These cheesy baked grits are a great breakfast or brunch dish. They can feed a crowd and can even be made ahead of time. Just do everything up until the point of baking, let the grits cool a bit, and stash them in the fridge until morning.
I first made these cheesy baked grits well before moving to North Carolina. Though now that I live in the South, I felt the need to give them a facelift. The original recipe was pretty straightforward: cheese + grits (and seasonings, of course). The new and improved version has salty bacon and oniony chives. Add whatever mix-ins your heart desires, though. You can't go wrong.
Need other breakfast recipes? Check out my Sweet Potato Waffles with Candied Pecans and Pressure Cooker Steel Cut Oats for a couple of other ideas. OR! Take a peek at these Make-Ahead Cinnamon Rolls.
✨ Recipe
Cheesy Baked Grits with Bacon and Chives
Ingredients
- 8 strips bacon
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups grits
- 8 oz gouda plus a little more for the top, shredded
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese plus a little more for the top, shredded
- ½ cup milk
- 4 eggs beaten
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoon fresh chives minced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 4-quart casserole dish and set aside.
- Cook the bacon until crisp and roughly chop. Set aside.
- Bring the broth, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to a boil in a sauce pan.
- While whisking continuously, add the grits to the sauce pan. Whisk until the grits are completely combined. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the grits have thickened.
- Add the shredded gouda and cheddar, along with the milk, and stir. Gradually stir in the beaten eggs and butter until combined.
- Add the chopped bacon and minced chives and mix until they are evenly distributed throughout.
- Pour the grits into the prepared casserole dish, smoothing the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over the top. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the grits are set.
- Allow the grits to cool for 15 minutes or so (or longer) to allow them to firm up a bit.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is a generated estimate and is not guaranteed to be accurate.
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Kacey
This looks great--I was just saying I've never had savory grits (only for breakfast with maple syrup-silly northerners) so this is getting added to my list.
Lauren
@Lynda - TasteFoodHi Lynda! I hadn't made grits prior to trying this recipe. It's really easy. Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by!
Lynda - TasteFood
I have to confess I have never cooked grits. With this recipe, I will change that!