Craving a comforting Southern home-style dish? Our shrimp étouffée served over cheesy grits is the perfect comfort food. With just a few simple steps, you can recreate this classic meal and enjoy with friends and family.
Before you begin cooking shrimp étouffée and cheesy grits, make sure you have all the necessary ingredients. For the creamy cheese grits, you’ll need stone-ground white cornmeal or quick-cooking polenta, butter, salt and pepper, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, chopped jalapeno peppers, and milk. For the spicy shrimp étouffée, you'll need garlic cloves, diced onion and celery ribs, garlic powder, dried oregano leaves and thyme leaves, tomato paste and diced tomatoes with juice. Plus don't forget some cooked shrimp!
To build the depth of flavor while making your shrimp étouffée, use chicken broth and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. To thicken it up you’ll also need one-third cup of all-purpose flour. Don’t forget to include some hot pepper sauce, like Tabasco or Franks Red Hot, to give your dish more kick. Finally, to garnish your delicious southern-style shrimp étouffée over creamy grits, grab some chopped fresh parsley and green onions.
To make the shrimp étouffée, first heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pure olive oil and warm until it starts to sizzle. Add the diced onion, garlic cloves, celery ribs, garlic powder, oregano leaves, thyme leaves and jalapenos peppers. Cook for about 4 minutes or until everything is lightly browned and fragrant. Then add tomato paste and diced tomatoes with juice to the mixture. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Add cooked shrimp to the pan and cook an additional 5 minutes or until heated through. Serve over creamy cheese grits!
For the creamy grits, bring 2 cups of chicken broth and 1 cup of whole milk to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan. Gradually add 1 cup of stone-ground grits to the boiling liquid, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 20 minutes or until grits are thick and creamy. Stir in 1/4 cup of cream cheese and season with salt & pepper to taste. Serve warm with shrimp étouffée spooned over top. Enjoy!
Begin by bringing 4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once boiling, add the stone-ground grits and 1 tsp salt, stir to combine and reduce the heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes, stirring often, until all of the broth is absorbed. Finally, stir in cream cheese until melted and combined before serving the grits alongside the shrimp étouffée.
The cheese grits should be kept warm until serving. For the richest and creamiest texture, stir an additional 1-2 tablespoons of cream cheese in just before serving. Seasoned with salt and pepper to taste, they will make the perfect accompaniment to an flavorful shrimp étouffée. Additionally, these grits may also be served with grilled meats or fish for a hearty and comforting meal.
Once the étouffée is finished, spoon onto each plate and serve alongside the creamy cheese grits. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley if desired and enjoy! This shrimp étouffée and cheese grits recipe is sure to become one of your favorite Southern-style meals in no time.
All that's left to do is head to the dinner table and dig in! Serve the shrimp étouffée with a generous helping of creamy cheese grits on each plate, and enjoy every last bite. Be sure to have some accompaniments on hand for this hearty meal, like fresh French bread and tossed salad. And don't forget the sweet tea - it's practically a requirement here in the South!
There you have it! A delicious, flavorful shrimp étouffée served with creamy cheese grits. This classic Southern dish is an easy and flavorful meal that will satisfy your Wild Cajun cravings. Serve up this recipe for a family Sunday supper or quick weeknight dinner, enjoy your shrimp etouffee and cheese grits, and bon appetit!
This shrimp étouffée is a classic Cajun dish made with tender shrimp and vegetables in an aromatic sauce. Combined with creamy grits, it’s the perfect comfort food for dinner. The best part? It comes together quickly for an easy dinner recipe. Start by making your roux base and sautéing the vegetables before adding spices to give the étouffée its traditional flavor. Then add your shrimp to simmer in the sauce before serving over steaming hot cheese grits. If you’re looking for something even more flavorful, pair this etoufee with jambalaya or dirty rice!
