Cajun shrimp and grits is a classic Southern comfort food that's easy to make from scratch. Ready in just 30 minutes and made on the stovetop, these creamy grits and seasoned shrimp are perfect for a quick weeknight meal.
Cajun shrimp and grits can be on your dinner table tonight with just a handful of simple ingredients and about 30 minutes of your time.
Creamy, buttery grits serve as the base of this recipe. Shrimp is coated in Cajun seasoning and sauteed in just a few minutes on the stovetop.
Cajun shrimp and grits makes the perfect quick and easy weeknight meal. It's hearty, comforting, and packed with flavor. Looking for a twist on this classic dish? Try my Cajun chicken and cheesy grits next.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Grits - You'll need stone ground grits for this recipe. If you've never purchased grits before, you can usually find them near the oats or cereal in your local grocery store. Similar to shopping for oats or rice, you will find two kinds of grits at the grocery store - stone ground grits and instant grits. For this recipe, I'm using traditional, stone ground grits.
- Broth - Chicken broth can be substituted with vegetable broth if needed. Substituting with water will result in a significant loss of flavor in your grits.
- Milk - Whole milk makes your grits creamy and rich. I don't recommend substituting the milk with water.
- Butter - Adds flavor and creaminess to your grits. I don't recommend omitting it. Salted butter can be substituted (you'll want to cut the listed salt in half).
- Salt and pepper - Add flavor to your grits.
- Garlic - Adds savory flavor to the grits.
- Shrimp - I recommend using medium or large shrimp that have been peeled and deveined. If you're like me, go ahead and remove the tails so that you don't have to bother with them while you're enjoying dinner.
- Cajun seasoning - I use homemade Cajun Seasoning for this recipe, but you can also use store bought seasoning if desired.
Tips and tricks
Cook grits low and slow - Grits need to be cooked low and slow for a creamy, silky texture. Don't be tempted to turn up the heat! This causes grits to stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.
How to tell when grits are done - Grits are done cooking when they're no longer rough and grainy. Do a taste test and keep cooking until they're soft and creamy.
Cooking shrimp - Shrimp cook very quickly and depending on their size, only need about 1-2 minutes per side. Once your shrimp turn pink and start to curl up into a U shape, you'll know they're done.
Storage
Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. You may want to add a splash of liquid to your grits while reheating to maintain that creamy texture.
Frequently asked questions
Adding milk and butter to grits adds a creamy, rich texture.
It sounds like your heat is too high. Turn the heat down and add a splash of water - low and slow is best for creamy, smooth grits.
I recommend stirring grits exclusively with a whisk to prevent lumps from forming. Add grits slowly to your liquid and use a whisk to combine. Stir your grits several times throughout the cooking process with a whisk to get rid of any lumps that form.
This recipe has a mild to medium spice level and depends entirely on the spiciness of your Cajun seasoning. If you're very spice adverse, I'd recommend cutting the Cajun seasoning in half.
More recipes
📖 Recipe
Cajun Shrimp and Grits
Ingredients
Grits
- 16 ounces milk
- 16 ounces chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup stone ground grits
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Cajun shrimp
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
Instructions
Grits
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add milk, chicken broth, and salt. Bring to a simmer, then slowly whisk in the grits and minced garlic.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, whisking frequently. If grits begin to stick to pan, reduce heat. Grits should be creamy and tender when cooked through.
- Remove from heat and add pepper and butter. Stir to combine. Cover and set aside.
Cajun shrimp
- Season shrimp with cajun seasoning and toss to evenly coat.
- In a skillet over medium heat, add butter. When hot, add shrimp to pan and arrange in a single layer. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Shrimp are ready when pink and tails have curled up slightly into a U shape. Remove from heat.
- Spoon grits into a bowl, then top with shrimp and any remaining butter in pan. Optionally, top with chopped parsley as a garnish. Serve immediately.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- 2 teaspoons of cajun seasoning will give you a medium amount of heat. For a lighter flavor, use one teaspoon.
- Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. Add a splash of liquid to help your grits retain their creamy texture while reheating.
This was delicious. I will be cooking it again. The family said I didnt make enough.
I don’t like grits but this was delicious and I will definitely be making this again.
What an excellent recipe & quite simple to make. Will definitely try again! We did use instant grits just because that’s what I had on hand - but they didn’t taste as good because of it.
Hubby just made this for me for Mother’s Day and it was delicious!!! Thank you for the tasty recipe!
Made the shrimp and grits tonight! VERY good. Next time I will do all the prep the night before!!