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Red Snapper, Shrimp & Grits with a Cajun Cream Sauce

A comforting Southern dish featuring succulent shrimp and red snapper on creamy grits with a rich Cajun cream sauce.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Cajun, Southern
Calories: 600
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Grits
  • 1 cup coarse grits
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
  • Salt and pepper to taste
For the Seafood
  • 2 fillets fresh red snapper
  • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning Adjust for your spice tolerance!
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
For the Cajun Cream Sauce
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Method
 

Preparation
  1. In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil.
  2. Whisk in the grits and a pinch of salt. Lower the heat to medium and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20-25 minutes until they’re creamy and have absorbed most of the water.
  3. Stir in the heavy cream and cheddar cheese until melted and smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cooking the Seafood
  1. While the grits are cooking, season the red snapper and shrimp with Cajun seasoning.
  2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add butter and let it melt.
  3. Place the red snapper fillets skin-side down in the skillet. Cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side until the fish is flaky and cooked through. Remove from the skillet and keep warm.
  4. In the same skillet, add the shrimp and cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until they turn pink. Remove and set aside.
Cajun Cream Sauce
  1. In the same skillet, reduce the heat to low and add the garlic. Sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Pour in the heavy cream and sprinkle in the Cajun seasoning. Stir continuously for about 5 minutes until it thickens slightly.
  3. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
Assembly
  1. To plate, spoon a generous serving of cheesy grits into the center of a plate.
  2. Top it off with a fillet of red snapper and a handful of sautéed shrimp.
  3. Drizzle that creamy Cajun sauce over the seafood and finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

Notes

If your sauce looks a little lumpy, don’t worry! Just give it a good whisk and it’ll come together beautifully. For extra spice, feel free to add some sliced jalapeños into the shrimp. Keep the grits warm by covering them with a towel while you finish the rest of the dish.