Cauliflower Grits Recipe

Cauliflower grits are a creamy, cheesy take on classic Southern grits, made with cauliflower rice instead of cornmeal. I make them when I want that warm, savory, comforting feel of grits in a version built around cauliflower.

This cauliflower grits recipe comes together on the stove with cauliflower rice, cream, butter, cream cheese, cheddar, and chives. It’s one I come back to for breakfast, easy dinners, and holiday-style meals, and it’s also the base I use for my Southern-Style Shrimp and Cauliflower Grits. It also works really well with simple proteins like Pan-Seared Shrimp, Blackened Shrimp, Air Fryer Salmon, or Air Fryer Bacon.

Why This Cauliflower Grits Recipe Works

This recipe keeps the flavor and creamy texture most people want, while making cauliflower the base of the dish.

• Creamy and cheesy: Heavy cream, cream cheese, butter, and cheddar give these creamy cauliflower grits a rich, smooth texture.
• Easy to make: Everything cooks in one pan on the stove, so this is a simple side dish to pull together.
• A delicious cauliflower take on a Southern classic: These cauliflower rice grits give you that same comforting, spoonable side dish feel.
• Works for breakfast or dinner: Serve them with eggs and bacon in the morning or use them as a side for shrimp or salmon at dinner.
• A strong base for shrimp and grits: This is the cheesy, creamy base I use for my Shrimp and Cauliflower Grits.

Ingredients for Creamy Cheesy Grits

You’ll find the exact amounts in the recipe card, but these are the ingredients that make this recipe work.

• Cauliflower rice: This is the base of the recipe. Fresh or frozen both work well here.
• Heavy cream: This helps make the grits creamy.
• Chicken stock: Adds savory flavor and helps cook the cauliflower rice.
• Cream cheese: This helps make the texture smooth and rich.
• Butter
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Cheddar cheese: Use a cheddar you like the flavor of since it really comes through in the finished dish.
• Chives: These add a little fresh flavor at the end.

How to Make Cauliflower Grits

This recipe comes together in a few simple steps.

Make the creamy cheese base

Set a pan over medium-low heat. Add the heavy cream, chicken stock, cream cheese, butter, salt, black pepper, cheddar, and chives. Whisk until the cream cheese melts and the mixture looks smooth.

Stir in the cauliflower rice

Add the cauliflower rice to the pan and stir it into the creamy sauce.

Cook until tender and creamy

Let the cauliflower rice cook until tender and the sauce thickens into creamy, cheesy cauliflower grits.

Tips for the Best Cauliflower Grits

These small tips help the recipe turn out creamy and full of flavor.

• Use cauliflower rice for the right texture: That’s what makes this recipe feel closest to grits.
• Fresh or frozen both work: Use whichever one is easiest for you to grab at the store.
• Cook over medium-low heat: Lower heat helps keep the dairy smooth.
• Let the mixture thicken: The texture gets better as the cauliflower cooks in the sauce.
• Taste before serving: Cheese and stock can vary in saltiness, so adjust at the end if needed.

Easy Ways to Serve This Recipe

This recipe can go in a few different directions depending on the meal.

• For breakfast: Serve it with eggs, pork sausage, chicken breakfast sausage, or Air Fryer Bacon.
• For dinner: Pair it with Pan-Seared Shrimp, Blackened Shrimp, or Air Fryer Salmon.
• For a shrimp and grits-style meal: Use these cheesy grits as the base for your Shrimp and Cheesy Cauliflower Grits.

Fresh or Frozen Cauliflower Rice

Both fresh and frozen cauliflower rice work well in this recipe. If you want the easiest option, store-bought cauliflower rice is perfect here. You can usually find it in the produce section or freezer aisle. If you want to make your own, just pulse cauliflower florets in a food processor until they look like rice.

What to Serve with Cauliflower Grits

These cauliflower grits fit naturally with both breakfast and dinner. For breakfast, I like them with eggs, sausage, or Air Fryer Bacon. For dinner, they pair especially well with seafood. They make the base for my Shrimp and Cauliflower Grits, and they also work well with Pan-Seared Shrimp, Blackened Shrimp or Air Fryer Salmon when you want a simple dinner with a creamy side.

Cauliflower Grits FAQs

Cauliflower Grits

Creamy cauliflower grits made with cauliflower rice, cheddar, cream cheese, butter, and cream for an easy, cheesy side dish.

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Ready in: 20 minutes mins

Cuisine: American

Course: Side Dish

Servings: 5

Author: Davinah

Pin Rate Print

Use DRDAVINAHS at checkout to save on some equipment & ingredients!

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 lb Cauliflower Rice, ~4 cups
• ▢ 1 cup Organic Heavy Whipping Cream
• ▢ 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
• ▢ 2 oz Cream Cheese
• ▢ 2 tbsp Butter
• ▢ 1 tsp Natural Ancient Sea Salt
• ▢ 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• ▢ 1 tsp Dried Chives, scallions also work well
• ▢ 1/2 cup mild cheddar cheese, grated, you can add more cheddar cheese

Instructions

• Heat a skillet to medium-low heat
• Add heavy cream, chicken stock, cream cheese, butter, salt, black pepper, cheddar cheese, and chives to the pan. Whisk together until cream cheese is melted (~5 minutes)
• Add cauliflower rice to the pan and cook in sauce until tender (~10 minutes was enough for me, but I’d check at 5 minute intervals).

SAVE THIS RECIPE

I’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

We use your personal data for interest-based advertising, as outlined in our Privacy Notice.

Recipe Notes

• Use cauliflower rice for the right texture: That’s what makes this recipe feel closest to grits.
• Fresh or frozen both work: Use whichever one is easiest for you to grab at the store.
• Cook over medium-low heat: Lower heat helps keep the dairy smooth.
• Let the mixture thicken: The texture gets better as the cauliflower cooks in the sauce.
• Taste before serving: Cheese and stock can vary in saltiness, so adjust at the end if needed.

Nutrition Details

Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 690mg | Potassium: 352mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1080IU | Vitamin C: 50.2mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 0.8mg

The nutrition facts come from entering the recipe ingredients into Spoonacular API, a database of food ingredients. They may vary for any recipe based on the exact product used.

Made this? Share it.If you enjoyed this recipe, you can support my small business (this website), by sharing a link to this dish by email or on Facebook, pinning it, or leaving a rating. Thanks for helping the website grow!