Shrimp & Grits Pizza

Shrimp & Grits Pizza is topped with rich, garlicky mix of spicy shrimp, bacon, tomatoes, onions, and peppers that uniquely honors its classic Southern roots.

Shrimp and grits is a Southern classic. A dish once served almost exclusively below the Mason-Dixon line, shrimp and grits (cheesy or otherwise) has become wildly popular across the US in recent years, and now appears on menus from New York to Oregon. 

This deconstructed Shrimp & Grits Pizza honors the flavors and essence of this archetype of Southern cooking, while presenting something deliciously unique.

Jump to:

• What Goes into this Pizza
• How to Make this Shrimp Pizza Recipe
• Variations
• Storage
• Equipment
• More Shrimp Recipes
• Shrimp & Grits Pizza

What Goes into this Pizza

The Toppings

• Shrimp: We use medium to large shrimp, deveined and shelled. You can use fresh or frozen shrimp.
• Garlic: Use fresh garlic.
• Olive oil: Canola or avocado oil also work well.
• Tomatoes: Grape or cherry tomatoes work best because they don't release a lot of moisture onto the pizza as cut tomatoes may do.
• Bacon: Use thick-cut bacon cut into ½-inch batons.
• Onion: Use a large sweet onion.
• Pepper: You can use any color of bell pepper you like: red, yellow, orange, or green.

The Spice Mix

The Spice Mix we use for this recipe is a variation on the Spicy Dry Rub originally created for Spicy Pan-fried Rockfish; however, we've used it on everything from roasted vegetables to barbecued steak, and it is amazing every single time.

This spice mix works especially well with shrimp, and really makes this Shrimp & Grits Pizza pop!

For the Spice Mix, you can use any chili powder you normally would use. We typically use a combination of ground pasilla, ground chipotle, and ground New Mexico Chili peppers in roughly equal parts (i.e., a little less chipotle, and a little more pasilla and NMC). All the ground peppers can be found at your local merchado, or in your grocery Hispanic foods section.

The Crust

The biggest hurdle to this recipe was creating a cornmeal-based crust that could stand up to hearty toppings. If you try to use traditional polenta, you end up with a pizza that you have to eat with a fork. In order to make a crust that can be sliced, held in hand, and eaten like a proper pizza, you need to include a few additional ingredients. Technically, the crust is neither grits nor polenta: it's actually more of a giant Johnny Cake.

Hint: We have an entire post devoted to our Spicy Polenta Pizza Crust recipe, if you'd like more tips on how to make this naturally gluten-free pizza crust.

How to Make this Shrimp Pizza Recipe

Shrimp & Grits Pizza is one of those recipes that looks long and involved, but in reality, is very easy to execute. 

You can make this pizza using any large, oven-safe skillet, but cast iron will give your crust a nice crispy texture. This recipe makes one 10-inch pizza. If your skillet is larger or smaller, adjust amounts accordingly.

Spice Mix

In a small bowl, mix the Spice Mix ingredients until they are evenly distributed.

Set aside.

Prepare Shrimp Topping

Marinate Shrimp: In medium bowl, combine 1 tablespoon olive oil, half of Spice Mix, brown sugar, and minced garlic to make a thick paste.

Add shrimp and toss to coat thoroughly. Allow to marinate while you roast the tomatoes. Reserve remaining spice mix for making the crust.

Roast Tomatoes: While shrimp is marinating, roast the cherry tomatoes. To do this, toss the tomatoes lightly in a little olive oil and spread on a heavy sheet pan. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt.

Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft. Remove from oven and set aside.

Finish Topping Mix: In a cast iron skillet or heavy pan over medium heat, fry bacon pieces until crispy. Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove bacon from skillet and set aside.

Add chopped onion and red bell pepper to hot skillet and sauté in bacon drippings until soft and translucent.

Push all the vegetables to one side of the pan. Stir in the shrimp and and cook 3-4 minutes, or until just barely pink. (DO NOT overcook!) Set shrimp mixture aside while you make pizza crust.

Hint: If you are using the same skillet for the pizza, just put the shrimp mixture in a bowl and wipe your cast iron skillet clean before beginning the next step.

Cornmeal Pizza Crust

Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).

Hint: Visit our Cornmeal Pizza Crust recipe for additional directions for making the pizza crust.

In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, salt, remaining half of Spice Mix, and baking powder. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat milk and butter over medium heat until tiny bubbles begin to appear around the edge of the pan. Remove from stove and stir until butter is completely melted.

Add the hot milk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to blend. Whisk in the beaten egg and thoroughly combine. Let the mixture set briefly while you heat the skillet.

Heat a 10-inch cast iron skillet or round griddle over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles on the surface. Add olive oil to the skillet and swirl oil to thoroughly cover pan.

Give the cornmeal mixture one more good whisking, then carefully pour the prepared batter onto hot griddle and spread evenly with spatula.

Immediately place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 8-9 minutes, or until the top is set and the bottom is beginning to brown.

Final Steps

Remove prepared crust from oven, and switch oven to broil.

Optional: If you wish, you can flip the crust over at this time. I do this because I like the browned part facing up, plus it gives the other side a chance to brown a bit too.

Sprinkle prepared pizza crust with a generous cup of shredded cheddar cheese, then place under broiler for 1-2 minutes to melt the cheese.

Remove from oven and distribute shrimp mixture and roasted tomatoes evenly across pizza crust.

Sprinkle ½ cup shredded cheddar over top. Place under broiler for 1-2 minutes - just long enough to melt the cheese on top. Remove from oven.

Garnish with sliced green onions. Cut into slices and serve warm.

Variations

• Chicken & Grits Pizza: Sub in cubed chicken breast for the shrimp.
• Gluten-free: The cornmeal crust, made as directed, is naturally gluten-free. We make it with either masa harina or with Bob's Red Mill gluten-free flour.

Storage

The crust for this pizza can be made up to 3 months in advance. The pizza, once cooked, should be eaten immediately. Leftovers can be sealed and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Equipment

It's no secret that Mr B and I are big fans of cast iron cooking, and our 10.5-inch griddle is one of the pieces we use nearly every day.

If cast iron is something you're thinking about investing in, we suggest starting with a 10-inch chef's skillet and following it up with a round griddle. These are the two cast iron items we use most often, followed closely by my beautiful cast iron pie plate!

More Shrimp Recipes

Looking for more unique pizza ideas? Try our Old-School Cafeteria-style Pizza!

Do you love Southern cooking? Be sure to check out some of the best recipes around in our Southern BBQ and Southern Cooking recipe roundups!

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