The Flavorful Cheese You Need To Start Adding To Grits

No shade to fried okra and cornbread, but grits are the epitome of Southern side dishes. Grits is a creamy porridge dish sourced from finely ground corn with a texture like hot cereal. Grits is often topped with a square of butter, a dollop of gravy, or, most indulgently, cheese. Of course, it's no secret that cheese comes in many shapes, sizes, and flavors, and the variety you introduce to a batch of grits determines the outcome of the final product. Although there are dozens of great cheeses to add to a bowl of grits, pimento cheese is one of the most complex and mouth-watering selections.

Plain-cooked grits has a mild-mannered and one-dimensional flavor, which makes it a perfect culinary canvas for painting with flavors from added ingredients. Pimento cheese is a dense, pâté-esque spread made with shredded cheddar, pimento peppers, and mayonnaise. Although it's commonly used as a dip for crackers, adding it to a heaping batch of grits introduces a comforting layer of melty, decadent richness to the dish. Its sharp, tangy flavor gives the grits depth while its fatty texture blends seamlessly with the creamy, whipped consistency of the meal.

Despite originating in New York, pimento cheese is a staple in Southern cooking, making it not only a tasty option for zhuzhing up grits but an apt one, too. Flavorful, lush, and quintessentially Southern — what's not to love about adding some comforting, flavor-forward pimento cheese to grits?

Making grits is a relatively simple process, and adding pimento cheese doesn't complicate it. With that being said, it's good to keep some tips in mind to achieve a timeless, crowd-pleasing batch of pimento cheese grits.

For starters, consider the variations of grits. While regular grits and quick grits cook fast, stone-ground grits, which take up to 45 minutes to cook, will give you the best results thanks to their substantial mouthfeel and noticeably rich flavor. Four cups of water for every cup of grits is a standard ratio for preparing this Southern stovetop side dish.

Salt is a flavor enhancer, which means it bolsters the bold but never brash taste of pimento cheese. However, freshly cooked grits doesn't absorb salt, so it's important to add it to the water while it's cooking. For an extra hit of savory goodness, cook grits in broth rather than water.

Pimento cheese is dense, so it's important to introduce it while the grits are still hot to ensure an even melt throughout the dish. Once your grits are fully cooked, turn off the heat and immediately stir in the pimento cheese until it's fully blended.

Pimento cheese grits stands as a hearty and fulfilling dish on its own. However, if you want to incorporate it into larger spreads and platters or spice up the pimento cheese with added ingredients, your options are vast.

For a classic Southern staple, top pimento cheese grits with shrimp. The bite-sized shellfish bring a subtle sweetness and delicate seafood essence to the tangy cheese-tinted grits while giving it a more sustainable mouthfeel that you can actually chew. If shrimp isn't your thing, sausage or bacon is a great alternative. For something adventurous, serve pimento cheese grits alongside jalapeño cheddar biscuits topped with honey. Pile them all together, and don't be afraid to let your food touch because when this smorgasbord of breakfast comfort classics meld together, each bite is a symphonic, savory-sweet sensation.

If you're making homemade pimento cheese, incorporate added fixings like garlic and onion for a satisfying allium flair. Because pimento peppers are mild, adding freshly chopped jalapenos or serranos to the amalgam can give it some fire that will benefit both the cheese and grits. If all else fails, a few drops of Worcestershire sauce can give the cheesy grits an ultra-savory touch.

Although it's just one of many ingredients that will make grits tastier, pimento cheese is one of the best. Next time you're craving a Louisiana-inspired brunch, grab some stone ground grits and a heaping tub of pimento cheese. Trust us, your taste buds will thank you.