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Square overhead shot of cheese grits casserole in a vintage enamelware pan
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Pimento Cheese Grits Casserole

Served as an entree or a side, this pimento cheese grits casserole is an easy way to prepare baked grits for breakfast, brunch, or dinner!
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Southern
Keyword cheese grits casserole, easy grits casserole recipe, Grits Casserole
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 298kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

  • 4 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits (not instant)
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
  • 1 (4 ounce) jar diced pimentos, drained well and patted dry
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
  • 4 eggs, at room temperature
  • ½ cup whole milk or cream, at room temperature
  • Optional garnish: sliced green onions; chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
  • In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add the salt, and then gradually stir in the grits. Lower the heat to medium-low or low, and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the heat.
    Pouring quick grits into a pot
  • Stir in the butter, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, diced pimentos, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne. Let cool for 10 minutes.
    Adding diced pimentos to a pot of grits
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Add the eggs and milk to the grits; whisk well to combine.
    Whisking egg and milk in a bowl
  • Pour the grits mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese on top.
    Sprinkling cheese on top of grits casserole
  • Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes – 1 hour, until just set. Garnish with sliced green onion or chopped fresh parsley and serve!
    Spoon in a cheese grits casserole on a wooden table

Notes

  • Add salt to the liquid right before you add the grits so that the grits absorb the seasoning as they cook.
  • Cook the grits over low or medium-low heat, whisking constantly so that your grits don’t clump together or stick to the bottom of the pot.
  • Use a block of cheddar that you grate by hand (rather than a package of pre-shredded cheese). The block-style cheese will melt smoother into the grits, and will have a better flavor.
  • Bake the casserole until it's just set. Baking it for too long can cause it to dry out. Metal pans cook the casserole faster (and will likely be done by the 45-minute mark), while glass and ceramic pans require a bit longer in the oven.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 of the recipe | Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 150mg | Sodium: 933mg | Potassium: 142mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 627IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 346mg | Iron: 11mg