Fried Grits Cakes are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. They are a great way to use leftover grits, but also make a delicious side dish for breakfast, brunch or dinner, as well.
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What do you do with leftover grits? You make fried grit cakes!
These little round cakes are the perfect way to use leftover grits. You can serve them as a side dish or as part of a main dish. In fact, they taste really good when you use them in place of traditional grits in Shrimp and Grits recipes.
Grits are a southern staple and are the perfect side to serve for breakfast, brunch, or even dinner. The crispy exterior and creamy center makes them hard to put down.
Why This Recipe Works
This is a very easy recipe to make and follow.
And if you think you don’t like grits, you have to try these! This is a different way to serve grits that almost resembles hash browns.
Plus, these little cakes are really versatile. Add cheese, different types of meat, herbs, or even finely-diced vegetables. And if you use gluten-free grits and flour, this is easy to change to a gluten-free recipe.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup old fashioned grits: I use Quaker Old Fashioned Grits. If you choose to use stoneground grits, the cook time will be longer. If you choose to use instant grits, the cook time will be less. You will also need to check the liquid to grits ratio on both of these types of grits because they may vary slightly from the instructions in this recipe.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour: you can use gluten free all purpose flour. You can also opt to bread your grit cakes with egg wash and breadcrumbs or panko instead.
- Oil for frying: vegetable, extra virgin olive oil, or avocado oil is recommended
Chef’s Tip: you can add 1/2 cup of cheese like Parmesan or cheddar, bacon, diced ham, jalapeño peppers, etc. if you want to add some additional flavor to your grit cakes.
The entire recipe and instructions can also be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. You can also print the recipe from the card, if needed.
Prep!
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. You want to use a piece of paper or foil that is large enough to cover the sides of the baking sheet as well as the bottom.
You can use any size sheet pan. I used a 9 x 11 inch pan so the cakes would be about 1/2 inch thick.
Create!
Bring the water, heavy cream, and salt to a boil in a medium pot.
Stir in the grits, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook 12-15 minutes, stirring often to prevent the grits from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Once the majority of the water is absorbed and the grits are creamy, now is the time to stir in any additions you may want to add.
Spread the grits out evenly onto the prepared baking sheet.
Refrigerate until chilled and fully set, about an hour.
Once chilled cut the grits into 12 evenly sized squares or use a cookie cutter if round cakes are preferred.
Note: the about of grits cakes you get with a cookie cutter will vary. The nutritional information will also vary if you discard some of the grits while cutting them out.
Lightly dredge the grits cakes in the flour and shake off any excess. Place on a plate.
Heat a few tablespoons of the oil in a large, flat bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the grits cakes and fry for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with a pinch of salt, if desired.
Present!
Garnish with fresh minced parsley or sliced scallions, if desired.
Tips and Techniques
- If you prefer to use instant or stoneground grits, the liquid to grits ratio may be different and cook time will be shorter for instant grits and longer for stoneground.
- For gluten free grits cakes, ensure your grits are labeled as gluten free and use gluten free all purpose flour.
- You can add 1/2 cup of cheese like Parmesan or cheddar, bacon, diced ham, jalapeño peppers, etc. if you want to add some additional flavor to your grit cakes.
- Store leftover cooked grits in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consume within 5-7 days.
FAQ’s
What Do Grits Taste Like?
Grits have a mild, bland flavor. They take on the flavor of anything mixed into them very well. The most common additions to grits are butter and cheese.
Are Grits Gluten Free?
Grits are naturally gluten free, however, corn is often cross-contaminated with wheat. To ensure that your grits are 100% gluten free, check the label. If it does not say gluten free on it, there is a possibility of cross-contamination.
More Grits Recipes
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Fried Grits Cakes
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup old fashioned grits (see notes)
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour (can use gluten free)
- Oil for frying (vegetable, extra virgin olive oil, or avocado oil is recommended)
Instructions
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. You want to use a piece of paper or foil that is large enough to cover the sides of the baking sheet as well as the bottom.
- Bring the water, heavy cream and salt to a boil in a medium pot.4 cups water, 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Stir in the grits, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook 12-15 minutes, stirring often to prevent the grits from sticking to the bottom of the pot.1 cup old fashioned grits
- Spread the grits out evenly onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Refrigerate until chilled and fully set, about an hour.
- Once chilled cut the grits into 12 evenly sized squares or use a cookie cutter if round cakes are preferred.
- Lightly dredge the grits cakes in the flour and shake off any excess. Place on a plate.1/2 cup all purpose flour
- Heat a few tablespoons of the oil in a large, flat bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the grits cakes and fry for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown.Oil for frying
- Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with a pinch of salt, if desired.
- Garnish with fresh minced parsley or sliced scallions, if desired.
Notes
Tips and Techniques
- If you prefer to use instant or stoneground grits, the liquid to grits ratio may be different and cook time will be shorter for instant grits and longer for stoneground.
- For gluten free grits cakes, ensure your grits are labeled as gluten free and use gluten free all purpose flour.
- You can add 1/2 cup of cheese like Parmesan or cheddar, bacon, diced ham, jalapeño peppers, etc. if you want to add some additional flavor to your grit cakes. Add any mix-ins to the grits before spreading out onto the sheet pan.
- Store leftover cooked grits in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consume within 5-7 days.