This Cajun Shrimp and Grits is just as good as anything you've had at a restaurant, or maybe even better. 😉 It comes together with simple ingredients you probably already have. Plump shrimp seared in Cajun butter, colorful peppers, plenty of garlic, and a silky sauce - all spooned over the creamiest stone-ground grits loaded with smoked gouda. Rich, buttery, and perfect for Valentine's date night or any cozy night in. ✨

45-degree shot showing a green bowl of creamy grits topped with shrimp and peppers, with surrounding ingredients around it, and honey butter topped cornbread in the background.

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🧈 Disclosure: We're so excited that this post is a paid partnership with Plugrà Premium European Style Butter, the official butter partner for this website for 2026! 😍 With two full sticks of butter going into this recipe - in the grits, searing the shrimp, sautéing the veggies, AND finishing the sauce - you'll really taste the difference. The higher butterfat means richer grits and a silkier, more luxurious sauce. As always, all opinions are our own.

These Buttery Cajun Shrimp and Cheesy Grits Are Worth Every Bite 🦐

Shrimp and grits are a classic for a reason. I grew up in a cream of wheat household, and Chamere grew up eating his grits with butter and sugar - slightly controversial, we know! 😂 We're not here to start the sweet vs savory grits debate (they both have their place!), but these days we skew savory, and this recipe makes a strong case for it.

Spending time in Louisiana when my dad lived in Baton Rouge is where we both fell even more in love with Cajun and Creole food - bold flavors, plenty of butter, and dishes that feel like a hug. Shrimp and grits actually originated in the Lowcountry, but it's popular in Louisiana, too! This recipe captures all of that.

We like making shrimp and grits a whole meal, not just a side, and this version delivers. It's extra buttery (we're talking two full sticks here), extra creamy thanks to milk AND cream in the grits, and we skipped the bacon so the butter could really shine. 🤤

What really takes it over the top is sautéing garlic in butter before adding the liquid (risotto style!) and making a quick stock from the shrimp shells. It sounds fancy, but it's easier than you think.

This is one of those dishes that works any time of day. Though we usually order these for brunch while out to eat, at home, we enjoy them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, basically whenever the craving hits! 😉

Lovely overhead shot of a green bowl filled with creamy gits and topped with juicy Cajun shrimp.

🦐 Ingredients for Cajun Butter Shrimp and Grits

Simple pantry staples and fresh veggies are all you need here. There's a LOT of butter in this recipe, so quality makes a real difference!

Ingredients to make cajun shrimp and grits laid out on a table and labeled to denote each ingredient.

How to Make Cajun Shrimp and Grits ✨

This recipe has a few components, but don't let that intimidate you - the grits do their thing on the stove while you prep and cook the shrimp. Let's get into it!

This step is optional, but SO worth it. The shells add a subtle shrimp flavor to the stock that makes the grits taste incredible. If you're short on time or don't have any shrimp shells, regular chicken broth works great too!

Shrimp shells in chicken broth in a Dutch oven.

Step 1: Add the shrimp shells to a pot with chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer, covered, for 20-30 minutes while you prep your other ingredients.

Seafood cooking in broth with a strainer scoop to strain out the shells.

Strain out the shell and discard. Set stock aside.

💡 Want even more flavor? Toss in a bay leaf, herbs, a few peppercorns, or any celery, garlic, or onion scraps you have on hand while the stock simmers!

Garlic, Cajun seasoning and butter in a Dutch oven.

Step 2: In the same pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and Cajun seasoning, stirring often, until fragrant - about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

🧈 Optional but worth it! Sautéing garlic and blooming spices in butter before adding the liquid gives these grits a depth of flavor you won't get any other way. It's the same technique you'd use for risotto. If you're short on time, you can skip this step and just add the garlic and seasoning to the boiling stock.

🌶️ About the Cajun seasoning: We use our homemade Cajun seasoning - it's salt-free and has a nice balance of smoky heat from smoked paprika and cayenne. Store-bought blends usually contain salt AND can be spicier, so if you're using store-bought, you may want to start with less and adjust to taste. You'll also need to reduce the added salt throughout the recipe!

Butter and garlic in a Dutch oven with stock added and a spoon being used to stir.

Step 3: To the same pot, pour in the warm shrimp-chicken stock and bring to a boil, making sure to set some aside for the shrimp gravy!

Pouring in white grits in a Dutch oven with stock and whisking in the grits slowly.

Step 4: When the stock is boiling, slowly whisk in the stone-ground grits, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.

Whisking grits in a flavorful stock while the grits thicken.

Stir constantly to avoid lumps.

💡 Use stone-ground grits here, not instant! Stone-ground grits are key - instant won't give you the same texture or flavor.

Pouring milk into grits while whisking in a Dutch oven.

Step 5: Cover and let the grits simmer, stirring every so often. As you notice them thickening up, add in the milk and cream gradually, whisking to loosen them up.

Pouring cream into creamy grits to loosen them up.

The grits will absorb the liquid and get creamier. Keep simmering and stirring until they've reached your desired consistency.

⏱️ Stone-ground grits take time - anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. It really comes down to preference! Some people like a bit more texture and bite. We prefer ours really soft and creamy, closer to the 45-minute to 1-hour mark. Stir every few minutes to keep them from sticking to the bottom, and taste them often to see how they're coming along!

💡 Don't add all the dairy at once! Adding it gradually gives you more control over the final texture. If your grits get too thick before they're done, just splash in a little more milk.

Butter and cheese being added to grits in a small Dutch oven.

Step 6: Remove the pot from the heat. Add in the remaining butter and the smoked Gouda a little at a time.

Whisk to combine and melt, and let each addition melt before adding more. This keeps the grits nice and hot, so everything melts smoothly.

Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper added to grits in a Dutch oven.

Step 7: Taste and season the grits after you've added the cheese and the butter! Between the stock, Cajun seasoning, and cheese, you may not need much salt - or you might need more. Taste and adjust until the grits are to your liking!

Hand holding salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning in a bowl over raw shrimp.

Step 8: While the grits are cooking, prep your shrimp. In a small bowl, combine the Cajun seasoning, salt, and black pepper until well coated.

Shrimp seasoned in Cajun seasoning and oil on a baking sheet.

Toss the shrimp with oil and the seasoning until well coated.

🧂 We use about 1 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt per pound of shrimp, and it's about half as salty as other salts! If your Cajun seasoning has salt in it (most store-bought does), reduce or skip the added salt here. The same goes for heat - store-bought blends can vary a lot, so if yours is spicy, go easy on it at first and add more later.

🦐 Use large shrimp (16-20 count per pound) or bigger! You want them big enough to get a nice sear and hold up to that rich sauce.

Adding raw shrimp to a skillet with oil and butter.

Step 9: Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the shrimp in a single layer.

Sear for about 1-2 minutes per side until they're pink and slightly charred but NOT fully cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

💡 Why oil AND butter? Butter adds flavor, but it burns at high heat. Adding a little oil raises the smoke point so you can get a good sear without burning.

🦐 Undercook the shrimp here - trust us! They'll finish cooking when you add them back to the sauce at the end. This is how you get perfectly tender shrimp instead of rubbery ones.

Adding butter to a skillet to melt with browned bits and seasoning

Step 10: To the same pan without cleaning it (that's flavor!), add more butter.

Peppers, and onions in a skillet with a wooden spoon with cooked shrimp on a baking sheet nearby.

Toss in the onion, celery, bell peppers (the holy trinity), and the white parts of the green onions with a pinch of salt.

🫑 What's the holy trinity? It's the flavor base of Cajun and Creole cooking - onion, celery, and green bell pepper. We add red bell pepper too for extra color and a touch of sweetness.

Cooked onions and peppers with garlic and seasonings added.

Step 11: Sauté until softened and starting to get some color, about 4-5 minutes, then add the garlic, Cajun seasoning, and black pepper. Cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

Stock added to cooked vegetables in a skillet.

Step 12: Deglaze the pan by pouring in the remaining reserved shrimp-chicken stock.

🦐Get all of that flavor in the sauce! Don't forget to scrape the bottom of the pan to get any bits stuck to the bottom. That's flavor gold!

Shrimp added to the skillet with stock and cooked vegetables.

Step 13: Add the shrimp back to the skillet and let everything simmer together for 2-3 minutes until the shrimp are cooked through and the sauce has reduced slightly.

Shrimp in a skillet with a flavorful pan sauce with butter being added.

Step 14: Cut the heat, and swirl in the remaining cold butter, one tablespoon at a time, tossing to melt and coat the shrimp.

Close up photo of shrimp in a spiced, buttery sauce with a knob of butter getting melted in.

The sauce will become glossy and emulsified as you continue to add more butter. Squeeze the lemon juice over the top and give it one more gentle stir.

🧈 Cold butter is key here! Adding it one tablespoon at a time helps it emulsify into the sauce instead of separating. Swirling it in off the heat creates that silky, restaurant-style sauce that clings to every shrimp. If your pan is too hot, the sauce will break and separate.

Close up shot of glossy coated shrimp with green onions and parsley in a skillet with a wooden spoon.

Step 15: Add green onions and parsley to garnish.

Spoon a generous amount of creamy grits into shallow bowls. Arrange the shrimp on top, then spoon that gorgeous butter sauce over everything. 🤤

Bowl of creamy grits with shrimp and peppers in a buttery sauce.

What to Serve With Shrimp and Grits 🍽️

This dish is pretty much a complete meal on its own; just add a little bit of your favorite Louisiana-style hot sauce. If you want a little something on the side, we love serving with some warm skillet cornbread and whipped honey butter!

A crisp green salad or some simple green beans would add a nice fresh contrast to all that richness.

Ovehead shot of a bowl of creamy shrimp and grits surrounded by a skillet, cornbread, onions, parsley, and a candle.

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