Cheesy Tomato Grits with chiles and bacon is a super easy, ready in 25 minutes, side dish that is perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. With grits, cheese, tomatoes, green chiles, and bacon, this is an over-the-top Southern comfort recipe!
One of the first recipes I ever posted on Lana’s Cooking was my favorite Cheese Grits. I grew up eating grits pretty much every week. Sometimes, several times a week. Grits are as quintessentially southern as fried chicken and pimiento cheese.
If you’ve never had grits, I do wish you’d give them a try. They’re really just ground corn, first cousins to the famous Italian polenta. If you like cornbread, you’ll probably like grits.
I always recommend trying a regional Southern brand such as Dixie Lily or Jim Dandy, and never, ever, under any circumstances use “instant” grits. Just no.
A southern breakfast wouldn’t be quite complete without grits to go along with your fried eggs and bacon (or sausage!). But don’t think they’re only breakfast food. By no means! One of the more popular ways to serve grits outside of breakfast is with fried fish.
Grits are also delicious with other things mixed in. Like cheese. Or greens – turnips, mustard, or collards. Or as I’ve prepared them in this recipe with crispy bacon, plum tomatoes, green chiles, and sharp Cheddar cheese.
Serve these tomato cheese grits with any protein – chicken, fish, and pork are best – or topped with a fried or poached egg for the main course on its own.
Recipe Snapshot: Cheesy Tomato Grits
Cuisine: Southern
Cooking Method: Stovetop
Total Time: 25 Minutes
Servings: 4
Primary Ingredient(s): Grits, bacon, tomatoes, green chiles, cheese
Skill Level: Easy
What Makes This Recipe Special
This recipe is a beautiful combination of Southern ingredients. The bacon provides a smoky base and the rendered fat carries that flavor through the entire dish. The tomatoes add a gently tangy acidity, while the green chiles bring just enough warmth to keep things interesting without overwhelming the other flavors.
Then a handful of sharp cheddar cheese ties it all together. The cheese melts into the grits and gives you a lovely rich, creamy texture.
It’s also practical in that everything cooks in one skillet, and it comes together in about 25 minutes. That makes it just as useful for a quick dinner as it is for a weekend brunch.
Ingredient Notes
This post may contain affiliate links. Lana’s Cooking is reader-supported and earns a tiny commission at no extra cost to you when you shop from our links.
- Bacon – Use your favorite breakfast bacon. My preference is Smithfield brand original.
- Green onions — Make sure they’re nice and fresh; remove any wilted or bad spots.
- Chicken broth — Canned or boxed is fine, but if you have homemade use it! I prefer the Swanson brand of canned broth.
- Salt and pepper — Well, of course. They’re the classic combination for almost all cooking.
- Quick-cooking grits — If you have a regional brand such as Jim Dandy available, use those.
- Plum tomatoes — I prefer canned plum tomatoes for this recipe, but you can peel and dice fresh tomatoes if you have them.
- Canned green chiles — Any brand you like; my preference is Hatch.
- Cheddar cheese — I almost always choose extra sharp cheddar.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Either quick grits or old-fashioned grits work fine in the recipe. You can also use stone-ground grits, which are actually my favorite, but they take quite a bit longer to cook. Just don’t use instant grits. Just no. Not ever. For anything.
- Adjust the heat by choosing mild, medium, or hot green chiles.
- Swap the cheddar for Gruyère or Swiss if you want a slightly different flavor profile.
- Stir in a tablespoon or two of butter at the end for a richer finish.
You’ll also find this recipe in my cookbook!
You can see this recipe on page 51 of my cookbook, My Southern Table! Get your signed copy today.
How to Make Tomato Chile Cheese Grits
STEP 1. Cook the bacon in a deep skillet over medium high heat until brown and crisp – about 8-9 minutes.
STEP 2. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Keep the bacon fat in the pan.
Want to save this?
I'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
STEP 3. Add the sliced green onions to the hot bacon fat and cook for a minute or two until slightly softened.
STEP 4. Add the broth, salt, grits, diced plum tomatoes, and green chiles to the pan.
STEP 5. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently.
STEP 6. Stir in 4 ounces of the Cheddar cheese. Serve immediately, topped with the remaining cheese and bacon to garnish.
Recipe Tips
- Stir the grits occasionally while they cook to prevent clumping and ensure a smooth texture.
- If you think the grits are getting too thick, add a small amount of broth or water to loosen them.
- Grate your own cheese for the best melting results.
- Taste before serving and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Serving Suggestions
- These grits are really fantastic with grilled shrimp (for a quasi shrimp and grits), grilled chicken, or a ham steak. They’re not bad with pork chops, either 🙂.
- Top a serving with a fried or poached egg for a standalone main dish.
How to Store
Store leftover grits in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a little water or broth to loosen the texture as needed. Stir well while reheating to keep them smooth.
Freezing is not recommended.
Questions About Cheesy Tomato Grits
Yes! One of the great things about grits is that they store and reheat very well. You may find that they need a little liquid added when reheating. Just stir in some water a little at a time until you get the desired consistency.
Leftover grits store really well, but usually need thinning with a bit of water when reheating. They’re easily reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop (stir often to prevent sticking).
Grits are simply ground corn. More specifically, they’re made from dent corn. The corn kernels are dried, then the outer hull is removed and the remaining kernel is ground to create grits.
They’re somewhat similar, yet very different products. Grits are made from white corn and polenta from yellow corn. Polenta is also coarser than grits. In my opinion, they are not interchangeable and can’t be expected to perform the same in recipes.
More Grits Recipes to Try
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
Thank you for stopping by. It means a lot to have you here.
Do More With ChatGPT
Recipe
Cheesy Tomato Grits
Ingredients
- 2 slices bacon cut crosswise in 1/2-inch pieces
- 3 green onions sliced
- 29 ounces chicken broth (2 14.5 ounce cans)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup quick cooking grits not instant
- 14.5 ounces canned plum tomatoes drained and diced
- 4 ounces canned diced green chiles lightly drained
- 6 ounces extra sharp Cheddar cheese grated
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a deep skillet over medium high heat until brown and crisp – about 8-9 minutes.2 slices bacon
- Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Keep the bacon fat in the pan.
- Add the sliced green onions to the hot bacon fat and cook for a minute or two until slightly softened.3 green onions
- Add the broth, salt, grits, diced plum tomatoes, and green chiles to the pan.29 ounces chicken broth, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 cup quick cooking grits, 14.5 ounces canned plum tomatoes, 4 ounces canned diced green chiles
- Bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir in 4 ounces of the Cheddar cheese. Serve immediately topped with remaining cheese and bacon to garnish.6 ounces extra sharp Cheddar cheese
Notes
- Use quick-cooking or old-fashioned grits for this recipe, but never instant grits. Instant grits will not give the proper texture.
- If using stone-ground grits, increase the cooking time and add additional liquid as needed.
- Cook the bacon until fully crisp, so it holds its texture when added back at the end. Leave the rendered bacon fat in the pan, as it provides essential flavor for the entire recipe.
- Stir the grits occasionally while cooking to prevent clumping.
- If the grits become too thick during cooking, add a little warm broth or water, a few tablespoons at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Grits will continue to thicken as they sit.
- Use freshly grated cheese for the best melting and smooth texture. Pre-shredded cheese can result in a slightly grainy finish.
- Taste before serving and adjust salt only if needed, especially since both bacon and broth contribute saltiness.
- For a richer finish, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter at the end of cooking.
- Leftovers will firm up in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding water or broth a little at a time and stirring until creamy again.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
I don’t think about grits. So thank you for the reminder. This would make a GREAT side dish and definitely different for me to fix.
I still haven’t come around to grits, even after 5 years of living in the South! I’d be willing to try your recipe, though, as it looks fantastic :) I have never made my own grits, perhaps that’s my mistake… Bookmarked!!
I still remember the scenes from My Cousin Vinny where they talk about grits: “No self-respecting southerner would ever use instant grits!” That line sticks in my head. I love this take on classic grits, Lana!
These sound perfect! We love grits and I’m always looking for new ways to fix them!
This recipe is pure comfort food! Looks delicious Lana!
Thanks, Martha. And you’re definitely right – this is pure southern comfort!
I love grits, but definitely do not eat them often enough. I love that these are accented with so much goodness!
We love grits here, too, Heather. This recipe is a great way to dress them up for a change.
This recipe sounds delicious. A new way to use an old Southern staple.
Thanks, Neena
It’s really, really delicious! Hope you’ll try it.
I never really loved grits but after having some incredible creamy grits in New Orleans earlier this month I’m officially a believer! I need to try my hand at some at home. This looks delicious and of course there’s bacon, what’s better than that?
Bacon makes everything better!
We have a joke in my family because the first time my mom met my now-husband who’s from Virginia, she asked him if his mom cooked a lot of grits going up :) I feel like I should make these for him- they look delicious!
I bet he’d like this recipe, Sues!
Oh, that looks like a wonderful dish to serve if you have a crowd. It will easily multiply and go with so many different entrees. Change up the spice profile a bit and it can compliment just about any cuisine.
Thanks.
Miss P
Yes, exactly!
This northerner doesn’t know much about grits, but your recipe is very tempting!
They’re just one of those southern staples that we can’t do without!
what a great way to use green chilies
I think so, too!
I gave grits a try for the first time when visiting a friend in Georgia a couple of years ago. I love them now! Must try these!
Of course, I’ve been eating them my whole life and I love them, too!