Overnight cheesy grits casserole is a creamy, delicious Southern breakfast and brunch favorite. It's easy to prep and can be made ahead, which is a great option for the holidays or a brunch party.
This post has been updated with new photos.
This overnight cheesy grits casserole is my mom's recipe and it's a classic in our family.
It's a long-time Southern favorite that is rich and creamy and cheesy and so easy to dive into.
Bonus: It's just 6 ingredients and easy to make ahead the night before to make your morning easier. I think it's a fantastic option for a holiday or when you've got overnight guests or you're hosting a brunch party.
We always had this overnight cheesy grits casserole at our Christmas brunch with my mom's side of the family when I was growing up.
My cousin's grandmother particularly loved it. She would gush over all of the food, in her magnificent Southern lady drawl, but you could always tell the grits were her favorite.
She passed away a few years ago, but I will always think of her when I make this dish. Don't you just love how food can connect us that way?
(For a similar vibe but more of a hearty main dish, check out this grits and sausage casserole.)
OK, let's get cooking.
Recipe Notes:
Grits: Regular grits are fine to use here, as are stone-ground grits. Just follow the package directions for cooking them. I don't recommend quick or instant grits.
Casserole: If you taste the grits after you cook them and add the butter and cheese, you may be tempted to stop there. And that would be OK. (I have done that for just a regular breakfast.) But this dish only gets more magnificent if you add the remaining ingredients and bake it.
Eggs: You'll need to temper the eggs by adding a small amount of the hot cooked grits to your bowl of beaten eggs. This helps increase the temperature of the eggs slowly so you can add them to the grits and incorporate them without cooking them. Scrambled eggs and grits are good together, but this is not that dish.
Make ahead: We usually make this ahead and let it sit overnight but you can also bake it off right away if you want to fix it the morning of your brunch. (I've done that too and it works great.)
I hope you find a way to work in some Southern grits goodness for your holiday plans - or just your next brunch party!
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Overnight Cheesy Grits Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups uncooked regular grits
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons paprika, divided
- 3 large eggs
Instructions
- Cook grits according to the package directions.
- Add butter and cheese to the hot, cooked grits and stir until melted.
- Add Worcestershire sauce and 1 teaspoon of the paprika to the grits, mixing well.
- In a small bowl, beat the three eggs. Add a small amount of hot grits to the bowl with the eggs to temper them, stirring well. (This helps get the eggs to the right temperature to mix with the grits, without cooking them.)
- Slowly add the egg mixture to the cheesy grits, stirring continuously, until well-combined.
- Pour grits into a lightly greased 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining teaspoon paprika.
- Let cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight. (See notes.)
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and remove the baking dish from the refrigerator to sit for 15 minutes.
- Bake, uncovered, at 325 for 1 hour or until set.
- Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Need to round out your menu? I've got you.
We frequently serve this overnight cheesy grits casserole with my make ahead healthy sausage breakfast casserole or classic sausage and egg casserole. It'd be great with this hash brown breakfast casserole, too.
And since those can all be prepped the night before, it makes Christmas morning - or a brunch party morning - way more stress-free.
Oh, and don't forget to add a brunch salad for some veggies. And maybe have some bubbly mimosas for a little fun!
Tara | Treble in the Kitchen says
I'm totally not Southern (at all!!) but I do love grits 🙂
Kathryn says
Ah well then you have a little Southern in your soul 😉
ALLIE says
Grits are my comfort food so obviously I am swooning over this recipe
Kathryn says
These are definitely swoon-worthy Allie 😉
Esther Hardman says
Yeah! I just received my "FANCY" grits in the mail and can't wait to try this recipe.
Kathryn says
Haha, yay! I hope you love it Esther!
Lee says
Be sure to add ample minced garlic to your desired level- (and maybe one less egg) and you’ve got the classic brunch / holiday staple that brings back my childhood memories.
Khaki Berry says
Lordy I loved this recipe!! I made then for Christmas breakfast 2016 and everyone loved it...I'm going to to make it again and overnight it for a terrific dish for tomorrow's!!
Kathryn says
Oh yay, thank you so much for leaving a comment! I'm so happy to hear you loved it - it's one of our family favorites! Have a great weekend! 😊
Sandy says
I'm a northern gal... never even heard of grits until moving south. They sound delicious and I will be making them soon. Thank you.
Kathryn says
I hope you love them Sandy! This is a recipe I grew up with and still one of my favorites! (Also, stay tuned because I have another grits recipe coming up in just a couple of weeks!)
Kelley says
Have you ever cooked this off in a slow cooker vs the oven? I want to make this to take to a brunch at work - and I'm worried about them sitting too long if I bake before I get to work. Thanks for the recipe - looks great.
Kathryn says
I haven't done it in a slow cooker so I'm not really sure what the timing and settings should be for that... would love to hear if you try it though! (You could also bake it then transfer it to the slow cooker if you wanted to do it that way.)
Kelley says
Thanks for your response. I did try this in the crockpot, and I’ll call it a success.
It didn’t turn out as a casserole, but the grits were creamy and tasty. I loved being able to assemble the night before. I cooked in the crockpot the next morning on low for @2 hours, then turned to warm. There was a bit of liquid on top, but once I stirred well, that was fine.
All who tried them liked them. Thanks!
Kathryn says
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it Kelley!! Thanks so much for sharing how you fixed it in the slow cooker, too!
Agatha says
Used this recipe as a starting point. Was preparing a meal for six, and grits tend not to make particularly good leftovers, so reduced recipe by a third, using 1 cup grits, 2 eggs, etc. Also, added three ounces of cream cheese and a jar of pimento, well drained. Baked in a 1 1/2 quart au gratin dish. It was well received and there was plenty. Had a request for the recipe. Used only a medium sharp cheddar, because that's what I had. Will use a very sharp cheddar if I do again, which I likely will.
Kathryn says
I'm so happy to hear everyone enjoyed this - thanks so much for sharing! And loved hearing your adjustments - know that will be helpful for others as well!
Ann says
Thanks for this. Looked for a long time to find a recipe that calls for regular and not quick cook grits.
In response to Agatha’s comment above, grits make excellent leftovers in my opinion. Pour the leftovers into a greased shallow pan and refrigerate. Next day, cut a square and fry in butter like polenta. I like mine with a splash of maple syrup 🙂
Kathryn says
Yay, so happy you found it! And I love your idea for leftovers - yum!
Tony Zupancic says
Is refrigeration necessary if you have leftovers?
Betsy says
Was just wondering what result will be if using quick grits. I have a whole box! Thank you/ don’t want to waste other ingredients with trying before asking.
Kathryn Doherty says
Hi! I haven't tested this with quick grits, so I'm not sure how they'd work or what adjustments might be needed. (I have a feeling that cook time, liquids needed and texture might be impacted.)
Melissa says
Can I make this and freeze it before baking? I need to make it about a week in advance. Thanks!
Kathryn Doherty says
Hi Melissa! I've not tried freezing it, but I've read that it's OK to do. Make sure to cover it really well and then freeze it for up to 2-3 weeks. Be sure to thaw it completely overnight before baking so it gets evenly heated through. Hope that helps!
Jeanne M says
Has anyone attempted this with an egg replacement, ground flax, or ground chia for the egg? I have a family member allergic to eggs and I’d love to give it a whirl.
Kathryn Doherty says
Hi there! I've made this as just cheesy grits, omitting the eggs and the baking of it, and that works well. But I haven't tried it with an egg substitute. Let me know if you do!