Mushroom Parmesan Grits
Mushroom Parmesan Grits- Perfect as a side dish for breakfast, lunch, or dinner; these creamy, cheesy grits are loaded with savory caramelized mushroom bits.
May 12, 2022 by Nicole Collins
It’s so funny how your tastebuds can change over the years.
I think I’ve told you before that I read somewhere that tastebuds evolve every 7 years. So if you once hated a food, try it again in 7 years to see if you like it.
I’ve certainly overcome a few flavor aversions in my day: mustard, hot dogs, avocados.
I can’t even imagine my life without avocados now. They’re one of the top 5 foods that keep me alive!
Mushrooms have been on the “no thank you” list for most of my life. It was never a flavor thing with mushrooms. It’s always been about the texture.
But in present day, when I look at my grocery list, there are almost always mushrooms on the list. I eat mushrooms 3 out of 4 weeks a month now, at the very minimum.
If practice makes perfect, that’s definitely the journey I’ve taken with mushrooms. I started tolerating them by mincing them so finely I could barely feel them. Then gradually, bigger and bigger pieces found their way into my meals.
Will I be chowing down on a bowl of sauteed sliced mushrooms any time soon? Definitely not. But, will we continue to see minced mushrooms in LOTS of my recipes? You betcha!
So in the spirit of my complicated relationship with mushrooms, let’s get to today’s recipe.
Today, we’re making Mushroom Parmesan Grits!
These creamy, cheesy grits are perfect alongside breakfast, lunch, and dinner plates. They’re studded with little bits of caramelized mushrooms and made extra gooey with freshly grated parmesan cheese. If you like to think outside of the plain ol’ milk and grits box, this recipe is for you!
It’s funny, because these grits kind of happened by accident. I tend to buy mushrooms on the regular these days, whether I have a plan for them or not. But, you know the shelf life isn’t very long on these babes. So, I often end up randomly sautéing a reasonably sized batch and thought I’d figure out what to do with them later. One day, I wanted grits, I had cooked mushrooms ready to use, and the rest is history!
Let’s start with the mushrooms. We all know I need my mushrooms diced into the tiniest pieced possible, but it really works here! We want our mushrooms to almost melt into the grits, so finely chopping them is the way to go.
Once the mushrooms are cleaned and prepped, we’re going to cook them in a little olive oil with some onion for extra flavor. Then we’ll add in some garlic, because garlic and mushrooms just belong together. And, that’s it for the mushrooms.
While the mushrooms are cooking away, we can get working on our grits. I always use quick cooking grits, because they’re, well, quick cooking. You can have delicious grits in 5-7 mins of cook time, and that’s exactly the fast action I need when I’m hangry. There are multiple types of grits on the market: stone ground, instant, quick cooking...and, they all cook at different times. So, stick with quick cooking grits to follow the directions in this recipe.
We’ll get some milk and water boiling on the stovetop. Then we’ll whisk in our grits, cover the lid, and let them cook on low until most of the liquid has absorbed. From there, we’ll mix in our mushroom mix, some freshly grated parm, a little butter, and some umami seasoning for extra oomph. I love using umami seasoning when I make mushroom flavored things. I think it makes the mushrooms taste mushroomier. But, you can totally skip the umami seasoning if you want. Either way, after we stir everything together, it’s time to eat!
These grits works at all times of day. I love these the most for breakfast with a fried egg and some sauteed greens. But, they also work great as the base for shrimp and grits. They’re delish with a little crispy fried (or oven fried) chicken on the side. And if we’re being honest, I’ll sometimes eat these without any other accompaniments. They’re that good!
Ok, everyone. Tell me about the foods you used to hate but love now. How have your tastebuds changed in the last 7 years?
I hope you love this one as much as I do! Let’s eat!
Mushroom Parmesan Grits
Serves: 4 Print
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
4 oz baby bella mushrooms, minced
½ small white onion, minced (about ½ cup)
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups water
2 cups milk (I used 2%)
1 ½ tsp garlic powder
1 cup quick cooking grits
2 tbsp unsalted butter
½ cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp Trader Joe's umami seasoning (optional)
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Saute the mushrooms: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, and cook 7-8 minutes until they start to brown, stirring occasionally. Add onions and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook an additional 5 mins until the onions start to soften, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, and cook 30 seconds- 1 minute until fragrant. Remove from heat, and set aside.
Meanwhile, make the Grits: Bring water, milk, and garlic powder to a boil over high heat in a medium saucepan. Slowly add grits while whisking. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 5-7 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed, whisking every 1-2 minutes. Remove grits from heat. Add mushroom mix, butter, cheese, umami seasoning, and salt and pepper, to taste. Stir until cheese and butter are melted and fully combined. Taste for seasoning, and adjust accordingly. Serve immediately.
Recipe notes:
*Take note that there are different kinds of grits: stone ground, instant, quick cooking, etc. They all have different cook times. This recipe uses quick cooking.
*I recommend shredding the parmesan yourself from a wedge. It melts much better than the pre-bagged stuff.
*I like to add Trader Joe's umami seasoning to pretty much everything I use mushrooms in, because I think it helps to enhance the mushroom flavor. If you don't have any, these grits are just as delicious without it.
*These grits make a great accompaniment or side dish to eggs, shrimp, salmon, and roasted veggies. They're very versatile!
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