 3g

Protein 50g 100%

Vitamin A 40.3%

Vitamin C 101.4%

Calcium 33.4%

Iron 24.6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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