These easy Gouda Grits are creamy, cheesy and ready in 10 minutes, thanks to quick-cooking grits, but never instant grits! Just 5 ingredients needed and you can make it with regular gouda cheese for a mellow flavor or smoked gouda for that deeper richness. Either way, it's a simple Southern side dish made with shortcuts that
SAVE THIS RECIPE
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Let's talk about my Gouda Grits recipe for a second, because this one's been a long time coming. This creamy, cheesy stovetop side dish fits right in with my Southern side dishes and my breakfast and brunch recipes, since gouda cheese grits are equally at home next to a fried egg in the morning or under a pile of buttery shrimp at supper.
Whenever I'm out to eat and I spot Shrimp and Grits on a menu, I'm ordering it, no questions asked. I'd call myself a bit of a Shrimp and Grits aficionado at this point. But when I'm the one cooking, I want something quick and easy, which is exactly why I came up with my Simple Shrimp and Grits (no roux) recipe.
And out of all the shrimp and grits dishes I've eaten in restaurants from here to the coast, my favorite grits for shrimp and grits is always gouda grits.
While I'm all about shortcuts, I still want food to taste good! Quick cooking grits (5 minutes) is the happy medium I've found between stone ground grits and those yucky, pasty instant grits.
Shortcuts
- Use pre-shredded gouda. Shredding your own cheese is best when you've got time, but pre-shredded gouda melts in just fine here and saves you a step when you're trying to get supper on the table fast.
- Use quick-cooking grits, never instant. Quick-cooking grits get you almost that same creamy, cooked-down texture in about 5 minutes instead of 20 to 40. Just don't grab those instant packets, which cook up gummy instead of creamy.
- Skip the extra salt. If you're using chicken broth, salted butter and gouda cheese (which is naturally a little salty), you likely won't need to add any additional salt at all. If you're using water instead of broth, stir in ¼ to ½ teaspoon of table salt to make up the difference.
And here's the funny part I have to confess: my website is literally named Grits and Gouda, and it took me this long to actually post a stand alone gouda grits recipe?! I know, I know. Better late than never, y'all! Consider this long overdue and worth the wait.
Ingredients
Scroll down to printable recipe for exact ingredient quantities.
- Chicken broth or water - Broth adds a big flavor boost to the grits as they cook, so I always reach for it over plain water.
- Milk - I like whole milk, but anything from 1% up to half and half will work here. The higher the fat content, the richer your grits will be.
- Quick-cooking grits - Yellow or white, your call, just make sure the label says "quick-cooking" and not "instant." I'm partial to Dixie Lily yellow grits (an Alabama company!) since that golden color makes the finished dish look extra cheesy, but they cook up in the same 5 minutes either way.
- Salted butter - Adds richness and rounds out the flavor right at the end, saving an extra ingredient.
- Shredded gouda cheese - Regular gouda gives you a mild, buttery flavor, while smoked gouda cheese brings a deeper, smoky flavor that's downright irresistible with shrimp or bacon.
Substitutions & Variations
- Milk: Other dairy milks work fine here. 1%, 2%, even half and half. If you use 1% milk, consider adding an extra tablespoon of butter to make up for the lost richness. I don't recommend coconut milk, oat milk or almond milk, as the flavors compete with the cheese.
- Cheese: Swap in smoked gouda cheese for a smokier, more intense flavor throughout.
- Salt: Try garlic salt in place of plain table salt for an easy flavor boost.
- Broth: Water or vegetable broth can stand in for chicken broth.
- Heat: Stir in a splash of hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne pepper if you like a little kick with your cheese grits. A little bit of Cajun spice adds heat, too.
- Grits: Course, stone-ground grits can be used instead of quick-cooking, but they'll take longer to cook. Just follow the timing on your package.
How to Make Gouda Grits
Scroll down to the bottom for the printable recipe with detailed instructions.
- Add the broth and milk to a 3 to 4 quart saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Slowly whisk in the grits, while constantly stirring, so they don't clump up, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes, or until the grits reach your desired thickness.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter and gouda cheese, just until both are melted and the grits are smooth and creamy. Serve immediately.
Little tip: Stir in the cheese after you've pulled the pot off the heat, not while it's still on the burner. Cheese melts silkier and smoother off direct heat, and you'll dodge that grainy, oily texture that can happen when cheese gets too hot too fast.
Pro Tips
- Adjust for your ideal texture. For thinner, looser grits, stir in a little extra broth or milk toward the end of cooking. For thicker grits, simply let them cook a couple minutes longer, stirring the whole time so they don't stick or scorch.
- Melt the cheese off the heat. Pull your pot off the burner before stirring in the gouda so it melts smooth and creamy instead of turning grainy or oily from too much direct heat.
- Shred your own cheese when you can. Pre-shredded gouda is a great shortcut, but cheese shredded straight off the block melts a touch smoother.
- Remember, grits keep cooking as they sit. They'll continue to thicken up off the heat, so if you're not serving right away, keep a splash of warm broth or milk nearby to loosen them back up before you spoon them into bowls.
What to Serve with Gouda Cheese Grits
Grits with smoked gouda are wonderfully versatile, which is half the reason I make this recipe so often. For a Southern supper, spoon them into a bowl and top with sautéed shrimp or seared chicken.
They're also a fantastic side dish alongside something crispy and fried, like my Oven-Fried Okra or Southern Fried Yellow Squash (my air fryer "fried" squash works beautifully here too, if you're trying to lighten things up).
For breakfast or brunch, keep it simple with a fried egg on top and a sprinkle of chives, green onions, fresh herbs or black pepper! YUM!
You can also spread them into a square baking pan, let them cool, then cut them into squares or triangles. Then fry them in a skillet with bacon drippings for another delicious way to serve them.
Storage
- Refrigerate: Store leftover gouda grits in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat on the stovetop: Add a splash of broth, milk or water to a saucepan with the grits and warm gently over low heat, stirring often, until creamy again.
- Reheat in the microwave: Add a splash of broth, milk or water to the grits in a microwave-safe bowl, then heat in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until warmed through.
- Freeze: Grits can be frozen in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 2 months, though the texture will be a bit softer once thawed. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat with extra liquid as noted above.
FAQ's
Yes, gouda melts beautifully thanks to its high moisture and fat content. Gouda you shred yourself will always melt the smoothest, but pre-shredded gouda melts just fine when stirred into hot grits.
If you've ever had someone ask "what are grits?", bless their heart, you can tell them that grits are simply corn (hominy) that has been treated with an alkali and ground to a gritty texture. It's kind of like a Southern cousin to cornmeal that is simply ground, dried corn, usually ground finer than grits.
Whenever someone asks what grits are, I can't help but think of Vinny's confused "What's a grit?" line in the movie My Cousin Vinny.
Regular gouda gives you a mild, buttery, slightly sweet flavor, while smoked gouda grits have a deeper, smokier taste that pairs especially well with shrimp, bacon or barbecue. Both melt beautifully into the grits, so it really comes down to personal preference.
This usually happens when the cheese is added while the pot is still over direct heat, which can cause it to break or turn oily. Pull the pot off the burner first, then stir in your gouda so it melts in smooth and silky.
Want More Southern Recipes?
Leave a comment below the printable recipe if you have questions or tell me how you liked the recipe. Don't forget to rate it 5 stars if you love it!
Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube. Be social and share, y'all! Want all my new recipes and updates? Get my weekly newsletter in your inbox!
Easy Gouda Grits
SAVE THIS RECIPE
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth or water
- 1 ½ cups milk (I use whole milk but 1% up to half and half will work)
- 1 cup quick-cooking yellow or white grits (not instant grits)
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 ½ cups (6 ounces) shredded gouda cheese
Instructions
- Add the broth and milk to a 3 to 4 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, then slowly add the grits while still stirring.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until desired thickness.
- Remove from heat and stir in the butter and cheese, stirring just until they both melt.
- Yield: 2 cups
Notes
- For smoked gouda grits, simply swap in smoked gouda cheese in place of regular gouda for a deeper, smokier flavor.
- Stir the cheese in after removing the pot from the heat so it melts smooth instead of turning grainy.
- If using water instead of chicken broth, add ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt, since broth, salted butter and gouda already bring plenty of salt on their own.
- Grits will continue to thicken as they sit. Thin with a splash of broth, milk or water when reheating.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition analysis on GritsAndGouda.com recipes are mostly calculated on an online nutrition calculator. I am not a dietitian and nutritional information is an estimate and can vary based on products used.
Comments
No Comments