Easy Cheese Grits Casserole Recipe

If you live in the South or have visited the southern United States, chances are that you have tried one of their signature specials: grits. According to Culture Trip, Native Americans first introduced grits to European settlers in the 16th century, making it a true American dish. Nowadays, restaurants around the world serve up this tasty dish with various toppings, and varieties like shrimp and grits still reign supreme in the South. When it comes to grits, the more cheese and butter, the better!

Recipe developer and wellness coach Miriam Hahn delights us with this cheese grits casserole that is both easy to make and incredibly delicious. "I have a few friends from the South so I have made this recipe when we have done get-togethers," Hahn raves. "It is a perfect thing to serve as a side dish and is super easy! I love that you can make it ahead and then just reheat." If you love grits — and you especially love cheese grits — then keep reading to learn how to make this easy and decadent recipe.

One of the best things about this cheese grits casserole is that many of the required ingredients are likely already sitting in your pantry or fridge. For starters, you'll need dry grits and water to cook them in. And no grits are complete without some salt, milk, and melted butter, so you'll want to have those on hand as well, along with a couple eggs. Finally, you'll need some shredded cheese (it is cheese grits casserole after all), Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, paprika, and parsley for topping.

Before you do anything else, go ahead and preheat your oven to 350 F so it's ready to go for baking. Then, you can start cooking by focusing on the star of the show: the grits! To begin, grab a medium saucepan and fill it with water. Bring the water to a boil and add the grits and salt. Be sure to give these ingredients a good stir after you dump them in. Then, lower the heat to a simmer and cover the saucepan. Cook the grits for five minutes before you move on to the next step. You can either set a timer or just eyeball the clock, whatever works best for you.

Once your timer goes off, you can add the goodies to the cooked grits. Go ahead and toss in the milk, followed by the butter, and then the eggs — just be sure that the eggs are beaten before you add them to the mix. Then, stir all of these ingredients to make sure that everything is evenly combined. Finally, add in the cheese, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, and paprika. Stir everything again and then transfer the contents into a 2-quart baking dish. Pop the dish into the oven and cook the casserole for 25 minutes, uncovered.

After the casserole is done baking, grab some oven mitts and take it out of the oven. You can top the casserole with some fresh parsley or even more cheese if you'd like. "You can serve it with all kinds of things, especially shrimp. It also goes well with a breakfast or brunch spread," Hahn shares. "I always love serving these types of things with lots of green...so salads for sure. And I love topping with fresh parsley or cilantro works too!" And if you have any left, Hahn says that leftovers can be stored for three to five days in an airtight container. Considering how delicious this easy cheese grits casserole is, however, it's safe to say that there may not be any leftovers!