Cheesy Truffled Grit Cakes Recipe

Grits are a beloved and versatile Southern staple that grace tables from morning until night. Whether they're served as a hearty breakfast or topped with seafood for dinner, grits are the perfect culinary chameleon for anyone's taste. This recipe for cheesy truffled grit cakes comes from recipe developer Julie Kinnaird and will teach you how to turn creamy grits into a crispy and elegant appetizer or side dish. 

Kinnaird uses quick-cooking grits and adds Italian truffle cheese, white truffle oil, and fragrant sage to elevate this humble pantry workhorse. She forms the cakes by allowing a batch of freshly cooked grits to cool and set up in a pan, and then she cuts them into smaller cakes once they're chilled. Brushing on a little bit of white truffle oil not only infuses the grits with flavor but results is a crunchy exterior with everything to love about creamy grits on the inside. You can make these grit cakes several days ahead of time and then bake them right before serving for ease of preparation. Crunchy, fried sage leaves are a unique and tasty garnish for an extra touch of sophistication.

his recipe uses white quick-cooking grits for the cakes. These have a finer grind and texture than stone-ground grits, and they cook quickly. The grits cook in low-sodium chicken broth, salt, pepper, and whole milk (for extra creaminess). Once the grits have thickened, you will add unsalted butter, grated Parmesan, and Italian truffle cheese. This type of cheese has a medium-soft texture and is similar in flavor to a mild Gouda but has flakes of black truffle. The cheese not only helps to bind the grit mixture together but infuses it with rich truffle flavor. 

Chopped sage adds an herbaceous contrast and enhances the earthy flavor to the cooked grits. You will coat a baking pan with white truffle oil (black truffle oil can be substituted), and you will also brush the oil onto the grit cakes once they are cut. This way, both sides of the cakes receive the fragrant truffle essence. Finally, fry whole sage leaves until crispy in the remaining bit of butter to create a crunchy and flavorful garnish.

Bring the milk and broth to a gentle boil over medium-high heat in a large pot.

Slowly add the grits, salt, and pepper and whisk until smooth.

Bring the grits back to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cover.

Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The grits should be quite thick.

Turn off the heat and add 6 tablespoons butter, both cheeses, and the chopped sage, stirring until smooth.

Use a pastry brush to coat the inside of a 12x12-inch baking pan with 2 tablespoons truffle oil.

Pour the grits into the pan.

Use an offset spatula to spread the grits evenly in the pan.

Cool slightly, then place the pan in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to firm up (cover the pan with plastic if you're refrigerating for longer).

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Prepare a sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper.

Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut the grits into cakes. Transfer the cakes to the sheet pan. Alternatively, cut the grits into 16 squares.

Brushing cheesy truffled grit cakes on sheet pan with truffle oil using pastry brush

Flipping cheesy truffled grit cakes in oven on sheet pan with spatula

While the grit cakes are baking, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over medium heat.

Once the butter is foaming, add the whole sage leaves and fry until crisp, about 5 minutes.

Transfer the sage leaves to paper towels to drain the excess fat.

Remove the grit cakes from the oven and serve immediately with the fried sage leaves.

Long before Europeans arrived in the Southeastern region of what would become the United States, grits were already part of the diet for the area's Muskogee tribes. The Native Americans taught the settlers how to grind and cook dried corn into a soft porridge. The abundant and affordable nature of these grits made them a staple for survival and enjoyment. The classic stone-ground grits found in grocery stores today most closely resemble those prepared by the native tribes, having a coarser texture and longer cooking time. 

For traditional preparations, Kinnaird says that stone-ground grits are the best choice for a more luxurious texture and slow-cooking creaminess. Quick-cooking grits cook in about half the time or less (five to 10 minutes versus 20 to 30) simply because they have a more fine grind. Kinnaird prefers using the quick grits for these cheesy truffled grit cakes because of the fine texture they produce, which helps the interior to contrast the crispy outside. 

If you choose to cut the cooled grit mixture into rounds or other shapes with cookie cutters, you will have an assortment of grit "scraps" left over at the end. Rather than toss these aside, Kinnaird likes to turn these into crispy and cheesy croutons. Start by cutting the grit scraps into cubes, then layer them on a small baking sheet lined with parchment and toast them in the oven or an air fryer at 425 F, stirring them a few times until they are extra crispy and golden. The result is the ultimate crouton with cheesy truffle flavor, an extra-crunchy exterior, and a tender bite inside. 

These croutons are delicious atop salads, tomato soup, or casseroles. They also make a great snack by the handful! Give them extra flavor and an added kick by tossing them with garlic butter or chili powder.