Garlic Cheese Grits Recipe: How to Make Cheesy Garlic Grits

Garlic cheese grits are creamy stewed grits made with cheese, garlic, and butter. Grits are a type of porridge made from ground, dried corn cooked slowly in simmering salted water. Traditionally, dent corn—a variety with a dent in the top of the kernel—was the star ingredient of this classic Southern dish because its relative softness makes it easy to grind.

Modern recipes feature an array of corn options: You can make the dish with hominy, stone-ground dried corn kernels, or instant grits made from pre-cooked and dehydrated corn. Adding cheese to the grits is a common way of serving this savory porridge.

Follow these tips to make the creamiest cheesy garlic corn grits at home:

1. 1. Salt the water generously. Stone-ground grits can be coarse and will better absorb salt while slow-cooking instead of seasoning them at the end of cooking. Use salted chicken broth or stock instead of water for an extra savory flavor.
2. 2. Whisk the grits frequently. Stirring activates the starch in the grits, which produces a luxurious creaminess. (Stirring also prevents your grits from scorching.) Use a whisk to ensure smooth, not lumpy, grits.
3. 3. Use room temperature butter and milk. Adding cold ingredients to the hot grits will cause them to seize up. It’s best to pull butter and milk from the refrigerator and let them temper while the grits cook.
4. 4. Add the dairy last. The protein in dairy products can curdle if boiled, preventing the starch from thickening as the grits cook. Cook your grits until they are tender, then finish them with cheese and butter for the creamiest result. Add a pinch of sugar at the end to bring out the natural sugars in the cornmeal.
5. 5. Make a casserole. For a more solid, scoopable texture, try baking a cheese grits casserole mixed with some beaten eggs to give them more structure.
6. 6. Fry the leftovers. Chill leftover grits and slice them into slabs, then pan-fry them in a skillet or bake them in a baking dish for a crispy snack.
7. 7. Make it a meal. You can serve grits as a side dish or as a substantial breakfast with some mix-ins like sausage, veggies, herbs, and spices. Fry a few large eggs to serve over top with crumbled bacon bits.