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This New Orleans Shrimp and Grits recipe is a delicious, comforting dish that will instantly transport you to the South. It’s loaded with savory flavors from the cheesy grits, juicy cajun shrimp, and fresh herbs. The best part? This classic Southern dish is incredibly easy to make!
Why Make New Orleans Style Shrimp and Grits
Cajun shrimp and grits is one of my favorite recipes when I want something filling and full of flavor without that much work. It’s one of my favorite shrimp recipes alongside my Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta and Blackened Shrimp. If you’ve never had grits before, this is the recipe to get you started!
- Big flavors. It’s packed with smoky and spicy flavors from the Cajun and Old Bay seasoning, paired with cheesy, buttery grits for a delicious explosion of flavor.
- Quick and easy. This recipe is ready in under 30 minutes, perfect for a busy weekday breakfast or brunch.
- Southern comfort. All the flavors will take you back to New Orleans in an instant!
Ingredient Notes
All other ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card towards the bottom of this post.
- Grits. Use stone ground grits for a creamier texture and better flavor. I don’t recommend using instant grits for this recipe.
- Butter. Use unsalted butter so that you can have more control over the taste.
- Cheddar cheese. Use sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated before cooking. You can also use Gouda or Monterey Jack.
- Bacon. Adds a delicious contrast of flavor to the creamy grits.
- Water. Instead of water, you can also use broth.
- Shrimp. Use fresh, peeled, and deveined shrimp. I like to use jumbo shrimp.
- Shrimp Seasoning. I used a blend of paprika, garlic powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, old bay seasoning, and cayenne pepper. You can also just use store-bought cajun seasoning and adjust it to your preference.
- Garnish. Garnish the shrimp and grits with chopped parsley, parmesan cheese, or green onions.
Variations
Shrimp and andouille sausage. For more protein and a heartier meal, you can add andouille sausage with the shrimp.
Steps To Make New Orleans Shrimp and Grits
Step One. Clean and dry the shrimp. In a bowl, season the shrimp and mix well.
Step Two. In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt, then slowly add the grits, stirring constantly to avoid clumping. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally. The grits will start to thicken in about 4 minutes. Remove the grits from the heat, and stir in the butter, cheese, a pinch of salt, and pepper.
Step Three. Melt butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for about 3 minutes on each side or until pink and cooked through.
Serve the cooked shrimp hot over the grits, sprinkled with additional parmesan cheese, green onions, parsley, and bacon!
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overcook the shrimp. Cook the shrimp just until opaque and firm, about three minutes on each side. You should also avoid overcrowding the skillet as it can cause them to steam rather than sear.
- Keep the heat low while cooking the grits to prevent the bottom from burning. Stir it often to ensure even cooking and prevent lumps
How to Store Southern Shrimp and Grits
Store leftover shrimp separately from the grits. Store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator to keep them longer. Shrimp should last for 3-4 days, and the grits should last for up to a week.
Reheat the grits on a stove top on low heat until completely warm. You can add a splash of milk or water to help loosen it. To reheat the shrimp, add butter and let it simmer on the stovetop until warmed through.
Recipe FAQs
You can use stone-ground or regular (old-fashioned) grits. I just don’t recommend instant or quick grits because they usually have a less creamy result. I also used white corn grits, but you can definitely experiment with yellow corn grits.
I love serving this with other Southern food like collard greens, cornbread, coleslaw, and green beans.
Other Shrimp Recipes To Try
If you loved this recipe, you’ll love my other favorite shrimp recipes:
Shrimp and Grits (New Orleans Style)
Equipment
- saucepan
Ingredients
For the Grits:
- 3 ¼ cup water
- ¾ cup grits
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tbsp butter
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ⅓ cup sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grate the cheese to avoid clumping!
Garnish:
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley for garnish
- ¼ cup grated parmesan for garnish
- ¼ cup chopped green onions for garnish
- ¼ cup cooked crispy bacon, chopped
For the Shrimp:
- 1 lb large shrimp, cleaned
- 2 tsp butter
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp old bay seasoning
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
- In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt, then slowly add the grits, stirring constantly to avoid clumping. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally. The grits will start to thicken in about 4 minutes. Remove them from heat, stir in the butter, cheese, a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Clean and dry the shrimp, add the seasonings and mix well. Add butter to a skillet (or use the skillet you cooked the bacon in). Heat to medium and add shrimp. Cook for about 3 minutes each side or until pink and cooked through.
- Serve the cooked shrimp hot over the grits, sprinkled with additional parmesan cheese, green onions, parsley and bacon.
Notes
- Don’t overcook the shrimp. Cook the shrimp just until opaque and firm, about three minutes on each side. You should also avoid overcrowding the skillet as it can cause them to steam rather than sear.
- Keep the heat low while cooking the grits to prevent the bottom from burning. Stir it often to ensure even cooking and prevent lumps.
- If you like grits a little more runny, be sure to cook for a minute or two less, the cheese tends to thicken the grits up.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
You’ve got to try these!