These Instant Pot Grits are a creamy, rich and delicious classic Southern favorite made in minutes using the Instant Pot.
There are few things as quintessentially southern as a bowl of grits. I’ve always loved them for breakfast alongside some scrambled eggs or even topped with an easy garlic shrimp for lunch or supper. They are a definite workhorse to keep in your pantry!
For years, I’ve made my easy grits recipe on the stovetop or in my slow cooker, but recently have loved making them in my Instant Pot. They turn out perfectly every single time!
What are Grits?
Grits are mature corn kernels that have been ground into coarse pieces. There are a few different types available on the market.
Types of Grits
- Stone-Ground – Made by coarsely grinding whole dried corn kernels between the two stones of a grist mill. When ground using this method, a few larger pieces of the corn hull, called the chaff, remains and gives a signature appearance when cooked.
- Hominy Grits – are a type made from hominy. Hominy is corn that has been processed where the hull and germ have been removed. For this type, the hominy is coarsely ground into grits.
- Regular and Quick Grits – are processed to cook quickly and easily and to last for an extended period. Regular grits have a medium grind while Quick grits have a finer grind for smaller bits.
- Instant Grits – have been even further processed by being finely ground, precooked and dehydrated.
How to Make Instant Pot Grits
To make this recipe, you’ll need:
Ingredients
- stone ground grits – you can also use the hominy type
- water
- salt
- cream or half and half
- butter
Step by Step Instructions
- Prepare your Instant Pot by spraying with olive oil or non-stick cooking spray.
- Add water to the Instant Pot, followed by the grits and salt.
- Stir well to combine.
- Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to HIGH setting.
- Cook at high pressure for 10 minutes, then allow them to naturally release pressure, which will be about 15 minutes.
- Once they’ve cooked and the pressure has released naturally, carefully remove the lid.
- Add the cream (or half and half) and butter to the cooked grits. Stir well to combine.
- Serve with additional butter and shredded cheese if desired.
Note: If your grits are a bit too “soupy” for your taste after cooking them, you can use the Sauté option on the Instant Pot. Cook them with the top off just until the excess water releases.
Your grits will be creamy, buttery and delicious! And they are so versatile, they are perfect for breakfast or supper.
Optional Add-Ins
I think you’ll love these optional additions – they are some of our favorites!
- Cheese – Cheese grits are absolutely delicious. Depending on how you are serving them, they are delicious with various cheeses. Add cheddar cheese for breakfast or brunch. Gouda and Parmesan are perfect additions when served with fish or seafood. When making one of these, stir in about 1/2 – 1 cup of cheese at the same time as adding butter.
- Pimento Cheese – A classic Southern dish, Pimento Cheese Grits are absolutely out of this world! Simply add 1/2 cup of pimento cheese at the end of cooking at the same time you add the butter.
- Bacon – Stir in chopped cooked bacon along with a bit of cheese, if you like, for a full meal in one!
More Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
Eggs Benedict with Easy Hollandaise Sauce
Here’s my Instant Pot Grits recipe. I hope you love them as much as we do!
Instant Pot Grits Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups stone ground grits
- 8 cups water
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 cups cream or half and half
- 6 tablespoons butter, + more for serving
Instructions
- Spray inside of Instant Pot with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray. Add water, grits and salt. Stir well to combine. Secure the lid to the Instant Pot and set to HIGH setting for 10 minutes with natural pressure release, about 15 minutes.
- Once the grits have cooked and the pressure has released naturally, carefully remove the lid to the Instant Pot. Stir in the cream and add the butter. Serve with additional butter and cheese if desired.
Notes
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Not sure why other people are having issues with this being soupy. I have made this recipe at least a half dozen times without any issues. Could it be the type of grits they are using, measuring cup issues, or IP problems? I am not sure but, I do know that these are the best grits that I have ever made. And using the IP is great unless you like standing at the stove for 20 minutes to cook your grits. LOL This is one recipe that I have gotten off Pinterest that I use continually without any changes. Thank you very much for this wonderful recipe. Before when I wanted grits I would go to a restaurant, now I can make them at home.
Thank you so much, Dale. I make these all the time, too, by this recipe and I never have any problem. It could be the grits they are using or difference in the Instant Pot or not letting them release naturally or maybe they are expecting stiff grits instead of creamy. I’m not sure but I am so glad it works every time for you, too.
A big old thanks!
I never had a pressure cooker before. My mind is thinking of all kinds of things to cook and then I found you!
Thanks much, gmom
Anita, I hope you find many useful Instant Pot recipes here. Thanks.
Delicious! I loved them and the ease of making them. Thank you!
Thanks, Trish. I love making grits in my Instant Pot.
Absolutely perfect, grits are creamy, no lumps. At first I thought they were too soupy, but I added more butter, some cream cheese, whisked them, consistency was great.
Thanks so much, Linda. I make these grits this way all the time and they are always creamy.
Works great using the pot-in-pot method. No burn!
Thanks. I’m so glad it worked well for you, too.
I’ve been cooking grits for 50 years or more, but we just got an 6 qt. Instant Pot, so I thought I’d try it. I had several misgivings, it looked like too much water and too much salt, and I was concerned that without stirring, the grits would stick to the bottom. It was also way more than I normally make, but I like to put the leftover in a small loaf pan and refrigerate it, then fry the slices. So I went ahead with stone ground bloody butcher heritage breed grits, but did use half the salt. A few minutes into cooking I got a “burn food” alert on the display. I looked this up on the web and found I should release pressure, stir, and resume cooking. I did, but got the alert a second time. At this point I decided to finish in a separate pot on the stove, and added a bit more grits as it was very soupy. It was still a bit thin when it was finished and too salty for my taste, but I do love the bloody butcher corn. Very flavorful. Cleaning the bottom of the pot will be a bit of a chore. In the future, I will make a smaller batch with the same proportions as I usually do, but will put the grits, water and salt in a stainless bowl that just fits inside the Instant Pot, put a couple of cups of water in the pot and proceed, rather like a pressure cooker double boiler. No stirring or cooked grits on the bottom.
You just cannot have 8 cups of water to a 1/2 cup of grits. This will never work. Maybe there is a typo in the directions.
Lawrence, the recipe is for 1 1/2 cups of stone ground grits.
As so many have stated – way too much water, unless you’re looking to make grits soup. Wish I’d read the comments before making.
That being said, the flavor, and the cook, were spot on. I’ll just reduce the amount of water next time.
I made them in my instant pot and they were indeed very soupy with only 7 cups of water., I spent about 20 minutes stirring them after the 15+ minutes of natural release. I ended up adding a couple of single serve packages of plain instant grits to thicken them. I then added butter and about 1/2 cup half & half.
I guess I should have read the reviews. My grits are soupy, way to much water. I hope that after they sit a while they will thicken up.
Doris, I am sorry your grits were too soupy. I make these all the time and have never had them be soupy so I am not sure what is happening. You can see the consistency mine are in the photos. Make sure your pressure release switch is in the sealed position and then once the grits have cooked, the pressure should release slowly. It should take about 15 minutes for the pressure to release.
What is the serving size?
Serving size of grits is 1 cup, Regina.