These Easy Jalapeno Cheese Grits give a spicy kick to a classic Southern Dish. Perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner, they are ready in just minutes and a full of creamy, cheesy, rich flavor!
Comfort Food
Sometimes, you just need a taste of homemade, wholesome Comfort Food. Food that brings back memories of childhood and that warms you up from the inside! From Instant Pot Creamy Chicken to a Beef Pot Roast with Mushrooms and Potatoes, we love to find and post delicious Comfort Food Recipes on here.
Today, we are going to share a recipe that is all about authentic, Southern Soul Food! These Jalapeno Cheese Grits!
What Are Grits?
A lot of people have heard of grits, but there are probably many more (especially in the North!) that maybe haven’t tried them before. Without going into a TON of detail, Grits are usually ground up corn. You cook them with hot water and/or milk until tender.
Are There Different Kinds of Grits?
Generally, there are Stone Ground, Quick Grits and Instant Grits. Stone Ground Grits are larger and coarser and thus take longer to cook (up to 45 minutes). Quick Grits are finer and can be cooked in a much shorter amount of time. Instant Grits are precooked and then dehydrated. You basically just need to reintroduce them to water and reheat them!
They generally all taste the same, which is to say that they take on the taste of whatever you cook them with! And, today, we are going to cook ours with Cheese and Jalapenos!
Jalapeno Cheese Grits
These Jalapeno Grits are SO easy to make. Ready to get started? Here is what you’ll need:
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup instant grits
- ½ tablespoon butter
- 1 jalapeno, diced
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Can You Use Stone Ground or Quick Grits?
Yes, you can. There are probably Soul Food aficionados out there that will say you should NEVER use Instant Grits. But, when combining them will all the cheese and jalapeno flavor, they are perfectly fine to use.
If you DO want to use Stone Ground Grits, you’ll need to cook them for about 45 minutes and keep an eye on them. They will need almost constant stirring.
Quick Grits will be a lot… well, quicker. You’ll probably need to add about 5 minutes of cooking time to the recipe I have below for the Instant Grits.
Can You Freeze Jalapeno Cheddar Grits?
Yes. You can freeze this recipe. Just allow them to fully cool. Then wrap them in Freezer Wrap or a Freezer Bag. They should be good in your Freezer for up to 4 months. When ready to use, thaw in refrigerator overnight. The best way to reheat them is covered, in the oven at 350 degrees.
I hope you enjoy this recipe for Jalapeno Cheese Grits! I’d love to hear how they turn out for you in the comments section!
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup instant grits
- ½ tablespoon butter
- 1 jalapeno diced
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
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Heat milk, water, and salt in a large saucepan over medium high heat.
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While the liquid is warming, melt the butter in small skillet. Add the jalapeno and cook until tender, around 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
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When the milk begins to simmer, reduce heat and stir in the grits. Cover and cook until thickened, around 5 minutes.
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Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheese and jalapeno until well combined.
