This cheesy baked grits casserole is a delicious comfort breakfast food you’ll want to make often. It’s also a tasty side dish for a family dinner. I love the fact that you can make this in advance and pop it into the oven when you want.

Easy Cheesy Grits Soufflé

Due to the way this casserole cooks, you can call it a grits soufflé. But that almost sounds too fancy for this down-to-earth dish. That’s why I prefer simply calling it a cheesy baked grits casserole.

You can either prepare it and cook it in the morning or get it ready the night before.

I normally fix breakfast the morning I plan to eat it. However, when I have overnight guests, it’s always easier to to get it ready to put in the oven the next morning.

When you make this all-in-one casserole, you don’t need to have anything else. However, we like toast and a side of fruit to go with ours.

And even though I add crumbled bacon to the casserole, it’s always good to have some crispy bacon on the plate!

Cheesy Baked Grits Casserole Ingredients

The ingredients to make this yummy casserole are typically in every country home in the South. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Grits
• Water
• Butter
• Cheese
• Eggs
• Salt
• Crumbled bacon or bacon bits (optional)

For exact measurements of each ingredient and full directions, go to the recipe card at the bottom of the page. You can even print out the card by using the “print” button.

I prefer the old fashioned grits my grandmothers used, but all I could find were the “quick” variety when I made this. They’re okay, especially when you add all of these other goodies to it.

If you want, you can also add more cheese. In fact, sometimes I’ll mix a variety of different cheeses to add even more flavor. We enjoy it with any kind of cheddar cheese, from sharp cheddar to mild.

It’s also good with Colby or gouda cheese. If you want it extra stringy, simply use mozzarella.

When I’m making breakfast for just my husband and me, I sometimes add jalapeños as well. Other add-ons you might like in your cheesy baked grits casserole are olives, sautéed bell peppers, and capers.

How to Make a Cheesy Baked Grits Casserole

Although this is a multi-step process it’s not difficult. In fact, it’s simple as long as you follow the steps.

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray your baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set the dish aside.

Secondly, boil the grits in the salted water until they are thickened.

If you like your grits even thicker, use a little less water. Or if you like them thinner, use a little more water.

For more flavor, you can add a little bit of chicken broth or Worcestershire sauce to the water. I don’t normally do this, but I do think it’s good.

Next, turn down the heat and add the butter and most of the cheese. Stir the mixture until the cheese and butter have melted.

Then, let the grits mixture cool until it is slightly warmer than room temperature. If they’re too hot, you’ll wind up with scrambled eggs as soon as they touch the grits.

While it’s cooling, beat the eggs.

After that, stir the eggs into the grits mixture until it is well blended. There might still be a few lumps of grits, but that’s okay.

Pour the mixture into the greased casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.

Don’t be afraid to add extra cheese. This is when I sometimes add some mozzarella or provolone.

Bake the casserole for 40 minutes. The top of the casserole should be a very light golden color when it’s done.

If you choose to use crumbled bacon or bacon bits sprinkle it on top for the last 5 minutes of baking.

Another delicious side to serve with this grits casserole is a chaffle. You can make either basic chaffles or these delicious sandwich chaffles.

Serve hot and enjoy!

See this recipe shared at Weekend Potluck.

Common Questions About Grits Casserole

Whether you’ve never had grits or you’re a grits connoisseur, you may still have some questions about a grits casserole. Here are some questions and answers that I hope will help:

Can Grits Casserole be Made Ahead?

Yes, you can make grits casserole ahead. Follow all of the steps until right before baking it. Refrigerate it until you’re ready to cook and serve it.

Can You Make Cheesy Baked Grits Casserole in a Crock Pot?

My answer is yes! Follow all of the ingredients and assembly instructions, putting everything into the slow cooker pot. Cook it on low for 3 to 4 hours or until it’s done.

Can You Make Grits Casserole Without Cheese?

If you or someone in your group doesn’t care for cheese, leave it off of either part of the casserole or the entire thing. It will still be good!

More Breakfast Recipes

We love a hearty breakfast around here. One of our other favorites is this breakfast Tater Tot casserole.

Omelets are another favorite. Most of the time, I make a vegetable omelet, but other times I add meat or just cheese.

Any of these breakfast dishes are good with these whipping cream biscuits from Julia’s Simply Southern.

Another breakfast dish we love is this fruit and yogurt parfait. You can have it as a side or by itself.

Add a touch of sweetness to breakfast with these yummy air fryer blueberry muffins! Once you make them using this recipe, you may never go back!

Looking for something to serve with your cheese grits casserole? Then cook some sausage patties in your air fryer. It’s quick and easy … and they come out wonderful every single time!

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