If I had to choose my last meal it would be this Southern classic. I’ve had it and made it almost every way possible and so far this recipe has been my favorite.
Cajun Shrimp & White Cheddar Cheese Grits: cheesy grits drowned in a warm shrimp, bacon, corn and cream sauce. The ultimate comfort food.
- Total Time- 45 minutes
- Servings- 4
Shrimp and Cheese Grits Ingredients:
For Grits-
- Chicken Broth
- Whole Milk
- Cornmeal
- Butter– salted or unsalted.
- Can Corn– drained, rinsed, and divided in half.
- Shredded White Cheddar Cheese– or any shredded cheese that has a good melt. I’ve made this with Gouda cheese and it was also a fantastic smokey option.
For Shrimp Topping-
- Thick Cut Bacon
- Butter– salted or unsalted.
- Shrimp– peeled and de-veined. I like to use extra large or colossal shrimp.
- Garlic– minced.
- Cajun Seasoning– almost every grocery store has a pre-made Cajun Seasoning in the spice aisle. My favorite is the Slap Ya Mama brand.
- Heavy Cream
- Green Onions or Chives– for garnish.
How to Serve Shrimp & Grits:
- When to serve? This dish makes a fantastic dinner but an even better brunch! There’s not much better than a warm bowl of Shrimp & Grits paired with a mimosa (or two).
- How to plate? Spoon 1 cup of grits into a serving bowl. Top with 1/4 of shrimp topping, garnish with green onions or chives, and serve immediately.
- What to serve with it? This dish is pretty hearty and holds up well on it’s own, but there’s always room for a bread to wipe everything up! For bread I highly recommend biscuits, especially Cheddar Bay Biscuits (because all of the cheese please).
Substitutions & Variations:
- Instead of bacon– try a Cajun smoked sausage! Just cut sausage into medallions, add to frying pan in a single layer, and cook as you would the bacon until brown on both sides.
- Instead of White Cheddar Cheese- try a smokey Gouda cheese, Pepper Jack cheese, or Sharp Cheddar cheese.
- Instead of Pre-Made Cajun Seasoning– try making your own! Use a blend of smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, dried thyme, ground black pepper, ground white pepper, ground cayenne pepper, and kosher salt.
Equipment Needed:
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How to Make Shrimp & Cheese Grits:
- Make Grits–
- In a large pot, bring chicken broth and whole milk to a simmer.
- Slowly whisk in cornmeal, and turn heat down to medium-low. Continuously whisk grits until thickened and there are no more lumps, about 8 minutes.
- Remove pot from heat, add 2 tbsp of butter, shredded white cheddar, and half of canned corn. Continue whisking until butter and cheese have melted. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook Bacon– heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add bacon to pan and cook about 3-5 minutes per side until crispy. Set bacon aside on a paper towel lined plate to drain grease. Drain grease from frying pan.
- Make Shrimp Topping–
- In a mixing bowl, toss raw shrimp with minced garlic and cajun seasoning. Melt 2 tbsp butter in frying pan.
- Add shrimp in a single layer, cook 1.5-2 minutes per side until pink and cooked through.
- Pour in heavy cream, the rest of canned corn, and crumbled bacon. Simmer and stir for another 2-3 minutes until sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from heat.
- Plate, Top with Garnish, and Serve
Leftovers:
- Store shrimp topping and grits separately in air tight containers. Shrimp topping when properly store will last 1-2 days and grits will last 4-6 days.
Tips & Recipe Notes:
- Shrimp & Grits are best served immediately.
- Shrimp are done frying once they have curled over and the thickest part of the shrimp (where the vein has been pulled out) becomes opaque.
Shrimp Recipes You Will Also Love:
- Cajun Shrimp Dip– a super simple shrimp dip with all of the classic NOLA flavors. A little spicy, very creamy, and always delicious.
- Creamy Chipotle Shrimp– shrimp, bacon, and onions swimming in a creamy yet spicy chipotle sauce. It only has a few ingredients, but it is PACKED with flavor & comes together in about 20 minutes.
- Creamy Bacon, Corn, & Shrimp Soup– LOADED with shrimp, bacon, corn, and potatoes. It’s seriously comforting and what makes it even better is that it can be on your table in just 30 minutes.
Shrimp & White Cheddar Cheese Grits
Shrimp & White Cheddar Cheese Grits: cheesy grits drowned in a warm shrimp, bacon, corn, cream sauce. The ultimate comfort food.
Equipment
- Tongs
- Large Sauce Pan
- Whisk
- Skillet
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
For Grits:
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1-1 1/2 cups shredded white cheddar
- 15 oz canned corn drained & divided in half
For Shrimp Topping:
- 6 strips bacon
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1.5 lb shrimp peeled, de-veined
- 1.5 tbsp minced garlic about 3 cloves
- 1.5 tsp Cajun Seaoning
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- green onion or chives garnish
Instructions
- Make Grits- in a large pot, bring broth and whole milk to a simmer. Slowly whisk in cornmeal, and turn heat down to medium-low. Continuously whisk grits until thickened and there are no lumps, about 8 minutes. Remove pot from heat, add 2 tbsp butter, shredded white cheddar, and half of canned corn. Continue whisking until butter and cheese have melted. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook Bacon- heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add bacon to pan and cook about 3-5 minutes per side until crispy. Set bacon aside on a paper towel lined plate to drain grease. Drain grease from frying pan.
- Make Shrimp Topping- in a mixing bowl, toss raw shrimp with minced garlic and cajun seasoning. Melt 2 tbsp butter in frying pan. Add shrimp in a single layer, cook 1.5-2 minutes per side until pink and cooked through. Pour in heavy cream, the rest of canned corn, and crumbled bacon. Simmer and stir for another 2-3 minutes until sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from heat.
- Plate & Serve- spoon 1 cup of grits into a serving bowl. Top with 1/4 of shrimp topping, garnish with green onions or chives, and serve immediately.
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