Cajun Shrimp and Cheesy Grits Recipe
Prep time: 15 MINUTES
Cook time: 20 MINUTES
Difficulty: Easy
Yields: 4 servings
Sometimes you have to put on your big girl pants and try something new that intimidates you, including cooking. For me, that was shrimp and grits. This recipe came out of necessity from craving this dish in the middle of a pandemic, when ingredients were scarce.
Throughout this pandemic, aside from family movie night and family game night, one night a week was dedicated to family take out night, where we patronized our local businesses and restaurants. The kiddos enjoyed ordering whatever floated their fancy, and Mom and Dad enjoyed NOT cooking for once (We have been cooking a lot with two college students and a high school student at home).
When it was my turn to pick from the rotation, I wanted to tantalize my taste buds with my favorite comfort food, shrimp and grits, from our favorite local restaurant, except they were “out” of this smokey, cheesy, comforting dish. Imagine my dismay. WHAT?? In their defense, we were in the middle of a pandemic after all, and ingredients were limited. Regardless, it was terrible timing to have a craving, and begrudgingly I ordered something else. I NEEDED to learn how to make this classic dish asap!
Making homemade shrimp and grits had never crossed my mind because it seemed fussy. It was much easier to order from our favorite restaurant and allow the chefs to create their culinary masterpiece, but curiosity, determination, and necessity got the best of me. I put my “big girl pants on” and delved into my favorite cookbooks and online recipes to research shrimp and grits, and as it turns out, it was not as daunting as I had envisioned. I could do this. Our Louisiana inspired version features plump, succulent shrimp, savory Italian sausage, Cherchies® Cajun Seasoning, all piled on top of dreamy clouds of cheesy grits, seasoned with Cherchies Garlic Seasoning. I am proud to report that this easy cheesy recipe is divine and a close second to our favorite restaurant, and a recipe you will want to add to your cache. Not only can dinner be ready in 30 minutes, but you can have flavorful shrimp and grits whenever the craving hits.
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This recipe is adapted from https://www.bobsredmill.com/ and https://www.maebells.com/shrimp-and-creamy-cheesy-grits/.
Ingredients
1 pound Italian sweet sausage, cooked and sliced
1/2-3/4 pound frozen deveined and shelled shrimp (Can use fresh)
4 cups chicken broth*
1/2 cup yellow corn grits (We tested with Bob’s Mill Organic Corn Grits)
1/2 teaspoon (tsp.) Cherchies Garlic Seasoning
Pepper to taste
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Olive oil, removing 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) for coating
4 teaspoons (tsp.) Cherchies Cajun Seasoning (add more if want spicier)
1/2 teaspoon (tsp.) smoked paprika
1 cup water
1 Tablespoon (Tbsp.) Corn starch
2 green onion stalks, chopped
2 slices bacon, cooked and chopped (optional)
*Note- some recipes I have researched call for substituting milk for the broth. I have not tried milk, but this recipe is flexible to use whatever liquid you like.
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Once oven is preheated, place the sausage in a shallow baking pan and cook sausage until it reaches a temperature of 160 degrees. Remove from oven, allow to cool, and slice the sausage into 1/2 inch pieces. Set aside.
In a medium to large sauce pan bring the chicken broth to a boil, add grits slowly and reduce the heat to low. Cover and let the grits simmer for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent them from sticking and burning.
When the grits have absorbed the liquid, add the cream cheese, shredded cheese and Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning and pepper to taste. Stir the mixture well, cover and remove from heat.
Place the shrimp and sliced sausage in a large mixing bowl, add 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Oilve oil, Cherchies Cajun Seasoning, smoked paprika and toss until shrimp is coated.
In a small bowl, combine the water and corn starch and mix until smooth (This is called a slurry).
Heat the remaining 3 Tablespoons (Tbsp) of olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the shrimp and sausage, stirring occasionally, until shrimp is pink and tender (about five minutes total). Add the cornstarch/water mixture (aka slurry) to the pan in the last minutes of cooking to allow the slurry to thicken. (**I did not use enough cornstarch when I first photographed the shrimp mixture, so I had to sprinkle more in. DO NOT add the cornstarch directly to the mixture, as it will clump and you will get white lumps in your dish. Take the extra time to make the slurry separately to make the dish correctly).
To assemble the shrimp and grits add a heaping serving of grits to bowls or plates, top with shrimp and sausage mixture, chopped green onions, and chopped bacon (optional).
**When I first made this recipe, I chopped up chives from my garden instead of the green onions.
Enjoy!
Cajun Shrimp and Cheesy Grits Recipe
