Yesterday morning, I found myself reaching for grits in the pantry for the second time this week. But, this time, I wanted to put a spin on things! And that’s when I spotted the sweet potato; it was almost calling to me. I straight up added roasted sweet potatoes, along with a little ginger and cinnamon to buttery creamy grits. The end result is straight up comfort.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
How to Make Sweet Potato Grits
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wrap the sweet potato in a layer of aluminum foil, place it on a small rimmed baking sheet, and bake until a fork or knife easily pierces the flesh, about 35-45 minutes.
Step 2: Meanwhile, bring the broth and milk to a simmer over medium heat.
Whisk the grits into the broth. Don’t worry about all the liquid, it will reduce as the grits expand. Cook, whisking often, until thick and creamy but with a little bite, 25-30 minutes.
Step 3: Once fully cooked, unwrap the sweet potato and peel it. Transfer the flesh to a blender or food processor, then pulse until smooth. Add grits to the blender and continue to pulse until creamy and fully incorporated.
Step 4: Transfer grits back into the saucepan, turn the heat onto low, and add the butter, ground ginger, and cinnamon. Mix until fully combined.
Step 5: Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve while hot with additional butter.
P.S: Some folks swear by rinsing their grits in order to remove any lingering chaffs (dry, scaly protective casings found on seeds of cereal grains or similar fine plant material). But, I personally don’t always feel the need.
Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Sweet Potato Grits Recipe
Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?
I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup stone ground yellow grits
- 4 tbsp salted butter plus more for serving
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- pinch of ground cinnamon
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wrap the sweet potato in a layer of aluminum foil, place it on a small rimmed baking sheet, and bake until a fork or knife easily pierces the flesh, about 35-45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring the broth and milk to a simmer over medium heat.
- Whisk the grits into the broth. Don’t worry about all the liquid, it will reduce as the grits expand. Cook, whisking often, until thick and creamy but with a little bite, 25-30 minutes.
- Once fully cooked, unwrap the sweet potato and peel it. Transfer the flesh to a blender or food processor, then pulse until smooth. Add grits to the blender and continue to pulse until creamy and fully incorporated.
- Transfer grits back into the saucepan, turn the heat onto low, and add the butter, ground ginger, and cinnamon. Mix until fully combined.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve while hot with additional butter.
Notes
How to Store and Reheat Leftover Grits
The best way to store leftover sweet potato grits is in an airtight container or sealed bag. Just be sure to cool the grits to room temperature before storing! Once correctly stored, they can last up to 3 days in the fridge. The best way to reheat leftover grits is on the stovetop. To do so, place the leftovers into a small saucepan set over medium heat. Add enough milk, broth, or plain water to make the sweet potato grits soft and creamy again. Continue to stir as you reheat, and that’s it boos! Quick n’ easy.Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Whisk Often: For the creamiest grits, whisk ‘em like your life depends on it – almost constantly. This keeps things smooth and lump-free.
- Season Gradually: Since we’re using salted butter, make sure to taste as you go. Grits can soak up a ton of flavor, so don’t be shy about adjusting the salt and pepper.
- Slowly Pour Your Grits: When adding your grits to the broth and milk, pour them in slowly while whisking. This helps prevent clumps and makes for a smoother texture.
- Keep It Warm: Sweet potato grits can firm up as they cool. So if you’re not serving them right away, keep them warm over low heat and stir in a splash of milk or broth to keep them creamy.
Recipe Help
That happens even to the best of us! If your grits are too watery, keep cooking them over low heat, stirring often. They’ll thicken up as they cook. You can also add a bit more stone-ground grits if you need to soak up the extra liquid.
Avoid instant grits like the plague – they just don’t have the same texture or flavor. They cook up too fast and can be mushy. Stick with stone-ground y’all!
Sure can! Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and swap out the whole milk and butter for your favorite plant-based alternatives. Almond or oat milk works great, and any vegan butter will do the trick.
pinterest 
facebook 
twitter 
email
I LOVED these. So creative. Thank you for sharing!
nice twist, another dimension to the traditional grits recipe and I already like those but really love sweet potatoes so thank you!
I love this variation, it’s so comforting and delicious! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
I love this variation of grits! Sweet potatoes make everything taste better, and what a pretty color.
Fantastic way to use up all those sweet potatoes. Heathy and delicious!
Absolutely delicious sweet potato recipe; thank you for this fantastic recipe! I will make it again!!
Being southern girls too, this recipe was right up our alley and turned out great! Thanks for sharing it.