Butternut Squash Grits

5 from 12 votes

These butternut squash grits are a near-perfect copycat of a southern food staple. It has the same rich and creamy texture, with warm cinnamon and a few sweet notes to round everything out in the best way.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Total Time1 10

Course: Breakfast, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 253kcal

Author: Lauren Harris

Ingredients

Roasted Butternut Squash

1 small butternut squash
1 tablespoon butter
salt
pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (divided)

Grits

4 cups water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup old fashioned grits
4 tablespoons butter (cut into pieces)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)

Instructions

Roasted Butternut Squash

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place on a baking sheet.
1 small butternut squash
Melt the butter and brush onto the squash. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle on 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon.
1 tablespoon butter, salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Roast for 35-45 minutes or until the butternut squash is very tender when pierced with a fork.

Grits

When the squash is nearly done roasting, begin preparing the grits by bringing the water, heavy cream and salt to a boil in a. medium pot.
4 cups water, 1/2 cup heavy 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
Once the majority of the water is absorbed and the grits are creamy, add the butter and Parmesan cheese. Stir until melted and well blended.
4 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
When the butternut squash is cool enough to handle, scrape out the inside until you have about 1 cup full. Stir into the grits until well-blended.
Taste and adjust the amount of salt and cinnamon, as needed. You can add more butternut squash if you have it, or save any extra for another use.
Garnish with fresh thyme, rosemary or sage, 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.
You may have extra butternut squash. You can either stir it into the grits for a stronger butternut squash flavor, or save for another use.
Store leftover cooked grits in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consume within 5-7 days.

** Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary.

Nutrition