I won’t lie. I’m not of “southern heritage” and I know the art of preparing grits is a sacred process in many parts of the South. I’m not here to say I am the Creamy Cheddar Grits queen or that I have a new technique or that THIS is the only way to prepare them.
What You’ll Need
For a dish this delicious, you won’t believe how few ingredients you need. That makes it all the more important to make sure they’re all high quality!
A full list of ingredients with measurements is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Coarse Kosher Salt – My favorite salt to use is a coarse Kosher salt for an even salty flavor. If using fine salt, reduce the amount by half.
- Grits – This recipe requires fine quick-cooking grits, not instant grits. And if you’ve seen My Cousin Vinny, no self-respecting southerner eats that type of grits anyways.
- Half and half – Along with the cheese, this helps with the creamy factor. If smooth creamy grits are what you’re aiming for, half and half will help you achieve that.
- Unsalted butter – I always opt for using unsalted butter when cooking or baking. That way I can control the amount of salt that goes into the recipe.
- Sharp cheddar cheese – We use this extra sharp cheddar both in the cheesy cheddar grits and also on top as a garnish. The more cheese, the better, I say!
- Freshly ground black pepper – Just for a little kick, we add a small amount of pepper. Feel free to leave it out if you’d like.
- Scallions – Also known as green onions, these are optional as a garnish on top. But I love the flavor that they add as well as some color.
Make It!
These grits go from stovetop to table in nearly no time!
- Boil water. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan.
- Add salt and grits. Add kosher salt and then slowly add quick grits, stirring constantly. Reduce to low heat and simmer, stirring occasionally so they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan, until the grits thicken.
- Add half and half and butter. Add half-and-half and butter to the grits and stir. The mixture will thicken as it cooks. Bring back up to a low simmer.
- Cover and cook. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Fold in the cheese. Take the saucepan off the heat and fold in sharp cheddar cheese.
- Garnish and serve. Garnish with additional grated cheddar cheese and scallions.
5S Philosophy 👩🏻🍳
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- Salt – Salt is a necessity in this recipe — but go easy! The cheddar cheese will add its own saltiness, too, so season as you go.
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- Seasoning – This recipe doesn’t call for much seasoning beyond salt, leaving it open for your culinary creativity. A few options to jazz it up are Cajun seasoning, Old Bay, or even taco seasoning.
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- Sauces – Want to spice it up? Add a few dashes of hot sauce or Sriracha. Or add umami with a dash of fish sauce.
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- Swaps – Take these hominy grits up a notch by adding different cheeses. You can use parmesan cheese, soft crumbled goat cheese, white cheddar, or even pepper jack. Although some may argue that just a pat of butter is all you need for the perfect grits, feel free to throw in some fresh garlic, crispy bacon, or red pepper flakes to add some spice to your cheddar grits.
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- Senses – Between the toothsome nature of the grits and the creaminess of the cheese, this dish brings all of the textures to the table. Plus, they’re the perfect way to add color to your plate.
Round it Out
There are many ways to enjoy these quick cheese grits. Make them as a side dish for some of your favorite classic Southern dishes. They would taste great with pork chops, ribs, or fried chicken.
You can also make these stone-ground cheese grits as a main dish. Serve them with a poached egg or even a fried egg, and you’ve got yourself a popular southern dish for your brunch menu. Or, top them with shrimp to really take your morning meal to the next level.
Storage
If your house is like mine, you likely won’t have leftovers! But if you do, they’re easy to store.
Refrigerator
Store any leftover cheese grits in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I would recommend adding a little bit of liquid to rehydrate them. Water, milk, cream… whatever you’ve got works.
Freezer
You can freeze cooked leftover grits, just make sure they are in an airtight bag, have room for expansion, and are only kept there for 3-4 months.
If you’ve tried this recipe, please come back and let us know how it was in the comments or ratings.
Cheesy Grits FAQs
Grits alone have a mild corn flavor, but paired with cheese, they will also take on the undertones of the cheese used.
Southern grits boast a healthy dose of whole cream and butter, many times also topped with an extra pat of butter.
Sharp cheddar is the most popular cheese for grits because it melts well and adds a robust flavor that complements the mild corn taste. Other fantastic options include Gouda for smokiness, Gruyère for nuttiness, or Parmigiano-Reggiano for a salty kick — many Southerners actually use a combination of cheeses for extra depth.
More Southern-inspired Recipes
If you can’t get enough of food from the South, you’re bound to love these dishes!
Cheddar Grits
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- 1 cup fine quick-cooking grits (not instant)
- 1 1/4 cups half and half
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese , grated
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup scallions , chopped, for garnish
- sharp cheddar cheese for garnish
Instructions
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large, heavy bottom saucepan.
- Add the Kosher salt and then slowly add the quick cooking grits, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the grits thicken, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in the half-and-half and butter to the grits. The mixture will thicken as it cooks. Bring back up to a low simmer.
- Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Take the saucepan off the heat and fold in the cheddar cheese.
- Garnish with additional grated cheddar cheese and scallions.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Oh, yes. I’m going to make this and add some jalapeno to it. Yummo!
Loved your cream soup! The flavor was spot on! thanks for the recipe!
This was really good! Quickly became a favorite at my house!
I just love grits and this recipe is the best way to make them! So cheesy and comforting, it’s one of my favorites. So good!
I only tried grits for the first time recently and I LOVED them. I love the idea of adding cheddar.
Delish!! I could eat that today and tomorrow and the next day. lol.
I loved grits and these turned out perfect!
Great! So glad to hear that and thank you for stopping by.
I had cheddar grits at a restaurant and loved them…..this recipe was just as good!!
Yay!!! We like to hear that and thanks for coming back to let us know!
This is my first time making grits. I saw your recipe and it inspired me to try something different. I’m so glad I did. These are sooo creamy & full of deliciousness!!! These will be a staple in my house now! Thank you! (The only thing I changed was using fat free heavy cream)
Glad you loved them, Renee! They can be used in so many dishes in lieu of rice or pasta.