In the south, we eat grits.
In the south we also love to fry all kinds of things that were not originally intended to be fried! So cheese grits are no exception to that rule!
These grits are crispy on the outside, and cheesy creamy perfection on the inside.
We dipped ours in vegan ranch, but I think they would be super delicious dipped in some marinara sauce as well.
They are perfect a tasty snack, party food, or even a creative brunch side! I have not attempted to air fry these treats, but I think it would work just fine if you gave them a spray of oil and cooked them for 10-15 minutes or so on 375 degrees.
And if you are one of those people in the sweet grit camp, I urge you to step over to the other side and give these a try. I promise you don’t have to be an absolute convert..just a little open minded..although I will never put sugar on my grits..like, never :)
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup dry old fashioned grits
2 cups plant milk ( we used almond)
2 cups water
1 teaspoon Vegetable Better Than Bouillon
1 cup vegan cheddar shreds, homemade or store bought
2 tablespoons vegan cream cheese
2 green onions, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cups panko bread crumbs, regular or gluten free (make sure they are vegan, many brands are not)
1/2 cup plant based milk
2 tablespoons vegan plain yogurt or sour cream ( we used kite hill plain yogurt)
1 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour, or gluten free flour blend
oil for frying ( we use grapeseed)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Bring milk, water, and Better Than Bouillon to a boil in a medium/ large pot over medium heat.
Once the liquid is boiling, add in the grits and stir. Reduce heat to low, and allow the grits to cook and thicken for about 15 minutes Be sure to stir the grits several times to avoid them sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Once grits are done, stir in the cheddar, cream cheese, salt pepper, and green onions.
Spray a 9 inch baking pan with some oil and transfer the grits to the pan. Place pan in the fridge for about 4 hours or until the grits seem firm. You can also do this the day before you want to make these. They will be fine hanging out in the fridge for a day or so.
Once grits are firm, turn the pan over onto a cutting board. You may have to tap the pan on the counter to get the grits out, but if you sprayed the pan well, they should come right out.
Cut the grits into sticks that are about 1/2 inch thick and 4 inches long. They will be a little soft still so just handle them gently to avoid them breaking.
Place flour in a shallow dish. In a separate dish wish the milk with the yogurt. In another dish, add the panko.
Start by dipping the grit sticks first into the flour, next the milk yogurt mixture, and finally into the panko. Repeat with all of the grits sticks.
Heat a large deep skillet with about an inch of oil over medium heat. Once the oil is nice and hot, fry the grits sticks 3 or 4 at a time, turning them with tongs to make sure they get crispy on all sides. They only need a few minutes in the oil to get them nice and crisp. Line a baking sheet with some paper towels and place a cooling rack on top. Place finished grits on the cooling rack while you finish frying the rest.
Serve fried cheese grits with vegan ranch or marinara sauce.
Reheat fried cheese grits in a 350 degree oven until crisp
