Who said grits are only for breakfast? Try these Easy Cheesy Gruyere Grits for you next breakfast, brunch, or brinner! They’re simple to make and oh-so tasty!
I like to blur the lines a bit when it comes to breakfast foods. You’ll frequently find me eating a chocolate chip pancake for dessert like it’s a big fluffy cookie, brinner is a welcome weekly occurrence, and cold pizza for breakfast? Why the heck not!
If it’s good at 6 in the morning it’s good at any hour! Actually, it’s better. My taste buds like to sleep in. So while grits make a fantastic side dish for breakfast, they make an even better addition to lunch or dinner. If anything it’s the perfect vessel for sneaking in an extra serving of vegetables.
And an extra serving of cheese.
#ALLTHECHEESE
If you’re anything like my husband and I, you follow two basic rules:
1. Under no circumstances are instant grits ever an option.
2. My Cousin Vinny must be quoted while you wait your 20 stinkin’ minutes like the rest of the grit-eating world.
Easy Cheesy Gruyere Grits
Easy Cheesy Gruyere Grits
Ingredients
- ½ cup grits
- 1.5 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 1 heaping cup freshly grated Gruyere [or Gouda!] cheese
- ⅛ tsp garlic powder
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1-2 cups sliced mushrooms
- a drizzle of olive oil
- 12-14 asparagus spears (ends trimmed)
- 1 TBSP butter
- ⅛ tsp garlic powder
- cayenne pepper
- red pepper flakes
- any additional salt to taste
Instructions
- First grab your grits!
- Bring a small pot of broth to boil and add your grits and garlic.
- Stir well, reduce heat to lowest setting to simmer, and cover with a lid.
- Set a timer for about 15 minutes and start on your veggies.
- After trimming the ends from the asparagus, bring a shallow pan of water to boil, toss in your asparagus, and quickly blanch the spears until they turn bright green and are slightly tender and al dente.
- Plop them in an ice bath or rinse with very cold water to halt the cooking process and prevent them from getting mushy.
- Pat dry and set aside.
- Dump the water from the pan saute your sliced mushrooms in a tiny drizzle of olive oil until tender.
- Drain any liquid from the pan, push the shrooms aside, and add your butter, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, asparagus, and a pinch of salt.
- Continue to saute for another minute or two, taste, and add any extra spices if desired.
- The grits should now be just about done.
- Stir constantly during the last few minutes of cook time to prevent them from sticking, then add your cheese and salt, to taste.
- Continue to stir as the cheese melts into the grits and try to refrain from spooning the entire pot of grits into your face.
- Plate the Gruyere grits and top them with veggies and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
so… how was it!?
I had quite a stash of asparagus and mushrooms in my fridge so… I may or may not have made this several days in a row and loved every cheesy, savory, scrumdillyumptious second of it. As an unexpected bonus, this one’s also chickpea approved! She inhaled the asparagus and grits like a champ and kept coming back for more.
Obviously that means she has impeccable taste and you should try this recipe too.
Duh.
hungry for more?
- Mexican Breakfast Salad
- Instant Pot Frittata Breakfast Casserole
- Grits a Ya Ya (shrimp and grits with the best twist ever!)
If you get a chance to try these Easy Cheesy Gruyere Grits, let me know! Leave some love in the comment form below or tag your photos with @peasandcrayons on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creation!
Fun fact: I had never had grits until I moved to Virginia! (I guess they just don’t eat them in the midewest haha) but these are awesome! I love Gruyere!
I never ate them living in South Florida either but when I moved to Pensacola they became a staple! Love them so!
Ooh, I could easily eat these cheesy grits ANY time of day! And I must try them with Gouda!!
Thanks Liz!
You’re my new BFF. What a great way to get in green veggies…. atop of grits. Oh yes this will be on the table this weekend.
oh my gee.
So. We don’t have grits here in Australia (we might, but we probably call them Kangaroo bread or something stupid). I will, however, be trying this with oat bran. Legend.
Though I have a major sweet-tooth when it comes to breakfast and veggies are only allowed to participate in my green smoothies, I would totally have your grits for lunch 🙂 This recipe sounds mouthwatering!
As if I needed another reason to sneak in an extra serving of cheese.
Oh and veggies too.
Asparagus is my faaaaavorite morning veggie! With eggs!! And cheese.
Grits are always a good idea! There is a brunch spot here in New Orleans that adds cream cheese to their grits. OMFG.
But back to this recipe … swoon. It looks so perfect. Can’t wait to test it out!!
Keep the asparagus and throw me some shrimp in that and I’m all over it! That still counts as veggie… right? 😉
I have never even thought about adding veggies to grits, but it’s a great idea!
I bet she would adore them! Mimi’s eyes lit up when she tasted them. I love watching them try new foods!
OH!!
Ive never made grits for the child!!!
yet 🙂
mmmmm grits! ill take mine sans shrooms. the asparagus looks SO tasty! xo jillian – cornflake dreams