Creole Shrimp and Grits Recipe (2024)

Home > Recipes > Main Dishes > Seafood Recipes > Creole Shrimp and Grits

by Michelle
February 21, 2012 (updated Feb 19, 2019)

Jump to Recipe

4.67 (3 ratings)

[donotprint]

Happy Mardi Gras! Ah, the last big feast before the Lenten season of sacrifice begins. I don’t need many excuses to whip up decadent food, but Mardi Gras is definitely as good a reason as any. I kicked things off on Friday with Bourbon Bread Pudding (it’s now gone and I would like to have it magically appear right this instant) and then followed up with another sweet treat yesterday – New Orleans Beignets. Since today is the day to celebrate, I wanted to share with you a great option for your dinner tonight if you feel like being festive and whipping up some authentic Louisiana Creole fare. Nothing says South quite like shrimp and grits, right? A couple of summers ago my Chief Culinary Consultant and I went to the Outer Banks for a long weekend and I think we ordered shrimp and grits twice while we were there. So incredibly delicious, and I’ve been wanting to recreate it at home ever since. For Mardi Gras, however, I wanted to find a recipe that had a New Orleans flair to it, and this one definitely fit the bill.

I went completely authentic and made a homemade shrimp broth using the peels from the shrimp. While it adds a little bit of time to the recipe (about 20 minutes or so) I think it was definitely worth it – the flavor of the final dish was fabulous, clean, and of course, I knew exactly what was in it, which is always a plus in my book.

Once the shrimp broth is done, you make a roux with butter and flour, let it caramelize, then saute your vegetables. Throw in all your seasonings, tomato paste, and then slowly add the shrimp broth to create a wonderfully thick sauce that you let simmer for a little while. All the flavors meld together and it becomes a perfect little bed in which to cook the shrimp. You can thin it out at the end with a little more shrimp broth if you’d like. Served over grits, the dish is absolutely bursting flavor thanks to a wonderful combination of simple ingredients and seasonings.

After eating and realizing that I was successful at my first attempt at shrimp and grits, I declared to my Chief Culinary Consultant that I could, in fact, be a Southern belle. What would be a good follow-up recipe to the shrimp and grits?

Are you doing anything to celebrate Mardi Gras today or tonight?

If you observe Lent, are you giving anything up this year?

One year ago: Blueberry Bagels[/donotprint]

Creole Shrimp & Grits

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Total Time: 2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

A classic Southern recipe

4.67 (3 ratings)

Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

For the Creole Shrimp:

2 pounds (907.18 g) unpeeled medium-size raw shrimp , (26/30 count)
4 cups (1 l) water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
⅓ cup (41.67 g) all-purpose flour
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) Creole seasoning
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) Worcestershire sauce
6 ounces (170.1 g) canned tomato paste
1 bay leaf

For the Grits:

2½ cups (610 ml) milk
2½ cups (625 ml) water
1 teaspoon salt
1½ cups (234 g) uncooked quick-cooking grits

Instructions

Peel shrimp, reserving shells; devein shrimp, if desired. Bring shells and water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low, and cook 20 minutes. Pour shrimp broth through a colander over a large bowl, pressing shells with back of a spoon; discard shells.
Heat butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat; stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly until flour is caramel colored (about 8 to 10 minutes). Add onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic, and cook, stirring often, 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Stir in Creole seasoning, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Add the tomato paste and stir until it is evenly coating all of the vegetables. Slowly add 2 cups shrimp broth, stirring constantly to create a thick sauce. Add the bay leaf, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. Add the shrimp, and cook 10 minutes, stirring in ¼ to ½ cup remaining shrimp broth to reach desired consistency.
Meanwhile, bring milk, water, and salt to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Gradually stir in grits. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened. Serve Creole Shrimp over grits. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, if desired.

Notes

Note: I found Creole seasoning at my local grocery store in the International aisle, in the Cajun section.

Calories: 472kcal, Carbohydrates: 48g, Protein: 39g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 411mg, Sodium: 1853mg, Potassium: 675mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 1110IU, Vitamin C: 30.7mg, Calcium: 363mg, Iron: 5.9mg

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!

Author: Michelle

Course: Main Course

42 Comments on “Creole Shrimp and Grits”

nita — February 21, 2021 @ 1:39 pm Reply
Good recipe; my finished dish would have likely been more flavorful if I had fresh or even frozen shrimp with tails, shells and heads to make the broth. I added way more garlic and extra creole spice to make up for it but it was definitely missing the shrimpy taste.
Doreen — September 16, 2020 @ 9:42 pm Reply
This recipe is amazing; absolutely delicious. . Quick and easy. I followed the recipe as written, the only change I made was to the grits. I made cheesy grits. The combination was fantastic. I will definitely make this again. Thanks for the recipe.
Loc Chief — January 7, 2017 @ 4:40 pm Reply
I was snowed in and had an interesting brunch last week so i wanted to attempt shrimp and grits. The recipe was easy to follow and I even added my own little seasoning to personalize it. But I definitely recommended this recipe for shrimp and grits , especially when your snowed in.
Michael R. — February 27, 2014 @ 3:14 pm Reply
Am helping out at my church for our annual Shrove Tuesday pancake supper, then coming home and having the jambalaya, I GARRONTEE!!!
avictoria — August 26, 2013 @ 8:45 pm Reply
I made this tonight for my boyfriend and I. It was quick and easy, and most importantly delicious!!! Thanks for posting this recipe.
Kkristmas — March 19, 2013 @ 3:45 pm Reply
Has anyone actually tried this? I’m reading through the comments, but it doesn’t seem like there is any good information regarding how this actually tastes…
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen — January 11, 2013 @ 6:43 am Reply
I have featured this recipe on my blog for my weekly seafood round-up and have also linked this recipe to your original post so that my readers will be forwarded to your site. Thank you for allowing me to share! Here is the link: http://carriesexperimentalkitchen.blogspot.com/2013/01/seafood-frenzy-friday-week-44.html
Patreese — September 30, 2012 @ 9:00 pm Reply
This is sooooooooooo good! (Emphasis on good! ) I loved it my sister loved it! Definitely a winner! Thanks!
Tammi — March 18, 2012 @ 10:07 am Reply
I’m from Louisiana,and I can’t wait to wow my friends with this recipe!
chelsea — March 15, 2012 @ 12:14 pm Reply
i am new to the blogging world and made this the other night and we LOVED it!! so delicious and full of flavor! thanks for the yummy recipe :)
Dina — February 27, 2012 @ 1:26 pm Reply
sounds good!
Javelin Warrior — February 24, 2012 @ 9:44 am Reply
Michelle, the color of the shrimp with the contrast against the potatoes! I have NEVER wanted shrimp more in my life =) I have featured this post in today’s Friday Food Fetish roundup. Let me know if you have any objections and thanks as ever for the inspiration…
- Michelle — February 24, 2012 @ 10:16 pm Reply
  Thank you so much for featuring the recipe! No objections whatsoever :)
Hayley — February 22, 2012 @ 5:12 pm Reply
Looks delicious! I’m excited to make my own broth using the shells (I love not wasting and getting the most out of my food!)
Quick question – in step 2 where it says oil, do you mean butter? Thanks!

See Also
Keto Cheeseburger Soup Recipe {Comforting & Delicious}
- Michelle — February 22, 2012 @ 5:48 pm Reply
  Yes, my mistake! I just fixed it :)
Sarah — February 22, 2012 @ 1:05 pm Reply
I made this last night & it was a hit! Loved it! I used frozen shrimp that were already shelled, so I used chicken bouillon instead of shrimp broth. I may try this again as a gluten free dish with a different flour. Just a quick note though… in the steps, it says to heat oil in the Dutch oven, but I think it should say butter. :-)
Tonya — February 22, 2012 @ 9:11 am Reply
THANK YOU! I forwarded this recipe to my husband yesterday when he told me he was making shrimp and grits for dinner. He made your recipe instead. YUM YUM! He will be making this again.
Thanks again!
Bryan — February 22, 2012 @ 8:31 am Reply
Well, I’m about to have some shrimps! This is looking good.
Kevin (Closet Cooking) — February 22, 2012 @ 7:27 am Reply
That shrimp and grits looks good!
Kris — February 21, 2012 @ 7:07 pm Reply
I made my own creole seasoning this year and it was so easy! I’d love to try it out with your shrimp and grits recipe. Every recipe of yours I have tried has been magnificent! I shared this post with my readers today in a Mardi Gras roundup. :D
tom@morethanpepper — February 21, 2012 @ 3:25 pm Reply
I have never had grits, but this makes me wanna give’m a try
Mireia — February 21, 2012 @ 2:20 pm Reply
I’m going to pin this straight away, it looks fantastic, what a shame we don’t have Mardi Gras in Spain!
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes — February 21, 2012 @ 12:42 pm Reply
Oh I love grits! Had them for the first time when I went down south last year. YUM!
Heather — February 21, 2012 @ 11:40 am Reply
My fiance does not like grits at all, but will eat the oat bran cereal that you find in the same aisle. They have somewhat of the same texture, so do you think I could substitute the oat bran for the grits, or would it just not mesh well together? I have all of the ingredients at home, but would like it if he’d try this so I’m not eating it alone! What do you think?
- Michelle — February 21, 2012 @ 12:05 pm Reply
  Hi Heather, I have never eaten oat bran as a hot cereal, but I definitely think it will be different than grits. What about making a small pot of rice for your fiance and the grits for yourself?
  - Heather — February 21, 2012 @ 1:53 pm
    That’s actually a much better idea, I didn’t even think of that. Thank you! :)
Emilie @ Emilie's Enjoyables — February 21, 2012 @ 11:12 am Reply
You always have the best “themed” posts. Love it!
Valerie — February 21, 2012 @ 11:06 am Reply
Yesterday I made two of your king cakes – one went to my daughter’s preschool (it got rave reviews!) and the other is for us to eat tonight.
Karen — February 21, 2012 @ 10:38 am Reply
Have wanted to make this for years but never trusted the recipes I found. Hey, could you put a ‘PINIT” button from Pinterest on this and all your stuff? I would like to pin your recipes!
- Michelle — February 21, 2012 @ 12:04 pm Reply
  Hi Karen, It is being implemented as we speak! In the meantime, you could install the “Pin It” button to your browser toolbar and Pin anything from all over the web (I currently use this): http://pinterest.com/about/goodies/
Stefanie — February 21, 2012 @ 10:28 am Reply
This looks wonderful. In the South, though, tonight it’s pancakes!
Mary @ Bake Break — February 21, 2012 @ 10:21 am Reply
Shrimp and grits are one of my favorite things to eat – but something I’ve never imagined trying to cook myself! This recipe looks great – especially the tip on the shrimp broth (I didn’t even know such thing existed).
Maria — February 21, 2012 @ 10:04 am Reply
I haven’t had grits since I was a kiddo. I think I need to try them again!
Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Peppers — February 21, 2012 @ 9:52 am Reply
This sounds amazing. I need to make this and your photos look gorgeous!!
MaryBeth — February 21, 2012 @ 9:29 am Reply
You are killing me with these recipes. First the biegnets, now this!! I was in New Orleans a few months ago and while I didn’t really like the city, the food was amazing. I’d love to see you take on jumbalaya. For lent, we usually have pasta with seafood (shrimp or scallops or both) for the grown ups and the kids will east theirs with butter and Parmesan cheese. Still can’t get them to eat seafood unless it’s in fish stick form. I’ll keep trying :-)
- Michelle — February 21, 2012 @ 9:54 am Reply
  Hi MaryBeth, I actually made jambalaya for Mardi Gras last year! Delicious! You can find it here: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2011/03/02/shrimp-and-sausage-jambalaya/
Erin @ Brownie Bites — February 21, 2012 @ 7:33 am Reply
Delicious. I’ve never made a broth using shrimp peels, but I bet that adds an explosion of flavor!
Penny Wolf — February 21, 2012 @ 6:46 am Reply
This year we are going the pancake route. Corncakes, as I know them, with my stash of local maple syrup and (Almost time for the new syrup) a nice sage sausage
patty.
Tabitha (From Single to Married) — February 21, 2012 @ 6:46 am Reply
mmm… that looks so good! You just reminded me how I haven’t had shrimp in way too long.
Kiri W. — February 21, 2012 @ 6:21 am Reply
I am dying to try shrimp and grits, if only I had any clue about how to cook creole food! Looks fantastic ;)
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga — February 21, 2012 @ 12:33 am Reply
I just made shrimp tonite! For the first time in…YEARS! I am allergic to it but my family loves it so I made it. Yours looks amazing!
what katie's baking — February 21, 2012 @ 12:18 am Reply
this seriously looks like the best way to celebrate mardi gras… holy yum

FAQs

Is shrimp and grits a New Orleans thing? ›

Shrimp & grits is a Low Country (South Carolina) specialty, but you will find it on some New Orleans menus. Shrimp cooked in butter, usually with tasso, and served with creamy, cheesy grits.

Explore More ›

What ethnicity is shrimp and grits? ›

Originally an African dish of ground maize and shellfish, shrimp and grits migrated with people who were enslaved in plantation kitchens of the Lowcountry of the American South.

Discover More Details ›

Who is famous for shrimp and grits? ›

The true origin of shrimp and grits is believed to be Charleston, South Carolina, where the recipe first appeared in 1950 as a breakfast recipe in the Charleston Receipts cookbook. By 1976, the meal was so popular South Carolina declared shrimp and grits the official state food.

Discover More ›

What vegetable goes well with shrimp and grits? ›

And for a nice balance, you need a veggie. I would go with Southern style greens like turnip or collards. Try cooking them with some onions and bits of ham or bacon. South Carolina style Shrimp & Grits with Collard Greens sautéed in bacon grease and sweet cornbread.

Learn More ›

What are grits called in the South? ›

The word "grits" is derived from the Old English word grytt, meaning "coarse meal". In the Charleston, South Carolina area, cooked hominy grits were primarily referred to as "hominy" until the 1980s.

Show Me More ›

What state is shrimp and grits most popular in? ›

Shrimp and grits is Charleston's culinary signature, with grits being South Carolina official state food since 1976.

Tell Me More ›

What are grits called in Africa? ›

The South African version of grits is called Mieliepap or maize meal . Mieliepap is widely eaten by the black nations as a staple meal and is also enjoyed by the Afrikaners as a compliment to a meat dish .

Know More ›

What goes well in shrimp and grits? ›

What goes well in shrimp and grits? Cheese does! Parmesan and sharp cheddar cheese pair perfectly with the Cajun seasonings and melt lusciously into the grits. Green Onions.

See Details ›

What states eat the most grits? ›

As a cultural marker, this one sticks to the ribs of the region, so much that the states sandwiched between Texas and Virginia have been christened “The Grits Belt.” Georgia declared grits its official prepared food in 2002.

What do Southerners eat with grits? ›

Corn was dried, boiled, and rinsed so the hominy could be used as a staple or ground into "flour" or grits. Grits served with fried eggs, O.J., coffee (cafe au lait if you use a New Orleans blend), Mimosas or Bloody Marys for a brunch, as we say in south Louisiana: "mais-oui, you'll bring da house down fo' sho!"