Grits: An Ancient Dish With a Southern Soul

Today, grits are synonymous with Southern cuisine. Similar to Italian polenta, grits are a type of coarsely ground porridge, usually made from maize or hominy. This comforting, creamy dish can be both sweet or savory, but more often than not, grits are served with crispy shrimp, cheese, or Cajun spices in households across Louisiana, Georgia, Tennessee, and beyond.

Jump to the recipes

For those who prefer plant-based dishes, grits can easily be made vegan. We’ve gathered some of our favorite recipes below—but first, let’s take a closer look at this seemingly simple dish, exploring its long and complex history, as well as its nutritional benefits.

Where did grits come from?

Grits might be seen as an inherently Southern dish today, but it hasn’t always been this way. In fact, research suggests grits were invented long before the US as we know it today even existed. Indigenous peoples, such as the Creek, Choctaw, and Cherokee tribes, ground maize into coarse meal to create a dish similar to modern grits.

When Europeans arrived in the Americas, they adopted the dish for themselves and gave it the name it goes by today. “For grits, every major pivot point in the story line involves appropriation,” Erin Byers Murray, who wrote the book Grits: A Cultural and Culinary Journey Through The South, told NPR. She added that the act of combining ground corn and water dates back centuries. “It’s a food product that’s not just historic—it’s ancient.”

RELATED: A Delicious Plant-Based Twist on a Greek Classic: How to Make Meat-Free Moussaka

Canva

It was grits’ popularity with European colonizers that turned it into a Southern staple. It was easy and inexpensive to make, with a creamy, comforting flavor. Over the years, recipes have evolved and adapted, but grits have always centered around the same core ingredients: maize or hominy. Today, in Georgia, you’ll often find them served with butter and salt. In South Carolina, heavy cream is a must. In Alabama, it’s not uncommon to find grits served with catfish, while North Carolina is all about the cheddar cheese.

“Grits are found all over the South at almost every meal,” James Beard award-winning cookbook author Virginia Willis also told NPR. “Even when you go to someone’s house when someone dies, there’s going to be a cheese grits casserole on the table. I call them ‘funeral grits’ because it’s pure comfort food.”

Are grits healthy?

Grits were once made fresh, often stone-ground in small batches. Today, you’re more likely to find them pre-packaged by brands like Quaker Oats or Bob’s Red Mill. While convenient, many of these packaged versions—especially instant grits—aren’t as flavorful or nutritious as fresh, stone-ground grits since processing can strip away much of the natural fiber and nutrients.

But fresh, stone-ground grits do boast many health benefits. Unlike heavily processed instant grits, these varieties are more likely to contain the germ and bran, making them a more wholesome, fiber-rich option that supports digestion and provides longer-lasting energy. They also contain B vitamins and antioxidants, including lutein and zeacanthin, which help support eye health, for example. 

Plant-based recipes with grits

Grits themselves are, of course, plant-based since they’re made from ground corn. However, they’re often prepared with ingredients like dairy cheese, butter, seafood, or meat-based broths, which makes the final dish decidedly not vegan.

The good news? There are plenty of ways to make rich, flavorful grits using only plant-based ingredients. Check out some of our favorite vegan recipes below.

Thank You Berry Much

1 Creamy Vegan Shrimp and Grits

“Shrimp and grits are a Southern staple, and growing up in North Carolina, this savory dish was certainly prevalent throughout my childhood,” says recipe developer Emily Wise of Thank You Berry Much. Proving that you can still enjoy your favorite nostalgic flavors without animal products, she developed these creamy grits with simple plant-based ingredients, including dairy-free salted butter, almond milk, vegetable stock, and vegan cheese. The highlight of the meal, however, has to be the crispy homemade vegan shrimp made from seitan.
Get the recipe

Food By Maria

2Grits, Creamy Beans, and Collards

Greek recipe developer Maria Koutsogiannis first came across grits during her time in Nashville, TN, and she’s been obsessed ever since. In this plant-based take on the Southern favorite, she combines collard greens (another classic Southern ingredient) and creamy butter beans with grits from Bob’s Red Mill. “It’s perfect for a hardy meal that will fill you up,” she says.
Get the recipe

Rabbit & Wolves

3Blackened Tofu With Cheesy Grits

Blackened tofu might not be a traditional accompaniment for grits, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t delicious (and protein-packed). “Vegan blackened tofu with cheesy grits is one of the most comforting meals I have ever had,” writes recipe developer Lauren Hartmann. “Yet also remains pretty healthy. Pretty quick. Pretty dang amazing.”
Get the recipe

Glue and Glitter

4 Vegan Cheese Grits With Mushroom Bacon

Bacon is another popular choice for grits, especially for breakfast. In this recipe, you’ll get all the same smoky flavor and crispy texture, but from mushrooms instead of pork. It’s a win-win. “Every weekend, we make vegan grits for breakfast or brunch using basically whatever savory toppings are in the fridge,” says recipe developer Becky Striepe. “I particularly love this combination of cheese-spiked vegan grits because the combination of flavors and textures is just out of this world.”
Get the recipe

Shane and Simple

5 Cheesy Vegan Grits Bowl With BBQ Soy Curls and Kale

Another classic Southern food? It’s barbecue, of course, and it goes beautifully with cheesy, creamy, comforting grits. “This cheesy vegan grits bowl with BBQ soy curls and kale is, hands down, one of the most comforting meals I have ever eaten,” confirms recipe developer Shane Martin.
Get the recipe