Cajun Shrimp and Grits
Published 11/6/2024
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Cajun Shrimp and Grits hit the spot when you want something high-protein, yet super comforting. The cajun shrimp is made with a simple blend of homemade cajun spices and it’s served next to creamy grits made with a little Greek yogurt for extra protein.
Say hello to Linley’s favorite high-protein dinner – cajun shrimp and grits! This is an OG Fit Foodie recipe and we recently retested it in the Fit Foodie kitchen and not a thing changed, it’s that good!
Easy Cajun Shrimp Ingredients
Okay this shrimp recipe. SLAYS. Here’s what you need:
- Jumbo shrimp
- Cajun seasoning
- Red pepper flakes
- Garlic cloves
- Salt
- Avocado Oil
We used our homemade cajun seasoning for this and it’s quite mild. If you use a pre-made seasoning, make sure to decrease according to how much spice you like!
How to Prepare Your Shrimp
This is a 2 step process — marinate and then pan-fry!
- Start by seasoning your shrimp with the cajun seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and garlic cloves. When you prepare the rest of the recipe, let it sit in the fridge to soak up all that yum yum.
- When you’re ready to pan-fry your shrimp, heat the avocado oil in a nonstick pan over medium/high heat. Then, saute your shrimp for 2 minutes on each side or until they reach 145ºF.
Would you rather air fry your shrimp? Check out our air fryer shrimp recipe!
What You Need for the Grits
These delicious grits are made with 4 simple ingredients.
- Cornmeal
- Broth
- Greek Yogurt
- Parmesan Cheese
Sometimes grits can be a little intimidating, but have no fear. They are so easy to make! All you do is bring the cornmeal and broth to a boil and let it simmer over low heat until the cornmeal breaks down and becomes creamy. After that, you add in the Greek yogurt (sometimes I put in extra Greek for extra creaminess) and parmesan to cream up the grits. They are AMAZING.
Ingredient Substitutions
Feel free to make these grits your own.
- Though we used chicken broth, you can use any broth you’d like! You can also use water, your grits just won’t be as flavorful!
- We add Greek yogurt for tartness and it’s creaminess, but you can use a little heavy cream or skip it all together!
- As for the parmesan, you can use any type of cheese that you would like. It doesn’t have to be parmesan! Goat cheese or shredded cheddar cheese would also be delicious!
Are grits gluten-free?
Yes, grits are made out of corn, not wheat! So for those of you who are gluten-free, grits are a great side option for you.
How do I eat left over grits?
Left over grits tend to get super thick! All of the moisture is absorbed and you are left with a weird big clump! Have no fear, all you have to do is reheat the grits and add broth until it reaches it’s original consistency!
Don’t forget the slaw!
Honestly, the slaw in this cajun shrimp and grits recipe is a must make! It is perfectly light and balances out the heaviness of the grits and the spice of the shrimp!
We are also BIG fans of combining hot and cold in meals. The cold coleslaw is so good with the warmth of the other two parts of this meal!
We make our slaw with our favorite kale slaw mix (we love this one). However, feel free to use a combination of chopped kale and red cabbage!
Cajun Shrimp and Grits
Ingredients
Cajun Shrimp
- 2 lb. jumbo shrimp, raw, deveined, and shucked
- 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
Polenta
- 4 cups organic chicken broth, or any kind of broth
- 1.25 cups finely ground yellow cornmeal*
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Slaw
- 10 oz. bag slaw of choice, OR 1/2 purple cabbage, chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 medium red onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 medium limes, juiced
Instructions
- Prepare the shrimp. Add all the ingredients (except for avocado oil) into a mixing bowl. Toss everything together and cover with plastic wrap. Place into the fridge to marinate while you prepare the rest of the meal.
- Prepare the slaw by placing slaw of choice, cilantro, and purple onion into a medium mixing bowl. Make the dressing by whisking together honey, apple cider vinegar, and lime juice. Pour dressing over slaw and mix. Place in the refrigerator.
- Next, prepare the grits by bringing the broth to a boil in a medium-sized pot. Add the cornmeal and reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove polenta from heat and add Greek yogurt and Parmesan. Mix well, cover with tin foil, and set aside. Finally, prepare shrimp by heating avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When avocado oil is fragrant, add shrimp and excess spices into the pan. Cook shrimp for about 2 minutes on each side*. Remove from heat.
- Finally, prepare shrimp by heating avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When avocado oil is fragrant, add shrimp and excess spices into the pan. Cook shrimp for about 2 minutes on each side*. Remove from heat.
- Evenly distribute the polenta, shrimp, and slaw into six bowls or containers. Enjoy!
Tips & Notes
- Shrimp cooks quickly. Be cognizant of how hot your pan is and how quickly shrimp may cook. Cook time varies by stove top.
- Grits: make sure to use finely ground cornmeal so that it cooks quickly on the stovetop! We used Quaker Yellow Cornmeal. Feel free to add a splash of milk or cream to thin things out.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Photography: photos taken in this post are by Erin from The Wooden Skillet.
Such a nice article. It is healty for a sportsman because in this dish some salad are used that are healtyful. Basically, I’m a basketball coach before any player start this game I reffed this dish to eat and then play.
Really love this. Thank you Linley.
Very amazing recipe. very much enjoyed the food
i made Cajun Shrimp and Grits during gaming
wow very impressive site
Love those all. A quick question is it healthy for a sportsman guys?
This is a helpful post. Thank you for sharing it.
Love this, Linley! How long do you recommend to let the raw shrimps sit in the cajun seasoning for better flavor?
An hour is plenty of time, but up to 24 hours will give you great flavor! Just make sure to keep in the fridge.
Hi, out of curiosity do you know the actual sodium content in this? I plugged it into My Fitness Pal and the sodium was through the roof. I omitted the Cajun seasoning as I will use a home made blend without salt. I also subbed unsalted broth and the numbers barely changed. I doubt it is from the cheeses as 1/4 for 4 servings is minimal. I am excited to give this a try but deal with high blood pressure so trying to figure it all out.
Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! Also, quick and easy 🙂 As always, love your recipes.