How to make Grits

Soft, savory and creamy stone-ground grits made with just a few ingredients.

Course Breakfast, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword grits

Prep Time 3

Cook Time 12

Total Time 15

Servings

Calories 352kcal

Bring the water to a boil.
Add the chicken bouillon cube and stir to dissolve.
While whisking, stir in the grits and continue to cook on medium/high heat for 12-14 minutes. Stir occasionally so the grits do not stick to the bottom of the pan.
Remove from heat and stir in the butter, salt and pepper. Grits are done when they have a smooth and creamy texture and the grains feel softened, not gritty.
If adding cream and cheese, add this now so everything can melt together and get warm.

Grits are made with a 4:1 ratio of water (or stock) to grits. In the recipe card here I’ve listed 2 cups of water to 1/2 cup of grits (in order to make two servings). You can cut this in half, double it, etc. Just use the 4:1 ratio as your guide.
Grits are usually labeled as simply grits, stone-ground or old fashioned. If the package says "instant," this means the grits have been pre-cooked and the preparation is different (only need to add boiling water).
You can substitute the water and chicken bouillon cube for chicken stock or broth. You can also use other types of stock (beef, seafood, etc.), depending how you want to flavor your grits and what you are serving them with.
If you want to make the grits richer, add more butter, cream or cheese. If you want the grits to be thinner, add more liquid when cooking.
If I am wanting to make sweet grits, I skip the bouillon cube and black pepper and will usually add a little brown sugar and cinnamon to flavor and sweeten the grits. Cream and butter are still great additions, or you can add a little bit of cream cheese.