Easy Shrimp & Grits Empanadas with Cajun Remoulade Sauce
These Shrimp & Grits Empanadas transform a Southern staple into a convenient, hand-held bite. They’re quick to assemble, especially if you rely on store-bought pastry or empanada wrappers, and they deliver a fusion of comfort food and classic seafood flavor in every bite. Perfect for a casual dinner, game-day spread, or as an appetizer.
Equipment
- Large skillet
- tongs
- Baking Sheet
- Mixing bowls
- instant read thermometer
- Fork
- Microwave
- Stovetop or Grill Sideburner
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- ½ lb. shrimp peeled & deveined
- Olive Oil
- Cajun seasoning as needed
- ⅔ C mayonnaise
- 1 T Dijon mustard
- 1 T hot sauce
- ½ lemon juiced
- 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ T garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 T chives chopped + mkore to garnish
- 4 packets instant made cheese grits
- 2 C milk
- 10 empanada wrappers thawed
- 1 egg beaten
- Oil for frying
Instructions
For the Cajun Remoulade:
- Add the mayonnaise plus the following seven ingredients into a bowl with a sprinkle of Cajun seasoning. Mix until combined, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to combine while making the empanadas.
For the Empanadas:
- Slather the shrimp in olive oil and season liberally with the creole seasoning until well coated.
- Add the shrimp to a large skillet with oil over medium-high heat and cook until pink on both sides, flipping as needed. Do this step in batches if needed.
- Once the shrimp is cooked, chop it up finely and set aside until ready to use.
- Prepare the grits with milk per package instructions.
- Add oil to the same skillet used for the shrimp and add enough oil to shallow fry. Meanwhile, take out an empanada wrapper and brush it with the egg wash. Next, add a spoonful of the prepared grits followed by the same serving of chopped shrimp. Fold half of the empanada wrapper over the filling to close it up, then use a fork to seal the edges. Repeat this process as needed.
- Carefully add the empanadas to the pan with the oil and fry until golden brown on both sides, flipping once for each empanada. How quickly they cook will depend on the oil temperature, but each empanada should finish in 2-3 minutes. Place the finished empanadas on a paper towel to dry.
To Finish:
- Plate the empanadas with a side of the cajun remoulade, then serve & enjoy!