You can easily bring the flavors of New Orleans home with this easy Shrimp and Grits recipe! In this classic Southern dish, you'll get all the goodness of juicy, succulent shrimp, smoky andouille sausage, flavorful, lusciously savory sauce, and decadently creamy, cheesy grits.
White corn, stone-ground grits are hard to find, and no true Southerner makes Shrimp and Grits with yellow polenta. Not to worry! Instant grits are easy to find, and this recipe makes instant grits taste legitimately gourmet. On top of that, the whole thing comes together in less than 20 minutes!
And if you love Cajun dishes like this one, we can't get enough of red beans and rice.
If you love shrimp as much as we do, you'll definitely want to check out our stuffed shrimp, blackened shrimp, BBQ shrimp, and shrimp etouffee as well!
HOW TO MAKE SHRIMP AND GRITS
- Prep the shrimp.
- Brown the andouille sausage.
- Cook the shrimp.
- Make the sauce.
- Make the grits.
- Serve and enjoy!
The first thing you'll want to do to whip up your Shrimp and Grits is prep the shrimp!
PREP THE SHRIMP
For this recipe, you will use jumbo shrimp (15 to 20 count) that is peeled, deveined, and already has the tails removed.
To prep the shrimp, lay down a couple of layers of paper towels on a work surface and place the shrimp on the paper towels in a single layer. Add another couple of layers of paper towels on top of the shrimp, and gently press down to remove any excess moisture from the exterior of the shrimp.
Removing the excess water from the exterior of the shrimp will help the oil to stay put, which will, in turn, help the seasoning to stay put, giving your Shrimp and Grits maximum flavor!
Add the shrimp to a medium mixing bowl with 1 tablespoon of oil and Cajun seasoning. If you happen to have blackened seasoning on hand, that is a fine substitution! Toss the shrimp, oil, and seasoning together and set the shrimp aside while you cook the sausage.
BROWN THE ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE
Add about 2 tablespoons of oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. If you have a nonstick skillet, that is ideal for this recipe since a lot of cooking will go down in this pan! Add diced andouille sausage to the pan and cook for about 4-5 minutes until you get some good browning and color on that sausage.
Remove the sausage from the pan, and reduce the heat to medium. Add another tablespoon of oil if the pan appears dry.
COOK THE SHRIMP
Place the shrimp in the skillet over medium heat in a single layer. Try not to overcrowd the shrimp; if necessary, cook in batches! Sear the shrimp in a single layer for about 2 minutes, then turn the shrimp over and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes more.
You'll know your shrimp is fully cooked when it is completely opaque throughout, appears pink on the outside, and the tails have curled inward. Remove the shrimp from the pan, transfer to a plate or bowl, and set them aside.
MAKE THE SHRIMP AND GRITS SAUCE
So, at this point, the sausage is cooked, and the shrimp is cooked. You're making some seriously great headway! You'll remove the shrimp from the pan and once again, if the pan appears dry, add an additional tablespoon of oil. Add 3 cloves of chopped garlic to the pan and cook for about 1 minute stirring often.
Now, the chicken broth, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper go in. Stir these ingredients together and allow them to come to a simmer. Feel free to add a dash or 3 of hot sauce if you like a spicy sauce!
Reduce the heat, if necessary, to maintain a simmer and allow the sauce to bubble for about five minutes. Once the sauce appears slightly reduced, you'll remove the pan from the heat and slowly add in the cold, cubed butter.
Add the butter just a few cubes at a time, whisking until completely melted after each addition. Adding the butter cold and incorporating it slowly will help create a velvety, luscious sauce!
Add the shrimp and the sausage back to the sauce, cover the pan, and set it aside while you make the grits.
MAKE THE GRITS
To kick off the grits, you'll add 4 cups of chicken broth to a medium-sized saucepan along with kosher salt and bring that to a roaring boil.
Once your broth is boiling, slowly whisk in 1 cup of instant grits. Cook the grits for about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often. You'll know the grits are ready when they have softened and no longer have a hard or chewy bite to them.
Add in the cream, butter, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Remove the grits from the heat and stir in the cheddar cheese. As soon as the grits appear smooth and the cheese is completely melted, it's time to serve!
HOW TO SERVE SHRIMP AND GRITS
Shallow bowls are best for serving Shrimp and Grits! To serve, divide your grits amongst your serving bowls and top with the shrimp mixture! Garnish with sliced green onions or chives if desired to add a pop of color and yummy onion flavor.
6 MORE CAJUN RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE
- Shrimp Po'Boy
- Cajun Jambalaya Pasta
- Cajun Shrimp Pasta
- Crawfish Pie
- Crawfish Etouffee
- Roast Beef Po'Boy
Crawfish Etouffee
Shrimp Po Boy
Cajun Jambalaya Pasta
Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Crawfish Pie Recipe | A New Orleans Classic
Hot Roast Beef Sandwich | Roast Beef Po' Boy
Shrimp and Grits
Ingredients
FOR THE SAUSAGE, SHRIMP, AND SAUCE:
- 1 ½ pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
- 5 tablespoons avocado or canola oil, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons Cajun or blackened seasoning
- ¾ cup diced andouille sausage (cut into small, ¼" cubes)
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- Juice of half a lemon
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- Generous pinch black pepper
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into ¼" cubes
- Sliced green onions, for garnish
FOR THE GRITS:
- 4 cups unsalted or low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 cup instant grits
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup freshly grated Cheddar cheese
Instructions
COOK THE SAUSAGE AND SHRIMP:
- Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel and add them to a medium mixing bowl, along with 1 tablespoon of oil and the Cajun seasoning. Toss until evenly coated. Set aside until ready to use.
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large saute pan (preferably nonstick) over medium-high and allow to come to temperature. Add the diced sausage and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Once browned, remove from the pan and transfer to a small bowl.
- If the pan is dry, add an additional tablespoon of oil to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and place the shrimp in the pan in a single layer, cooking in batches, if necessary.
- Cook for about 2 to 2 ½ minutes, then flip and cook for 1 ½ to 2 minutes more on the other side. The shrimp are ready when they are pink and semi-firm to the touch. Transfer the shrimp to a plate or bowl and set off to the side.
- If the pan is dry, add an additional tablespoon of oil to the pan, followed by the garlic. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring often.
- Add the broth, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Kosher salt, and black pepper and stir. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain simmer and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and slowly add the butter, a few cubes at a time, whisking until completely melted before adding more. Once all of the butter has been incorporated, add the shrimp and sausage to the sauce, stir, and cover to keep it warm.
MAKE THE GRITS:
- In a medium-sized saucepan, bring the chicken broth and Kosher salt to a roaring boil over medium-high heat.
- Slowly whisk in the grits, then, reduce the heat until you have reached a simmer. Cook the grits for 6-8 minutes, until they are no longer hard or chewy, stirring often. If the grits have thickened too much before they've fully cooked through, stir in an additional ¼ cup of broth or water as needed throughout the cooking process.
- Add the cream, butter, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Then, remove from the heat, add in the cheese, and stir until smooth.
- To serve, divide the grits amongst your serving bowls and top with shrimp, sausage, and sauce. Garnish with green onions, if desired.
Nutrition
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