Whether you’re looking for a creamy savory breakfast or a hearty dinner, you can’t go wrong with these Cajun Shrimp and Cheesy Grits. Cajun-spiced shrimp, bacon, and peppers are served over the cheesiest of grits for a meal that’ll make tummies happy!
Enjoy this Disney restaurant inspired dish along with your favorite cornbread, biscuits, eggs, or a side salad. It’s a recipe that can be as versatile as you want it to be!
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What Are Grits?
Grits is a porridge-like dish made from coarsely ground cornmeal. It is a versatile dish that can be served at any meal and adapted to be either savory or sweet. Today, most people consider grits to be an American southern dish, but they actually originated with Native Americans.
Growing up in the Chicago area, I hadn’t known grits even existed until I was a teenager traveling in the southern US. I first had them with butter, cream, and sugar for breakfast, and from then on I considered them to be a breakfast food.
A trip to the Coral Reef Restaurant in Disney World’s Epcot expanded my narrow experience with grits. I enjoyed Shrimp and Grits for the first time and was hooked! This recipe is my rendition of the dish I loved so much at Coral Reef. You can check out my review of Coral Reef Restaurant here.
What Is Cajun Seasoning?
Cajun seasoning is a spice mix consisting of the herbs and seasonings most frequently used in Cajun cuisine. While different Cajun seasonings can vary, they almost always contain paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano. Cajun seasoning can range from mild to super spicy, but most widely available commercial Cajun seasonings tend to be on the mild side.
Cajun cooking was brought to the United States in the late 1700s by French settlers in the Acadia region of Canada, which is now referred to as the Maritime provinces. After refusing to swear allegiance to the British Crown in 1755, these Acadians were ousted. A fair number found their way to southern Louisiana, where they settled in the countryside.
The word Cajun is derived from the English pronunciation of Les Acadiens, or “the Acadians.” Their cuisine was shaped by living off the land in Canada. They were able to adapt their lifestyle to the very different seafood, meat, and plants available in the Louisiana bayous to create what we know as Cajun cuisine.
What Should I Serve with Shrimp and Grits?
This Cajun shrimp and grits recipe can be very filling on its own, but it goes nicely with a simple side salad and bread or rolls.
I love to make this simple take on jalapeno corn muffins using Jiffy mix. Just make the mix according to package directions, but add about 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese and about 2 ounces of diced green chiles (drained).
Another great pairing with shrimp and grits is baking powder biscuits. These require a bit more time to make than the corn muffin recipe I shared, but they are fluffy and perfect for swabbing the last bits of grits out of the bowl. Check out my baking powder biscuit recipe.
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Directions
- Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan, then add grits and salt. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir in butter, cream, and cheese until cheese is melted.
- Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp, about ten minutes. Remove bacon with slotted spoon on set on paper towels to drain.
- Sauté garlic in bacon fat for 1 minute, then add red and green peppers. Cook until crisp-tender, about 3 – 5 minutes. Add shrimp in single layer; cook for about one minute.
- Flip the shrimp over and add lemon juice, Cajun seasoning, and Tabasco sauce. Stir to coat shrimp in seasoning. Cook another 1 – 2 minutes.
- Divide grits evenly between 4 bowls. Serve shrimp mixture over grits. Top with reserved bacon.
Check Out More Seafood Dishes
- Grilled Lemon Herb Cedar Plank Salmon is full of flaky flavor
- During mango season, Baked Tilapia with Mango-Jalapeno Salsa is always on our menu
- This Lemon Dill Baked Salmon is delicious AND keto-friendly
Shrimp and Cheesy Grits
Course: Cook, Main Dishes, SeafoodDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes30
minutes40
minutesCajun-spiced shrimp, bacon, and peppers are served over the cheesiest of grits for a meal that’ll make tummies happy!
Ingredients
- GRITS
4 cups water
1 cup grits (regular, not quick)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- SHRIMP
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 lb bacon, chopped
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco, or to taste
Directions
- Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan, then add grits and salt. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir in butter, cream, and cheese until cheese is melted.
- Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp, about ten minutes. Remove bacon with slotted spoon on set on paper towels to drain.
- Sauté garlic in bacon fat for 1 minute, then add red and green peppers. Cook until crisp-tender, about 3 – 5 minutes. Add shrimp in single layer; cook for about one minute.
- Flip the shrimp over and add lemon juice, Cajun seasoning, and Tabasco sauce. Stir to coat shrimp in seasoning. Cook another 1 – 2 minutes.
- Divide grits evenly between 4 bowls. Serve shrimp mixture over grits. Top with reserved bacon.
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