Make these Cheesy Keto Cauliflower grits as a guilt-free way to enjoy southern cooking. This dish is the perfect base for cajun shrimp or even a basic tomato sauce if you want a simple and basic meal that all members of the family will enjoy.
Ingredients:
This is a cauliflower-based recipe, making it perfect for your keto and gluten-free diet. It also is lower in calories than your standard grits recipe for a guilt-free food.
- Cauliflower: Take a full head of cauliflower and finely rice it to copy the texture of grits. You can also use frozen riced cauliflower instead.
- Cheddar Cheese: 6 oz. of freshly-shredded medium cheddar cheese will be needed for this dish. Remember to freshly shred it yourself, as a bag of pre-shredded has an added starch agent on it that will prevent the cheese from melting nicely.
- 2% Milk: Adding milk to the grits will make them creamy.
- Butter: Adding butter will make the grits incredibly creamy and decadent.
- Salt & Pepper: This will bring out the flavor of all the ingredients. Salt will further mask the flavor of the cauliflower.
How to Rice Cauliflower
There are a few options when it comes to ricing your cauliflower. You can rice it yourself, or you can buy frozen riced cauliflower.
Getting the cauliflower to the correct consistency when ricing is the most important part of this dish. Use the medium-fine section of a cheese grater to get a fine rice on a head of cauliflower.
You want to get a fine rice on the cauliflower so that it comes to the consistency of grits. If you rice the cauliflower too fine, you will end up with mashed cauliflower.
Play around with your cheese grater to the the consistency of riced cauliflower that you’re looking for.
Another way to rice cauliflower is to use a food processor and to use the “chop” button. Process until you get to the consistency you’re looking for.
If you don’t have the time to rice your own cauliflower, buy the frozen riced cauliflower from Bird’s Eye in the freezer section. Most grocery stores will carry this product. It’s riced consistency is the perfect texture that you will need to replicate grits.
Another option to speed up the prep for these grits is to prep the cauliflower ahead of time. Rice the cauliflower and store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days, or in the freezer for up to six months.
How to Make Cauliflower Grits
After ricing your head of cauliflower, put in a pot over medium heat with your milk, butter and salt and pepper. I used about half a teaspoon or salt and freshly-cracked pepper, but I recommend salting and peppering to taste.
Heat the riced cauliflower, butter, milk, salt and pepper over medium heat and cover the pot for about 7 minutes, stir every couple of minutes to keep the milk from curdling. Taste the grits for done-ness. Add more seasoning if desired.
Once the grits are cooked, take the pot off the heat and add in the cheese. Stir it in and the cheddar will melt into the cauliflower with the residual heat.
Garnish with more cheese and serve with salt and pepper on the side.
How to Reheat Keto Grits
Reheating grits is quite simple and easy. If you have leftovers, simply store in an airtight container and put into the fridge. When ready to reheat, you can either use the microwave or the stove.
If your keto grits look a little dry or need a bit of moisture, add in some water or broth. Because you are reheating, expect for some moisture from the grits to be lost. Eyeball some water or broth (your choice) into your grits and reheat.
- Microwave: Place in a microwave safe bowl and add a little bit more milk so that the grits won’t be dry. Microwave for thirty seconds and then stir. Microwave for another minute and then stir.
- Stovetop: Empty the container into a saucepan. Reheat over medium, stirring ever couple of minutes. Add a bit more milk if the grits look dry. Serve while they are hot.
What to Serve with Cheesy Cauliflower Grits
Struggling to decide what to serve with these grits? Grits are a staple for Southern cooking but will compliment many other sides as part of a whole dish.
My personal favorite way to eat grits is BBQ Shrimp & Grits – a Cajun classic. To make the shrimp for this dish, just sauté some shrimp (fresh or thawed) in a spicy tomato sauce and serve on top of the grits.
You can also serve these grits as a breakfast dish by adding poached eggs on top.
Making “Regular” Grits
If you want to make grits with regular ground corn for a treat, or you need a break from your keto diet, you can still use this recipe. Just replace the cauliflower with polenta. Boil the polenta with broth or water until tender and then stir in the cream, butter and cheese.
Taste your grits and season with salt, pepper, more cheese and butter if desired.
More Keto Recipes
Looking for more keto recipes?
Did you make this dish? How did it turn out? Tell me below in the comments.
Cheesy Cauliflower Grits
Course: Easy Recipes, Side DishesCuisine: Southern, AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes10
minutes150
kcalIngredients
1 head cauliflower
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup milk
Directions
- Rice the head of cauliflower. Shred the block of cheese.
- Heat the riced cauliflower, butter, milk, salt and pepper over medium heat in a covered saucepan for about 7 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
- Once the grits are cooked, take them off the heat and add in the cheddar cheese and stir. The residual heat will melt the cheese into the dish.
- Serve while hot and garnish with extra cheese, salt and pepper.
