Grit Cakes – Immaculate Bites

What Are Grit Cakes?

Grit cakes are essentially grits that have been cooked and cooled, cut into small circles (although other shapes are totally acceptable), and fried until golden brown and crispy on the outside. Besides, you can top your grit cakes with shrimp, ham, bacon, egg, or another protein to make them even more filling.

Ingredient List

1. Grits – I use stone-ground grits because I prefer the richer corn flavor they present, but instant or quick-cooking grits, even polenta, would work just fine.
2. Bay Leaf – Let’s add multiple layers of flavor, one of which is this aromatic herb.
3. Butter – Give your grits a rich, moist, buttery flavor inside and out. You will be using butter for cooking and then frying your grit cakes.
4. Egg – The egg wash gives your cakes that beautiful golden-brown color.
5. Cheddar – Sharp cheddar cheese is my go-to for this recipe, but you could add any cheese you like.
6. Shrimp or Ham – Shrimp is my absolute favorite for topping my grit cakes. Not only do the flavors and textures pair beautifully, but shrimp just look so pretty sitting on top (they also fit perfectly!). 😉

How to Make Fried Grit Cakes

Cook the Grits

• Prep – Grease a 9×12-inch cooking pan with baking spray. Set aside.
• Heat the Liquid – Add water, milk, bay leaf, and salt to a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. (Photo 1)
• Add Grits – Gradually whisk in the grits until you have added them all to the pot.
• Simmer – Reduce heat to low and cook grits at a bare simmer, covered, frequently stirring, until water is fully absorbed and grits thickened. This will take you about 15 minutes.
• Add Cheese – Then, remove grits from heat; add butter and cheese. Stir with a whisk until the cheese completely melts. (Photos 2-3)
• Spread out the hot grits onto the prepared baking sheet and spread evenly across the bottom of the pan using an offset rubber spatula. Let the sheet pan sit out until they have cooled to room temperature. (Photo 4)
• Cover with foil and refrigerate until very firm, about 2 hours to overnight.

Fry the Grit Cakes

• Heat Skillet – When chilled grits are ready to fry, heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Cut the grits into circular shapes, in whatever size you desire. (Photo 5)
• Egg Wash – Whisk egg in a small dish and brush on grit cake tops. (Photo 6)
• Fry each side of the cakes until golden in color, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Don’t forget to brush the other side of the grit cakes with the egg wash when you flip it over. (Photo 7)
• Serve immediately with shrimp or ham. (Photo 8)

Flavor Variations

1. Sweet. Believe it or not, you can make a grit-cakes dessert (or a sweet breakfast treat!). Simply leave out the bay leaf and the cheese and add a dash of vanilla extract, a cup of sugar, a cup of your favorite dried fruit, and a cup of chopped nuts when making the grits. Fry as directed, and then top with crumbled graham crackers and caramel sauce if you like. 😋
2. Grit Cakes Benedict is another classic way to prepare these cakes. Simply follow the recipe as it reads, and then top the cakes with poached eggs and a hollandaise sauce. Delish!
3. Cheesy grits. This recipe already enjoys cheese, but you can also top the hot grits cakes with shredded cheese for even more decadence.

Recipe Notes

1. When whisking in the grits, don’t stop stirring. In fact, you may want to remove the saucepan from the heat for a minute or two to really combine the milk and grits. This will prevent lumps from forming.
2. Cutting the grits into circles is so much easier if you use a cookie-cutter. I used a 2-inch one to make mine.
3. Never fry your grit cakes any hotter than medium heat. It may take a little longer to get that beautiful golden color, but if you turn the heat up, you’ll burn the butter, and they won’t taste nearly as good.

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

You can make grits ahead, spread them in a prepared pan, and chill them for three days before frying. That’s a big win for all of you who love make-ahead dishes! 🤩

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Store toppings separately and assemble them when ready to serve the leftovers.

I prefer reheating them in the oven, air-fryer, or a countertop toaster oven. For me, that’s the best way to reheat anything fried if you want to get some of the crispiness back. That said, microwaving grit cakes to reheat is also totally acceptable.

FAQs

Perfect Pairings With Grit Cakes

If I’m making grit cakes as a side to my dinner, I usually pair them with oven-fried chicken and collard greens or Southern fried catfish and green beans and bacon.

If I’m doing grit cakes for breakfast, then I love to serve them alongside either sweet plantain hash and eggs or the traditional American breakfast items: fried eggs, bacon, and homemade biscuits. 🤤

More Gratifying Grits Recipes to Try

1. Fish and Grits
2. Cajun Shrimp and Grits
3. Southern Style Smoked Gouda Grits
4. Basic Grits
5. Cheese Grits

By Imma

Watch How to Make It

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This blog post was originally published in June 2022 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video