Warm and Wonderful Cheese Grits Casserole

Cheese Grits (Polenta) Casserole is southern-style comfort food. It is much like Macaroni and Cheese, only easier to prepare. Start with some good yellow corn grits. Stir in your favorite cheese, some eggs and a little seasoning. After baking in a hot oven this warm and wonderful side dish will be ready to take its place as a new family favorite.

Cheese Grits Casserole baked in a white oval baking dish.

How Do You Feel About Grits?

It seems that everyone has an opinion about grits. Most everyone I know, in this part of the country anyway, seems to think they don’t like them. When I happily tell that I am planning to make grits for dinner, they screw up their face and back away slightly. “Grits?” they say. “You’re looking forward to eating grits?” That’s what I like to see when I’m talking about food – a passionate response! And the answer is, “Yes! Yes I am.” Grits are delicious!

Grits have long been a southern staple. Growing up in the south, I frequently saw grits served for breakfast, scooped on a plate with a pat of butter on top. I must confess, I didn’t like them back then. Back then it was mostly white grits I saw on the table. Served plain, those grits have no more pizzazz than oatmeal or cream of wheat.

In my opinion, yellow grits have a bit more to offer in terms of color and texture on a plate. Yellow grits are also known as polenta. Polenta sounds less common and I’ve found it elicits a less biased response than the term grits. Polenta sounds kind of trendy and, perhaps, more desirable. So if your friends give you that “grits face” tell them you are serving polenta. While it still may not inspire enthusiasm, it is less likely to invite a sour look.

A serving of warm and wonderful Cheese Grits Casserole scooped onto a white serving plate.

A New Family Favorite

These days, I enjoy grits for breakfast. I add a good bit of freshly ground black pepper to a bowl of yellow grits, drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Or substitute a pat of butter for the oil and a sprinkling of grated cheddar cheese for the parmesan.

I also like grits at brunch or dinner. When served as a side dish with a larger meal, Cheese Grits Casserole is my favorite way to prepare them. This recipe is easy to assemble and forgiving concerning quantities and even oven temperature. A little more or a little less cheese, butter, or even milk won’t spoil the recipe. And it can share the oven with other dishes, at a lower oven temperature, if needed. Cooking time will differ but just leave Cheese Grits Casserole in the oven until the top begins to brown. It is hard to go wrong with this recipe.

In fact, I am making Cheese Grits (Polenta) Casserole for dinner tonight. It is a warm and homey comfort food, much like Macaroni and Cheese, only easier to prepare. Start with good yellow corn grits. I use Bob’s Red Mill Yellow Corn Polenta. (Once known as Yellow Corn Grits.) If you can’t find that brand try any other brand of grits you can find – but do try them. You may find you like them a lot more than you thought you did.

Cheese Grits Casserole

Course: SidesCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

45

minutes
Total time

55

minutes

This versatile side is southern-style comfort food at its best! Much like Macaroni and Cheese, only easier to prepare, Cheese Grits may soon become a new family favorite.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup grits, prepared according to package directions

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 3 Tablespoons butter

  • 1 cup grated cheese

  • 2 eggs, well beaten

  • 1/4 cup milk

Directions

  • Prepare 1 cup of uncooked grits according to package directions. Then stir 3 Tablespoons of butter into the warm grits along with ½ teaspoon garlic powder and 1 cup of grated sharp cheese. I usually use extra sharp cheddar cheese but fontina works well, and other cheeses would work well too.
  • Beat 2 eggs with ¼ cup of milk. Add this to the grits and mix well. Pour the mixture into a greased 2 quart casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes in a 425F oven.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

  • This is a forgiving recipe. A little more or a little less cheese, butter, or even milk won’t spoil the recipe. And it can be baked at other temperatures if needed, so that it can share the oven with another dish that requires a lower baking temperature. Cooking time will differ but just leave it in the oven until the top begins to brown.

5 Comments

  1. Marie at the Lazy W

    Ha! Now this is funny. Born & raised in the South (sort of, Oklahoma at least) I have always loved grits, in every incarnation. But I have always just been curious about polenta, had NO IDEA they were the same. LOL Thanks for the recipe! Pinned it.

  2. I think that would be “Pole-ent-uh”.;-) Lisa, I bought the grits and will soon make the leap! It seems like a great easy dinner for those rushed nights. I will let you know how everyone likes them!

  3. Loved this recipe! It was easy to make and really tasty. I did not grow up eating grits, but my dad did – being born in Arkansas and all – and he always called them “gree-uts”. Ha! Maybe I’ll refer to them as “polenta”. 🙂

  4. Personally it reminds me of John Wayne…

    … true grits. 🙂

  5. Alanna Kellogg

    Whenever I see grits, I can’t help but think of you … ; – )

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