Shrimp and Grits with Cheddar Grits and Cajun Gravy
By Jonah Pike
15 min
Prep
25 min
Cook
40 min
Total
4
Servings
Easy
Level
I make shrimp and grits for dinner when I'm in the mood for something filling. I serve stone-ground grits with cheddar cheese and shrimp cooked with Cajun seasoning, bacon, and lemon sauce to go with grits and corn (my favorite part). The shrimp and grits are garnished with chopped green onions.
First, I slowly mix in the grits with a liquid to cook and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked. Use grated blocks of cheddar cheese rather than prepackaged shreds to prevent a gritty texture in the grits.
While the saucepan might work, I cook bacon in a large skillet and add seasoned shrimp afterward. I cook the shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque and then remove them from the skillet. I prepare the gravy in the same skillet. Mixing flour and broth together helps avoid lumps, and I cook the gravy for 3 to 5 minutes.
I serve the grits in bowls with the shrimp topping. A simple green salad or crusty bread can be served as part of the meal. Possible seasonings for this meal include red pepper flakes and hot sauce in the gravy and chopped jalapeños in the onion and bell pepper mixture.
Why we keep this one around
- It feeds four people. Cooking the gravy separately keeps the plate from feeling like one soft pile.
- Stone-ground grits have a stronger corn taste than instant grits. I prefer the taste and texture of stone-ground grits with sauce.
- Bacon grease allows you to add Cajun seasoning to the gravy without a second pan.
- Dinner takes 40 minutes to cook. Grits and the skillet portion must be cooked.
- Hot sauce lets people who enjoy spicy foods make their own bowl as hot as they want.
- Cheddar cheese can be used with grits. Other cheeses that work well with grits are Gruyère, Gouda, and Parmesan.
Ingredients
- •2 cups water
- •2 cups chicken broth (for the grits, low sodium recommended)
- •1 cup stone-ground grits (not instant or quick grits)
- •½ cup heavy cream
- •1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (freshly grated)
- •2 tbsp unsalted butter
- •1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- •½ tsp black pepper (or to taste)
- •1 lb large shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- •4 slices bacon (chopped)
- •1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- •2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- •1 small onion (finely chopped)
- •½ cup bell pepper (chopped, any color)
- •3 cloves garlic (minced)
- •1 ½ cups chicken broth (for the gravy)
- •1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- •1 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- •2 tbsp green onions (chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
- 1
Bring 2 cups water and 2 cups chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan.
- 2
Slowly whisk in the grits. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick.
- 3
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream, butter, and cheddar cheese until smooth, then season with salt and pepper. Keep covered.
- 4
Cook the chopped bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove it from the skillet, leaving the drippings behind.
- 5
Toss the shrimp with the Cajun seasoning. Add them to the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes per side until pink, then remove them from the skillet.
- 6
Add the onion and bell pepper to the same skillet and sauté for 3-4 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- 7
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in 1.5 cups chicken broth and the Worcestershire sauce.
- 8
Simmer for 3-5 minutes until the gravy thickens.
- 9
Return the shrimp and crumbled bacon to the skillet. Add the lemon juice and stir to combine.
- 10
Spoon the shrimp mixture over the warm grits and garnish with green onions.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
580
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