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    Home · Recipes · Southern · Cheese Grits

    November 8, 2022

    Cheese Grits

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    You're about to be positively amazed at what you can do to a box of instant grits. Guaranteed, this is the best Cheese Grits recipe you'll ever lay taste buds on. We are talking buttery, savory, oh-so-creamy, and of course, cheesy. They only take a few minutes to make and the whole dish is super budget-friendly.

    An overhead view of a bowl of cheese grits with a fried egg, shredded cheddar, pats of butter, and chopped chives on top.

    This classic, southern recipe is the epitome of comfort food. And the best part? You can eat it any time of the day! Serve alongside breakfast favorites like our quick-cooking ham steak, cheesy scrambled eggs, and homemade biscuits for a hearty breakfast feast or with a spicy pile of blackened shrimp on top for a dinner that's guaranteed to wow any Southern crowd.

    A close up of Cheese Grits with chopped chives on top and a spoon stuck into them.

    ABOUT THE GRITS

    Repeat after me -- classic Southern grits are not yellow. If you're using anything but grits, you're doing it wrong. Completely, totally, and utterly wrong. This is not the time for yellow cornmeal, also known as polenta. 

    A measuring cup of instant grits being held above a saucepan.

    Culinarily speaking, stone ground grits will score you more fancy pants points. The dilemma? It's fairly difficult to find anything but instant grits at your typical grocery store. They exist, but you'd better live near a Whole Foods if you're going to track a package down.

    For ease and convenience, we'll be using instant grits. Although I once turned my nose up at this grit format, I've since come around. Guaranteed, even with instant grits, your Cheese Grits will be positively out of this world. There is no shame in this instant grits game, and you'll soon see why. 

    HOW TO MAKE CHEESE GRITS

    In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add low-sodium or unsalted chicken broth and bring to a boil. Using chicken broth over water infuses your grits with a level of savory you just can't get with water alone. 

    An overhead shot of broth being poured into a pan.

    Once you've reached a boil, stream in your instant grits, whisking all the while. Once all the grist are in, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, stirring frequently. It's really amazing how quickly this Cheese Grits recipe comes together!

    Grits being poured from a metal measuring cup into a saucepan of broth.

    After about 6-8 minutes, your grits should be tender and boast the perfect consistency! If your grits have not softened to your liking after the designated cook time is up, continue cooking them, adding a splash of water or chicken broth as needed to avoid any sticking to the bottom of the pan.

    A whisk being used to stir grits. They appear thick and the whisk leaves a trail through the grits.

    Once your grits are just right, stir in the butter, heavy whipping cream, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Then, remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the freshly grated cheese. If you've been here for any significant amount of time, you'll know that The Anthony Kitchen is a big advocate for freshly grated cheese. There is just no way to achieve the same flavor and consistency with a bag of pre-shredded cheese, so do yourself a favor, invest in a grater that you love, and grate your cheese at home!

    A close up of freshly grated cheddar cheese on top of the grits in the pan.

    For this recipe, we will be using a combination of cheddar and Havarti cheese. You can use sharp cheddar cheese or mild cheddar cheese, it is up to you. Sharp cheddar will have more flavor, whereas mild cheddar is smoother and better for melting. If you don't want to spend the extra bucks on Havarti, feel free to sub in extra cheddar in its place. However, we especially love Havarti for cheese grits because of its crazy delicious, creamy meltiness!

    Cheddar cheese being mixed into the cooked grits with a whisk.

    If you'd like to give your cheese grits a bit of an Italian flare, cut the salt quantity in half, add a ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, and sub a quarter cup of Parmesan cheese instead of Havarti cheese. A super easy adjustment and the results are *chef's kiss*!

    If you'd like to add just a bit more flavor and a great pop of color to your cheese grits, add in some chopped chives and serve right away!

    A big bowl of Cheese Grits with a fried egg, shredded cheddar cheese, a few pats of butter, and chopped chives on top.

    6 MORE SOUTHERN BREAKFAST RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

    • Homemade Sausage Gravy
    • Cream Cheese Sausage Balls
    • Fried Apples
    • Texas Kolaches
    • Ham and Cheese Quiche 
    • Breakfast Grits Casserole

    • A close up of biscuits with creamy sausage gravy on top

      Homemade Sausage Gravy

    • A close up shot of cream cheese sausage balls on a platter.

      Cream Cheese Sausage Balls

    • An overhead shot of fried apples in a pan.

      Fried Apples

    • A sausage kolache cut in half on plate.

      Texas Kolaches

    • An overhead shot of Quiche Lorraine baked in a quiche dish with a scatter or green onions around it.

      Easy Ham and Cheese Quiche Recipe

    • Cheese Grits Breakfast Casserole

      Grits Casserole

    4.25 from 4 votes
    An overhead view of a bowl of cheese grits with a fried egg, shredded cheddar, pats of butter, and chopped chives on top.
    Print
    Cheese Grits
    Prep Time
    4 mins
    Cook Time
    6 mins
    Total Time
    10 mins
     

    This classic, southern Cheese Grits recipe is as simple as it gets, yet SO flavorful and satisfying. Plus, you can serve it any time of day!

    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Cheese Grits
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 279 kcal
    Author: Kelly Anthony
    Ingredients
    • 4 cups unsalted or low-sodium chicken broth
    • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
    • 1 cup instant grits
    • ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
    • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 cup freshly grated Cheddar cheese
    • ¼ cup freshly grated Havarti cheese
    • 2 teaspoons fresh chopped chives (optional)
    Instructions
    1. In a medium-sized saucepan, bring the chicken broth and Kosher salt to a roaring boil over medium-high heat.

    2. Slowly whisk in the grits, then, reduce the heat until you have reached a simmer. Cook the grits for 6-8 minutes, until they are no longer hard or chewy, stirring often.

      If the grits have thickened too much before they've fully cooked through, stir in an additional ¼ cup of broth as needed throughout the cooking process.

    3. Add the cream, butter, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Then, remove from the heat, add in the cheese, and stir until smooth. Add the chives, stir once more, serve and enjoy!

    Nutrition Facts
    Cheese Grits
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 279 Calories from Fat 153
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 17g26%
    Saturated Fat 9g56%
    Trans Fat 0.2g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 4g
    Cholesterol 44mg15%
    Sodium 870mg38%
    Potassium 208mg6%
    Carbohydrates 23g8%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 11g22%
    Vitamin A 504IU10%
    Vitamin C 0.3mg0%
    Calcium 275mg28%
    Iron 10mg56%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

     

     

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    I’m Kelly Anthony — a baker, home chef, and mom with a passion for food and an adoration for entertaining.

    Comfort food is my specialty, and it is truly my pleasure to share these recipes with you. If you’d like to get to know me a little better, click here.

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