If you want a seafood dinner that comes together quickly without skimping on flavor, these 30-Minute Cajun Shrimp and Grits are for you!
A Southern-style favorite for both brunch and dinner, this unique delicacy consists of a creamy bed of cheesy grits topped with Cajun-seasoned shrimp pan-fried to perfection. It’s only made better by a quick and easy garlic and scallion butter sauce.
If you’re new to grits or grew up on them, you can’t deny the warming feeling of this comfort food! See also: Cajun Salmon and Grits.
Cajun Shrimp and Grits Ingredients & Substitutions
Here’s everything you need:
- Grits. I use quick grits, mostly because they’re more widely available and easier to find, but also because they’re just so fast. If you prefer stoneground or Old-Fashioned grits, you will just need to cook them for a little bit longer.
- Vegetable broth. Chicken broth works here, too. You can buy it at the store, make your own vegetable broth, or use a bouillon cube with water.
- Milk. Anything from skim to whole dairy milk, or even any unsweetened, unflavored non-dairy milk works great.
- Cheddar cheese. You can buy pre-shredded for convenience, but if you want the best of the best texture and flavor, grate your own cheddar! I use sharp but depending on your preference, you can use mild or medium, too.
- Olive oil.
- Large white shrimp. Fresh or frozen. If you are using frozen shrimp, make sure they are thawed completely before you start cooking. You can defrost shrimp by transferring them to the refrigerator 24 hours ahead of time or putting them in a sealed bag and submerging the bag in a large bowl of cold water for about 45 minutes.
- Scallions.
- Garlic.
- Cajun seasoning. Use your favorite! The measurements in this recipe are for using a standard Cajun seasoning blend like McCormick. However, if you’re using a seasoning blend that’s heavier on the salt and spice, like Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning for example, you will likely want to use less seasoning. You can also make your own Cajun seasoning.
- Unsalted butter.
Sustainable Shrimp
Shrimp is one of my favorite seafoods because of its versatility and distinct texture and taste, but depending on where you live, it may be one to consider enjoying in moderation. Rooted in my commitment to sustainability, I always put thought into how I source my seafood.
I’m very grateful to live in a coastal community in Georgia where local shrimp can be sourced sustainably by small shrimp boats during shrimping season. Of course this option is not available to everyone, but there are some things you can look for!
When it comes to sustainability, try to avoid buying imported shrimp entirely. Imported farmed shrimp are especially detrimental to mangrove forests and produced on farms that emit a high number of pollutants. It also has to travel far to get to you!
If you can, seek domestic farmed shrimp.
Green tip: Shrimp is seafood we should enjoy in moderation, as it is not the most sustainable out of season. The best way to source your shrimp is from domestic shrimp farms (avoid imported).
Cheesy Grits with Cajun Shrimp Tips and Tricks
How to Make Creamy Cheddar Cheese Grits
Grits are super easy to whip up and can be made simply with the grits themself and water. However, I’m sharing my secrets with you to make the creamiest and most flavorful grits, and there isn’t any water involved.
My favorite grits hack? Cook them in vegetable broth rather than water to infuse flavor into the grits. Add the broth and grits to a small pot fit with a lid and bring to a boil. Then, cover and reduce the heat to low, so your grits and veggie broth are simmering.
Simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot, until the grits soak up all the veggie broth.
Once your grits are fully cooked, turn the heat source off, but keep the pot on the burner. Add the milk and cheese and stir to combine. The residual heat will melt the cheese.
Keep your grits hot by covering and keeping it in the pot while your shrimp cooks!
How to Prepare Cajun Shrimp for Pan-Frying
While your grits are cooking, prep your shrimp.
I usually buy fresh, raw, deveined large white shrimp and just peel it myself, but you can buy the shrimp pre-peeled if you prefer.
You can also opt for frozen shrimp, but make sure it is completely defrosted before you jump into this recipe.
The easiest way to thaw shrimp is to transfer from the freezer to the refrigerator at least 12 hours beforehand. For quicker thawing, add the frozen shrimp to a sealed bag and submerge the bag in cold water for about 45 minutes.
If you are peeling the shrimp yourself, you can either leave the little tails on or clean the shrimp completely. Once peeled, pat it dry with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
Green tip: Paper products contribute to deforestation. Consider these bamboo paper towels! Bamboo naturally regenerates every few months, whereas trees cannot regrow once harvested.
Drying your shrimp will help to avoid mushy shrimp and grant you the best texture.
Once your shrimp are prepped, add them to a shallow bowl to coat them with Cajun seasoning.
Now, this is important. I’ve made this recipe so many times, with a lot of different brands of Cajun seasoning. The amount of salt and spice varies GREATLY depending on the brand of Cajun seasoning you use.
Typically, I use a run-of-the-mill store brand or Mccormick Cajun seasoning and coat the shrimp completely to get a nice color and flavoring on the shrimp.
However, when using a seasoning blend with more kick (like Slap Ya Mama), you will definitely want to pull back on the seasoning.
Prep Your Garlic and Scallions
Peel and mince the garlic. My preferred technique for easy peeling is gently crushing its outer layer with the flat end of my knife. Just apply pressure by using your hand to push down on the garlic cloves until you hear them crunch.
With the outer layer now cracked, the peeling process is much easier. Simply peel away the outermost layer, and use a sharp knife to mince the garlic.
As for the scallions, chop off the root, but the rest of the onion should be used — both the white and green part. Just dice it finely.
Add the prepped garlic and scallions to a frying pan or cast-iron skillet with the olive oil over medium-high heat.
How to Perfectly Pan-Fry Shrimp with Cajun Seasoning
Once the oil is hot, add the seasoned shrimp in a single layer. Shrimp cooks quickly. If your oil is nice and hot, the shrimp will likely only need about 2 minutes on each side.
The shrimp is fully cooked when the internal temperature reaches 145°F. If you don’t have a kitchen thermometer, there are visual cues you can look for to know your shrimp is ready.
When the shrimp is cooked, it will curl up and turn opaque. Add the grits to two shallow bowls and serve the shrimp on top. Check out this Shrimp and Polenta recipe for another meal with similar flavors.
How to Deglaze the Pan with Butter
Add the butter to the pan with whatever garlic, scallions, and seasoning is left. With the heat still on medium-high, melt the butter and simmer for a few minutes to deglaze the pan.
Then, you can use this buttery goodness as a finishing sauce to serve over your shrimp and grits.
Serving Shrimp and Grits with Cajun Seasoning
This recipe is a full meal on its own! Sometimes I like to whip up a quick and easy roasted veggie dish to serve right on top of the grits. Here are some of my favorites:
How to Properly Store and Reheat Shrimp and Grits
This delicious shrimp dinner dish will last for 4-5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you’re reheating both the shrimp and the creamy grits simultaneously, it’s best to do so in the oven.
Add the grits and shrimp to a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Preheat the oven to 350°F and cook for 15-20 minutes until both the grits and the shrimp are thoroughly heated. If it seems too dry, you can always add some extra vegetable broth.
If you have leftover shrimp only, it will last up to 5 days sealed in the fridge and can be reheated in a frying pan with a dash of olive oil.
Now, if you’re left with extra grits only, it can easily be reheated in the microwave (you’ll likely need 2-3 minutes depending on the quantity and may want to stir in a little extra broth in to loosen it).
Green tip: Of the billions of pounds of food wasted annually, it is estimated that 50% of it happens in our homes. Properly storing and enjoying leftovers is a great way to reduce your individual contribution to food waste.
Why this is the Best Cajun Shrimp with Grits Recipe
- The flavor. The Cajun seasoning combined with the garlic and scallions brings bold flavor.
- It’s quick! This shrimp dinner comes together in 30 minutes!
- It’s simple. Learning simple techniques like how to cook creamy grits, how to pan fry shrimp, and how to deglaze the pan with butter will give you the knowledge to make this dish easily as well as others!
30-Minute Cajun Shrimp and Grits
SAVE RECIPE TO COLLECTION PIN PRINT RATEEquipment
- Kitchen Thermometer optional
- Frying Pan * or *
Ingredients
Creamy Grits
- ½ cup quick grits
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- ⅓ cup milk (any dairy or unsweetened non-dairy)
- ¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (¼ cup shredded = approx. 2 ounces)
Pan-Fried Cajun Shrimp
- ½ pound large raw white shrimp
- 4 stalks green onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
Creamy Grits
- In a saucepan or small pot fit with a lid, add the grits and vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover, simmering for 5-7 minutes until the mixture thickens.
- Then, turn the heat source off but keep the pot on the burner. Add the milk and cheddar cheese and whisk to combine, using the residual heat to melt the cheese.
- Split the creamy grits into two equal servings in a shallow bowl.
Pan-Fried Cajun Shrimp
- Peel and mince your garlic and dice your scallions. Peel the shrimp if need be and pat it dry with a paper towel to reduce excess moisture (try these bamboo paper towels for a more sustainable option!).
- Generously season the prepped shrimp with the Cajun seasoning on both sides.
- To a large saucepan over medium heat, add the olive oil, garlic, and scallions and get it hot for 2 minutes.
- Once the oil is hot, carefully lower the shrimp into the pan. Cook the shrimp for about 2 minutes on each side until they curl up and turn opaque. This really should take no more than 5 minutes total if you pre-heat your pan. The internal temperature of the shrimp should reach 145°F.
- Remove the shrimp from the pan and place it right on top of the grits. Add the butter to the pan with the garlic, scallions, and excess seasoning to deglaze the pan.
- Drizzle the scallion and garlic butter on top of the shrimp and grits and enjoy.
Pro Tips
- Please note: the measurements in this recipe are for using a standard Cajun seasoning blend like McCormick. However, if you’re using a seasoning blend that’s heavier on the salt and spice, like Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning for example, you will likely want to use less seasoning.
- I use quick grits, mostly because they’re more widely available and easier to find, but also because it helps me get this meal on the table fast. If you prefer stoneground or Old Fashioned grits, they absolutely work in this recipe, too. You will just need to leave them over the heat a little bit longer.
