There’s something incredibly comforting about the layers of flavor in my Brown Stew Shrimp with Sweet Potato Grits Recipe. The richness of the shrimp pairs perfectly with the creamy, slightly sweet grits, creating a dish that’s both cozy and exciting on the palate. Whenever I make this, it feels like a special occasion at home.

A white bowl holds a creamy, pale yellow layer of smooth grits as the base. On top, there are several browned shrimp coated in a glossy, dark brown sauce mixed with finely chopped red and green bell peppers and thin rings of green onions. The shrimp look juicy and are placed evenly over the grits, with the sauce slightly pooled around them, making the dish look rich and flavorful. The bowl sits on a white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Why They Work
Make It Your Way
Step-by-Step: How I Make Brown Stew Shrimp with Sweet Potato Grits Recipe
Top Tip
How to Serve Brown Stew Shrimp with Sweet Potato Grits Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Thoughts
Brown Stew Shrimp with Sweet Potato Grits Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

This recipe is one of those perfect blends of hearty and nuanced flavors; every bite feels layered and satisfying without being overwhelming. I love sharing it because it brings such warmth to the table and is surprisingly approachable to make.

Flavor Explosion: The combination of smoky spices, allspice, and the gentle heat from the scotch bonnet creates shrimp that’s full of depth and character.
Decadent Yet Comforting: Sweet potato puree mixed into creamy grits adds a subtle sweetness and silky texture that balance the savory stew.
Impressively Easy: While it tastes like a restaurant-quality dish, the steps are straightforward enough for any home cook to nail.
Flexible for Your Kitchen: You can adjust the spice levels, cheese type, or even swap out veggies to make this truly your own.

A yellow pot filled with cooked shrimp in a thick dark reddish-brown sauce with visible pieces of green onions, small red peppers, and finely chopped vegetables like carrots and green peppers mixed throughout. A large metal ladle rests inside the pot, partially submerged in the sauce, with shrimp around it. The pot is set on a white marbled surface with a beige and white striped cloth partially visible at the bottom left corner. A small brown bowl with green chopped peppers is also visible on the top left corner. The shrimp look plump and covered evenly with the sauce, giving a rich and thick texture. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Ingredients & Why They Work

Every ingredient in this Brown Stew Shrimp with Sweet Potato Grits Recipe plays a role in building bold, balanced flavors. From the creamy grits to the fragrant, spiced shrimp, the components complement each other beautifully. When shopping, look for fresh jumbo shrimp and high-quality grits for the best results.

Flat lay of peeled jumbo shrimp with tails on, a halved green bell pepper finely diced, a halved red bell pepper finely diced, a small yellow onion chopped, a large orange carrot diced, a whole scotch bonnet pepper deseeded and chopped, a small pile of sliced green scallions, a small mound of sweet orange sweet potato puree, a small mound of uncooked cream-colored grits, two whole brown eggs with clean shells, a small white ceramic bowl of golden avocado oil, a small white ceramic bowl of dark brown browning sauce, a small white ceramic bowl of chicken broth, a small white ceramic bowl of half and half, a small pat of butter, and a small pile of shredded pale yellow gouda cheese, all arranged symmetrically on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

Grits: I recommend using stone-ground grits like Marsh Hen Mill for that rich, chewy texture that instant grits can’t match.
Sweet Potato Puree: Adds natural sweetness and a gorgeous color to the grits; you can substitute pumpkin puree if needed.
Jumbo Shrimp: Peeled and deveined shrimp ensure quick cooking and easy eating; tail on or off is up to you.
Smoked Paprika and Allspice: These spices give the shrimp a smoky warmth with Caribbean flair—don’t skip them!
Scotch Bonnet Pepper: Adds authentic heat and fruity notes; removing seeds helps control spice level.
Cheese (Gouda or Sharp Cheddar): Melts into the grits for added creaminess and a little tang.
Browning Sauce: A small bottle of Grace browning sauce is worth keeping on hand for authentic color and flavor depth.
Bell Peppers and Carrots: Finely diced to soften and soak up the stew’s flavors, giving a slight crunch and color contrast.

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Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

I’ve made this recipe countless times, and I love tweaking it depending on what mood I’m in or what’s in the pantry. Feel free to swap gouda for sharp cheddar, skip the scotch bonnet if you prefer no heat, or add a squeeze of lime at the end for some brightness.

Variation: Once, I added some crispy bacon on top for a smoky crunch that elevated the dish even more—highly recommend for bacon lovers!
Dietary Changes: You can easily make this dairy-free by using coconut milk instead of half and half and omitting the cheese; it still tastes great.
Seasonal Twist: In cooler months, roast the sweet potatoes yourself for a richer puree; it adds great depth.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Brown Stew Shrimp with Sweet Potato Grits Recipe

Step 1: Prepare the Creamy Sweet Potato Grits

Start by bringing your water, chicken broth, and salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Slowly whisk in the grits bit by bit to avoid lumps—that little step makes all the difference. Then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let them simmer gently for around 30 minutes. This slow cooking is crucial for tender, creamy grits. Keep checking and whisk frequently to prevent any sticking or lumps. If they start looking too thick, I always splash in a bit more water to keep that perfect creamy consistency. Once tender, stir in your sweet potato puree, butter, half and half, cheese, and a pinch of white pepper. Taste and adjust salt if you want more pop. Keep them warm with the lid on while you make the shrimp.

Step 2: Marinate the Shrimp with Bold Spices

Pat your shrimp dry and toss them in a bowl with avocado or olive oil, smoked paprika, allspice, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Let them sit for at least 30 minutes to soak up those flavors. I sometimes prep them first thing in my multi-tasking routine so they’ve got time to marinate while the grits cook.

Step 3: Sauté the Vegetables and Aromatics

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat until it’s sizzling nicely. Add finely diced bell peppers, onion, carrot, and the chopped scotch bonnet pepper. Sauté for about 6-7 minutes until tender and golden—in this step, those veggies soak up butter and begin building the stew’s flavor. Then stir in garlic and ginger paste and cook for another minute until fragrant. The smell here is just amazing, trust me. Finish this step by stirring in the browning sauce for depth and color.

Step 4: Simmer the Shrimp to Perfection

Add the marinated shrimp, chicken broth, and scallions to the skillet. Give everything a good toss to combine. Cover and simmer for 6-7 minutes while stirring occasionally. The shrimp should turn a lovely opaque pink and the sauce will thicken and coat them nicely. This is when you’ll want to keep an eye on it, so you don’t overcook the shrimp—they cook fast, and overdone shrimp get rubbery, which we definitely want to avoid.

Step 5: Serve and Garnish with Love

Spoon your creamy sweet potato grits into bowls and top with a generous helping of brown stew shrimp. Finish with a sprinkle of sliced scallions for freshness and color. Now, you’re all set for a comforting, luscious meal that’s full of flavor and soul.

Top Tip

From cooking this dish again and again, I’ve found that a few little things really boost the final result and keep it foolproof. These tips helped me go from “okay” to “wow” every single time.

Whisk Slowly: When adding grits to boiling liquid, whisk gradually to prevent lumps—this saved me so many frustrating clumps early on!
Marinate Well: Give the shrimp at least 30 minutes to soak in the spices for maximum flavor—shortcuts here mean missing out.
Control the Heat: Removing seeds from the scotch bonnet lets you keep the heat manageable; you can always add more if you want more kick.
Don’t Overcook Shrimp: Keep a close eye during the last simmer to avoid rubbery shrimp—they only need a few minutes to cook through.

How to Serve Brown Stew Shrimp with Sweet Potato Grits Recipe

Garnishes

I usually top my bowls with extra sliced scallions for a little bite of freshness and vibrant green color. Sometimes I add a sprinkle of fresh parsley or even a squeeze of lime juice for a pop of brightness. If you like heat, a tiny drizzle of your favorite hot sauce complements the sweetness beautifully.

Side Dishes

This dish is quite filling on its own, but I sometimes serve it alongside a crisp green salad with a tangy vinaigrette to balance the richness. Another favorite is some sautéed greens like kale or collard greens with garlic—they soak up the stew’s sauce and add a nice texture contrast.

Creative Ways to Present

For dinner parties, I love serving the shrimp and grits plated separately in elegant bowls so guests can portion as they like. Another fun twist is serving the shrimp over baked sweet potato halves instead of grits—same flavors, different presentation. It always gets compliments!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Leftovers are great stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. I keep the shrimp and grits separate if I can, so the grits don’t soak up too much moisture and stay creamy.

Freezing

I’ve frozen the cooked shrimp stew successfully, but I avoid freezing the grits since their texture can change. If you freeze the stew, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stove.

Reheating

When reheating, do it slowly over low heat with a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce and keep shrimp tender. Warm the grits separately, stirring in a little milk or butter to bring them back to that perfect creamy state.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use instant grits for this recipe?

Instant grits don’t give you the same creamy texture or the ability to hold up under long simmering that stone-ground grits do. For this recipe, I recommend using stone-ground grits for the best consistency and flavor.

How spicy is the brown stew shrimp with the scotch bonnet pepper?

Scotch bonnet peppers can range from medium to very hot. Removing the seeds and membranes reduces a lot of the heat. If you’re sensitive to spice, start with less pepper or omit it and add a mild chili if you want some kick without too much heat.

Can I prepare parts of the recipe ahead?

Absolutely! You can make the sweet potato puree and even cook the grits up to a day ahead. The shrimp marinate can be done the day before to deepen flavor, but I prefer cooking the shrimp fresh for best texture.

What cheese works best in the grits?

I love shredded gouda for its creamy melt and subtle nuttiness, but sharp cheddar works wonderfully too if you want a bolder flavor. Both add richness and help balance the sweet potato puree.

Final Thoughts

This Brown Stew Shrimp with Sweet Potato Grits Recipe has become one of my absolute favorites to make when I want a dish that’s both comforting and a little adventurous. I find the process soothing, and the result always feels like a hug on a plate. If you take one thing from this post, it's to give this dish a try—it’s rewarding and sure to delight anyone lucky enough to share it with you.