Y'all, feeding that hungry family just doesn't get much easier than this 20 minute recipe! If you love spicy southern food try this easy blackened chicken recipe next.
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❤️ Why you'll love it
- Bacon grease is the key to the best shrimp ever
- The tasty breakfast dish is also great as a quick, satisfying dinner
- Done in 20 minutes without skimping on authentic New Orleans flavor
Loaded up with crisp bacon, this creamy cajun shrimp and grits recipe includes everything you love about a classic Southern dish.
It's rich and hearty, spicy and savory, but best of all? The creamy creole sauce (made the right way, with stock and cream) takes it up another notch—you can't do shrimp 'n grits without it!
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Variations
- If you're on a budget or trying to make the meal stretch, swap the shrimp for andouille sausage. (Or, use both for a great combo!)
- Like cheesy grits? Add some Pepper Jack or smoked cheddar cheese.
- Some people like to saute a medium onion (diced) in the bacon fat, too. You could also add a green bell pepper.
- For even more heat, sprinkle shrimp with cayenne pepper while they cook, or whisk it into the creamy sauce. Don't forget the hot sauce, too!
- It wouldn't be proper shrimp and grits without cajun seasoning. Feel free to use store-bought or make your own. We love the flavors of homemade Tony Chachere's creole seasoning!
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- In a large skillet, cook bacon and set it aside. Add butter, garlic, and shrimp to the bacon drippings and cook.
- Set shrimp aside. In the same skillet, whisk the chicken broth, heavy cream, and cajun seasoning until thickened.
- Spoon the grits into a shallow bowl and add shrimp.
- Top shrimp and grits with bacon, cajun cream sauce, and green onions.
- Combine the milk and water in a medium saucepan.
- Add salt and bring to a boil.
- Slowly whisk in quick grits and reduce heat to low.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until thick and creamy. Remove from heat and stir in a few tablespoons butter.
🥫 Storage
Creamy shrimp and grits is one of those dishes that tastes best hot off the stove—it's just a fact of life.
However, if you have some leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They won't taste quite as good as fresh but will last safely for about three days.
You can easily reheat cajun shrimp and grits in the microwave, but for the best results, add a splash of milk, water, or chicken stock to the food before doing so.
Then, warm leftovers in thirty-second increments. Overheated, shrimp will taste rubbery.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: If it's your first time cooking shrimp, watch 'em closely. They cook quickly, in just 2-3 minutes, so don't wander too far from the stove!
- Peel shrimp easily by pulling off the legs, first. Then, the shell will come off smoothly. However, keep the tail on—it adds extra flavor!
- Don't forget to devein the shrimp if you buy it shelled. Insert a skewer or paring knife into the top of the shrimp, slide it underneath the dark vein, and pull it up and out.
- You can also buy raw shrimp with the tails on that have already been peeled and deveined—most home cooks don't like this step.
- Wait—don't throw out the extra bacon grease! You can pour it off into a small container and use it in other Southern recipes in place of oil.
- Like extra crispy bacon? Be sure to let it drain on paper towels for all the crunch and minimal sogginess.
- Don't use regular grits unless you're prepared to alter the cooking time—they take much longer. This recipe is written for quick-cooking grits.
- Instant grits don't have as much flavor, so I don't like using them. Quick grits only take a few minutes more, so they're still a fast option.
- Whisk the grits slowly into the boiling water/milk mixture so that they don't clump together.
- If your cooktop tends to get really hot, stir the grits more often to make sure they're not burning on the bottom of the pan!
👩🍳 FAQs
You can use frozen raw shrimp, but they won't taste as good as fresh. Follow the thawing directions carefully for better results. However, cocktail shrimp are already cooked, so I don't recommend using them in shrimp and grits (nor any other pre-cooked shrimp varieties.)
For creamy grits just like they make in the deep South, use real, whole milk (or even heavy cream.) The fat in the milk adds a smoothness that you just don't get with non-fat or dairy-free milk.
Besides the color, they're only a little different! Yellow grits come from yellow corn, which some say has more of a corn-y flavor. White corn grits tend to taste milder. Either will work in this recipe!
📚 Related recipes
- Jalapeno Cheese Grits are spicy and savory, with plenty of creamy, cheesy flavor. Serve 'em up hot and they'll disappear in no time!
- Looking for an easy summer dinner packed with Southern flavor? Spicy Grilled Creole Shrimp is a fun, mouthwatering meal everyone loves.
- Absolutely packed with flavor, Breaded Shrimp Po Boys are classic New Orleans sandwiches—and, the spicy avocado remoulade is too good!
- Have more grits to use up? Serve 'em underneath a tender, juicy Slow Cooker Pot Roast for a dinner as good as Ma used to make.
🍽️ Serve with...
- KFC Copycat Southern Coleslaw adds a deliciously tangy, crunchy element to your creamy Cajun shrimp and grits dinner.
- Easy Buttermilk Cornbread delights your taste buds and goes great with a corn-based meal!
- Southern Banana Pudding Cheesecake is rich, decadent, and fruity—the perfect sweet ending to a hearty meal.
📞 The last word
I like to keep it easy in the summer, don't you?
Serving a southern classic like this simple but delicious shrimp and grits is the best way I know to feed a family in 20 minutes!
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Cajun Shrimp and Grits
Print Pin Recipe SaveEquipment Needed
Ingredients
Grits
- 1 cup quick-cooking grits
- 2 cups water
- 3 cups milk
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Shrimp
- 4 slices bacon, diced
- 1 pound medium to large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on
- 3 tablespoons bacon drippings
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning, or more/less to taste
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- Louisiana hot sauce , optional, to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Sliced green onion, for garnish
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Instructions
Grits
- In a medium saucepan, bring water and milk to a boil.
- Add salt and gradually whisk in the grits.
- Reduce heat to low and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the grits are thick and creamy.
Shrimp
- While the grits are cooking, cook the bacon until crispy in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Remove bacon to a plate, crumble, and set aside.
- Remove all but 3 tablespoons grease from the pan.
- Add the butter.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until pink and cooked through.
- Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside. Add the chicken broth and heavy cream to the skillet and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly.
- Add the chicken broth and heavy cream to the skillet and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly. Season with cajun seasoning to taste.
- Divide the grits among four bowls and top with the cooked shrimp and crumbled bacon. Spoon the sauce over the top and garnish with sliced green onion.
Notes
- Peel shrimp easily by pulling off the legs, first. Then, the shell will come off smoothly. However, keep the tail on—it adds extra flavor!
- Don't forget to devein the shrimp if you buy it shelled. Insert a skewer or paring knife into the top of the shrimp, slide it underneath the dark vein, and pull it up and out.
- You can also buy raw shrimp with the tails on that have already been peeled and deveined—most home cooks don't like this step.
- Do not leave the shrimp while cooking. It only takes about 3 minutes and overcooked shrimp are awful.
- Wait—don't throw out the extra bacon grease! You can pour it off into a small container and use it in other Southern recipes in place of oil.
- Don't use regular grits unless you're prepared to alter the cooking time—they take much longer. This recipe is written for quick-cooking grits.
- Instant grits don't have as much flavor, so I don't like using them. Quick grits only take a few minutes more, so they're still a fast option.
- Whisk the grits slowly into the boiling water/milk mixture so that they don't clump together.
- If your cooktop tends to get really hot, stir the grits more often to make sure they're not burning on the bottom of the pan!
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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