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grits and greens casserole

(27 ratings)
debbie110772 avatar
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Debbie W
@debbie110772
SW, LA

This dish will convert a proclaimed grits hater into a grits lover. This creamy cheesy goodness is good any time of the year but would make a great addition to any holiday dinner. I am updating this recipe for a few reasons. I live in the deep South and I can only find quick cook grits now, they work perfectly and cook a little quicker. I reduced the butter amount in this recipe to one stick, good lord what was I thinking lol. I also have found dicing the bacon before cooking saves time. Lastly, if I put spinach in this I will cook it in the microwave but greens need to be cooked down.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

The robustness of this casserole makes it a wonderful addition to any meal. This is the ultimate Southern dish everyone needs to try at least once. These creamy, rich grits will convert anyone into a grits lover. Thick and creamy, they're cooked with half and half and two types of cheese which makes them savory. Cooking the onions in bacon drippings, gives the casserole that undeniable bacon flavor. Mixing in your favorite greens bulks up the casserole even more. It's quite filling, so a little goes a long way. A great casserole for brunch or serve as a side dish.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(27 ratings)
prep time 50 Min
cook time 20 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For grits and greens casserole

  • 1 md
    onion, chopped
  • 6 or 7
    pieces of bacon
  • 2 c
    grits (quick cook, just not instant)
  • 12-16 oz
    bag of frozen greens - your choice, i like collards or spinach
  • 1 stick
    butter
  • 1 c
    grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 c
    monterey jack cheese (reserve a little for topping)
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 6 c
    chicken broth
  • 2 c
    half and half

How To Make grits and greens casserole

  • Oven preheating to 350 degrees.
    1
    Preheat the oven to 350.
  • Diced bacon cooking in a skillet.
    2
    Dice bacon and cook in a medium skillet until it is nice and crisp. Drain bacon on a paper towel and set it aside.
  • Cooking onions in the bacon grease.
    3
    In the same skillet as the bacon was cooked, pour most of the bacon grease out leaving about a Tablespoon. Dice the onion and cook it in the reserved bacon grease until the onion is translucent and set aside.
  • Cooking the grits in a pan.
    4
    In a large pot combine 1/2 and 1/2 and 6 cups of chicken broth. Bring to a boil, stir in grits, bring back to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to simmer. Stir often to keep from burning. Cook for about 10-15 minutes. You want normal grits consistency. I use a whisk to get the lumps out.
  • Draining water from the greens.
    5
    While grits are cooking, cook greens. Cook approx 10 min or until tender. If I use spinach, I cook them in the microwave in the steamer bag. Drain and squeeze out all the liquid.
  • Ingredients combined in the skillet.
    6
    Add butter, both kinds of cheese, onion, and salt and pepper to the grits. When butter is melted, stir in the greens.
  • Mixture poured into a baking dish with cheese and bacon sprinkled on top.
    7
    Pour mixture in a greased 13x9 dish. Top with crumbled bacon and a little reserved cheese.
  • Casserole baking in the oven.
    8
    Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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