Blackened Shrimp and Gouda Grits

You’ll love this quick and easy Southern combination of Blackened Shrimp and Gouda Grits (grits with smoked Gouda cheese!)  All-natural ingredients and a quick weeknight dinner that’s ready in minutes! 

This easy shrimp and grits recipe adds a little smoke-flavored spin to this classic Southern dish with the addition of creamy smoked Gouda cheese!

The combination of Shrimp and Grits has been a Southern favorite for years right up there with purple hull peas, skillet cornbread and chicken fried steak! One might consider this zesty meal a “Cajun” shrimp and grits recipe or “New Orleans style” due to the spicy blackened seasonings.

Why this recipe works

This is one of the easiest shrimp recipes you’ll come across!

• The blackening technique of cooking is quick and easy and lightening-fast-about 2-3 minutes per side. I use quick-cooking grits, so those take about 5-minutes, or you can use regular “slow cooking” grits that take about 25 minutes to cook. Your call.
• Great texture and flavor: the blackened shrimp are somewhat crunchy and pair well with the creamy, cheesey smoked-flavored grits
• Easy to reheat: if you’re lucky enough to have any leftover, just re-heat in the mirowave and you’re done!

Ingredients for blackened shrimp and grits

The ingredients for this classic Southern shrimp and grits recipe is pretty simple. You can cook the grits in water or chicken broth.

• Shrimp– you can use fresh Gulf shrimp or frozen shrimp; for best results, get the freshest you can find- get medium or large size, not the tiny salad shrimp
• Blackened seasoning– this is a prepared combination of dried spices: smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper and more. You’ll find it on the spice aisle at your grocery store
• Grits– you can use traditional grits (they take a little longer) or quick grits; you can cook them in water or use chicken broth for added flavor!
• Heavy cream– the inclusion of heavy cream gives the grits a bit of sweetness; it’s in the dairy section labeled as “heavy cream” or “heavy whipping cream”
• Aged smoked Gouda cheese-for best results, get a block of smoked Gouda from the delicatessen and shred it yourself with a cheese grater or food processor. Block cheeses melt better than pre-shredded cheese, which are coated with an anti-coagulant that doesn’t lend itself to melting very well
• Garlic powder
• Smoked paprika– optional, but I highly recommend adding a pinch of smokey paprika (not sweet paprika)
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Storage and Reheating

If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, store and reheat the smoked Gouda grits separately from the blackened shrimp. The grits will thicken upoon refrigeration, so add a little water to them and reheat them in the microwave or on the stovetop.

As for the shrimp, they can be reheated in the microwave but make sure they’re covered; if reheated uncovered, they get rubbery.

Serving suggestions

Blackened shrimp and Gouda grits is a meal in itself, however, if you want to serve it with something else, you can never go wrong with a crisp green salad, a bowl of collard greens, a cup of Louisiana Gumbo or crab puffs.

Blackened Shrimp and Gouda Grits is a quick and easy weeknight meal, perfect for when you’re too tired to cook!

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• Louisiana Shrimp Etouffee
• Natchitoches Meat Pie
• New Orleans Cajun Chicken Gumbo
• Wild Rice and Oyster Dressing
• Easy Coconut Shrimp
• Fried Potato Cakes
• Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a rating and comment! I love to hear from you!