Cajun Shrimp and Cheesy Grits

Make this classic dish of Cajun Shrimp and Cheesy Grits for dinner tonight! This recipe is ready in under 30 minutes and features a side dish of sauteed greens to balance out the meal.

Guys, I am obsessed with Cajun flavors, and I think it is starting to show on my blog. I've got a TON of Cajun flavored recipes, I'll link to them at the bottom, so keep reading!

This time I am sharing a simple, classic recipe of Cajun shrimp with cheesy grits. And I throw in some sauteed spinach for good measure.

I like to make sure there's a serving of veggies in most of my meals, and spinach is the quickest cooking vegetable known to mankind.*

_{*Note: I haven't verified this, but it feels true!}

This whole dish - the shrimp, grits, and greens - takes less than 30 minutes to make from scratch - including prep, thanks to quick cooking grits. Make sure you get quick grits - the kind that cook in 5 minutes. Otherwise this recipe will take you a bit longer to cook.

I am not claiming that these are Louisiana style shrimp and grits. I am just claiming that these are DANG GOOD and make a super easy shrimp dinner. 

Related recipe: Cheesy Grits Fritters Appetizer

How to make grits taste good

If you're not a grits fan, I encourage you to try these cheesy grits. They are about infinity times better than the plain grits that you would make if you followed the instructions on the grits packaging, which say salt is optional. Salt is NOT optional for grits.

Plain grits suck. That's the plain truth. But add some cheese or cream to make them creamier, and it's a game changer. This recipe uses lots of cheddar cheese to flavor the grits and make them rich and cheesy.

If you want to see a recipe super creamy grits made without cheese, check out my vegetarian grits with Cajun spiced sweet potato. You can mix and match the grits toppings, but these two grits recipes just show that there is more than one way to make grits taste really good.

Good toppings such as spicy shrimp or Cajun-seasoned roasted vegetables like in my vegetarian grits recipes are key to making grits feel like a gourmet side dish instead of poor man's food.

Related recipe: Easy Instant Pot Sausage Gumbo

The game plan to cooking this easy shrimp dinner

You need to cook three separate dishes for this recipe, there's no other way about it. But each one takes only about 5 minutes, so it's very quick.

Here's the game plan: Start cooking the grits, as they take the longest (all of 5 minutes)

Then season the shrimp with Cajun seasoning (see below on which ones I recommend) and cook those over high heat. The high heat and hot oil is KEY to getting that beautiful spicy-looking color in the shrimp instead of having it just turn pink.

Remove the shrimp from the skillet and cook the spinach in the same skillet, so the spinach picks up some of the flavor from the shrimp and some of the remaining Cajun seasoning.

EASY! It's about 10 minutes of cooking, overall.

Related recipe: Cajun Chicken Pasta

Is Cajun shrimp spicy?

Both seasoning are pretty spicy. If you don't want spicy shrimp, one option for this recipe is to use a homemade blackened seasoning, such as the one I use in my blackened chicken recipe. This way you can control the spice and end up with not-so-spicy shrimp. Blackened shrimp is an excellent choice on grits. It will still taste spicy and smoky which complements cheesy grits very well.

What is a good side dish for shrimp and grits?

Traditionally, you would probably serve sauteed collard greens with shrimp and grits, but ain't nobody got time for that! Collar greens take a while to cook and need a little TLC to become nice and tender (psst, check out my sauteed collard greens with spicy cottage cheese recipe!)

Another Cajun Louisiana classic side dish is butter beans.

In this recipe, I use simple sauteed spinach as the side for Cajun shrimp. It's just the quickest, and one of the best ways to eat a large serving of vegetables in just a few bites because spinach cooks down so much as it cooks. Just pile it on top of the cheesy grits next to the shrimp. They'll get along nicely, I promise.

Other Cajun shrimp sides you might want to try are:

• Roasted Cajun okra (yes, okra is actually quite good if you cook it right! I'll show you how to make it not slimy)
• Bacon roasted vegetables - these vegetables are flavorful and stand up nicely to spicy shrimp and cheesy grits

More Cajun Recipes

If you're looking for more Louisiana-inspired spicy goodness, check out these reader favorites from Babaganosh:

Instant Pot Sausage Jambalaya

This Instant Pot Jambalaya with sausage is SO GOOD and easy to make - perfect comfort food!

Get the recipe

Jambalaya with Kidney Beans

A hearty Jambalaya recipe with kidney beans. Lots of authentic Cajun flavor in this stew that is quite easy to make! This recipe feeds a crowd - perfect for parties and potlucks.

Get the Recipe

Cajun Pork Chops

A one-pan recipe for pork chops cooked in an easy, Cajun-spiced tomato sauce. Perfect for serving over rice, pasta, or dipping bread into the sauce. Ready in under 30 minutes!

Get the recipe

Keto Cajun Shrimp and Cauliflower Grits

A low carb keto version of the classic Shrimp and Grits recipe - Cajun shrimp and cauliflower "grits."

Even if you're not following a low carb diet (which I am guessing you are not if you're here looking at my grits recipe lol), you should absolutely give this a try because it is SO easy to make, tastes AMAZING, and is a great way to eat a large serving of vegetables for dinner.

Get the recipe

Cajun Shrimp Stuffed Avocado Recipe

This fancy-pants appetizer was inspired by an Italian restaurant that we love that charges an arm and a leg for some shrimp served in avocado.

Well, I took their idea and made it better by seasoning the shrimp with Cajun spices. Take THAT, expensive restaurant!

This shrimp tastes like a copycat bang bang shrimp from Bonefish Grill, except it's much lighter because it's not deep fried.

Get the recipe

Roasted Cajun Okra

Oh okra. No one likes you. But give it another chance! Roasting okra at a high temperature makes it less slimy than cooking it other ways, and it tastes quite good seasoned with Cajun flavors

Get the recipe

Creamy Grits with Cajun Sweet Potato, Kale, and Chickpeas

A vegetarian take on the shrimp & grits recipe - these creamy grits are topped with Cajun roasted vegetables, kale, and chickpeas. Easy, satisfying, vegetarian, gluten free deliciousness.

Get the recipe

Cajun Shrimp Sweet Potato Hash

One of my FAVORITE ways to cook is to just throw everything together in a skillet. That's how this dish came about - it has sweet potatoes, beans, corn, and Cajun spicy shrimp, and IT. IS. GOOD.

An easy healthy one-pan dinner.

Get the recipe

Cheesy Grits Fritters

I transformed grits into a crispy dippable appetizer. Serve these grits fritters with a Cajun marinara sauce (spoiler: it's just marinara sauce with Cajun seasoning). It's something different, and something good you should try!

Get the recipe

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4.92 from 12 votes

Cajun Shrimp and Cheesy Grits

You can't go wrong with the classic dish of Cajun Shrimp with Cheesy Grits! This recipe is ready in under 30 minutes and features a side of sauteed greens to balance out the meal.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Cajun

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Kate

  Cook Mode: Prevent your screen from going dark

Cost: $15

Ingredients

• 1 lb shrimp - , peeled and de-veined, thawed if frozen
• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning - (or less, to taste if you don't like things too spicy - read the blog post for some other seasoning ideas)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil - , divided
• 1 cup quick cooking grits
• 4 cups water - (or as much as the grits instructions require)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese - (I used yellow sharp cheddar)
• 2 garlic cloves - , minced
• 4 handfuls baby spinach or other baby greens
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Optional: Chopped scallions or cilantro leaves for garnish

Instructions

• Cook the grits according to the package, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheese while the grits are still hot.
• Toss the shrimp with the Cajun seasoning. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet, and add the seasoned shrimp. Cook the shrimp about 2-3 minutes per side, or until fully cooked. Remove from pan and set aside.
• While the grits are cooking, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and minced garlic to the same skillet where you cooked the shrimp saute for 1 minute, and then add the baby spinach. Season with salt and pepper (no other seasoning needed, as the greens will pick up the Cajun spices from the skillet). Cook stirring occasionally for ~5-7 minutes or until the greens have wilted.
• Serve the Cajun Shrimp and Sauteed Greens over the Cheesy Grits.

Nutrition

Calories: 428kcal (21%) | Carbohydrates: 31g (10%) | Protein: 34g (68%) | Fat: 19g (29%) | Saturated Fat: 7g (35%) | Cholesterol: 315mg (105%) | Sodium: 1071mg (45%) | Potassium: 195mg (6%) | Fiber: 2g (8%) | Sugar: 1g (1%) | Vitamin A: 776IU (16%) | Vitamin C: 5mg (6%) | Calcium: 378mg (38%) | Iron: 4mg (22%)

The nutritional information displayed is an estimate and not to be used as dietary or nutritional advice. Consult a nutritionist or dietician for nutritional info based on the exact ingredients you use.