Olive oil grits (2024)

FAQs

What is a good substitute for butter in grits? ›

Most people associate grits with butter but grits are also delicious and creamy when made with olive oil. Depending on who you ask, grits are similar or identical to Italian polenta. Both are made from ground cornmeal slow cooked over a low flame. Here is a recipe that we adapted from the Courier Journal.

A higher 5:1 ratio by volume of water to grits ensures they cook through fully with no stubborn, hard bits. The recommended stone-ground grits offer the best flavor and texture, particularly when compared to grits made with commercial varieties with a more consistent grind.

Flavor: Polenta typically has a subtle floral taste coming from the flint corn, while grits have a stronger corn flavor from the dent corn. Color: Traditionally, polenta is made with yellow corn to create a yellow porridge while grits is made with white corn to create a white porridge.

Stone-ground varieties are more nutritious, as they undergo less processing than quick, regular, or instant types. Though grits are fairly healthy, they're typically served with high-calorie ingredients.

Creamy, cheesy piping-hot grits topped with spicy sausage – I don't think it gets much better than that on a cold day. Breakfast, lunch or dinner – this dish is perfect anytime! Aside from lots of delicious cheese, these grits get their extra creaminess by cooking them in milk.

Oatmeal has more fiber and protein, grits have more iron and B vitamins. However, oatmeal has a lower glycemic index. So for blood sugar control, oatmeal could be a better option. But when balanced right, both oatmeal and grits can fit into a healthy diet.

Serving Southern Grits

We always add cheese to our grits — either Parmesan or sharp cheddar. But you can certainly skip the cheese altogether; some people prefer theirs without. We often eat these grits as-is for breakfast (or topped with a fried egg or crumbled sausage).

Grits are often cooked in either milk or water; we prefer a combination of the two for silky grits that aren't too heavy. For additional flavor, substitute water with chicken or vegetable stock. Grits require a 1:4 cup ratio of grain to liquid.

Polenta is an Italian dish, whereas grits are a dish attributed to the American South. This being so, each region can accurately identify each, and it will be hard to pass off grits as polenta to an Italian cook and vice versa.

What are the health benefits of eating grits? ›

They are also high in B vitamins, such as niacin, thiamin, riboflavin and folate, either naturally occurring in the corn kernel or added back after processing. B vitamins help keep metabolism, cells and energy levels healthy. Grits are also rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants that keep eyes healthy.

Coconut oil has a similar texture and thickness to butter, and it is semi-solid at room temperature. This makes it great for baking purposes, as the consistency mimics butter perfectly and adds a light, coconutty sweetness to baked goods.

How should you actually thicken grits? First, you should make sure that the grits are, in fact, too runny. If you've never cooked grits before, you may not realize that, like polenta, they tend to set up once you take them off the stove, especially if you've added a lot of butter. Another option is to recook the grits.

Since polenta and grits are both made from ground corn, you can use them interchangeably. Bear in mind that grits are higher in starch than polenta, so if you sub in polenta for grits, you won't have to stir it as frequently, but it won't cook up as creamy as grits.