Grits Dumplings

Once you’ve tried homemade grits dumplings, you might be wondering what the heck you’ve been doing with your life. They’re like traditional dumplings, but instead of just flour, the bulk of the dry mixture is made of quick-cooking grits. Once you assemble the dumplings, you’ll steam them and then add them to any soup or broth you like. This recipe has a pretty simple flavor profile, so it’s easy to customize the dumplings to the broth you're planning to use with spices added to the dry mixture, scallions swapped for the onion, or a bit of hot sauce stirred in with the milk.

Grits Dumplings
More versatile than you might think, quick-cooking grits turn into lighter-than-air steamed dumplings. Float them in a big bowl of broth or soup for a satisfying meal. Once you get the hang of these dumplings, feel free to add your favorite spices for a twist. Get the recipe:Grits Dumplings. Photo: Jennifer Causey
Hands On Time:
5 mins
Total Time:
30 mins
Yield:
Serves 3 (serving size: 3 dumplings)

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup uncooked quick-cooking grits

  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon grated yellow onion (from 1 small onion)

  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

  • ½ cup whole milk

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt

  • Cooking spray

  • Warm broth or soup, for serving

Directions

  1. Stir together grits, flour, onion, and baking powder in a heat-resistant bowl until combined. Place milk, butter, and salt in a small saucepan; bring to a boil over high, stirring occasionally. Pour over grits mixture, stirring to combine. Let stand 5 minutes.

  2. Fill a large pot with water to ½-inch depth; bring to a boil over medium-high. Coat a steamer basket with cooking spray.

  3. Shape grits mixture into 9 balls (about 2 tablespoons each). Place in prepared steamer basket. Place basket in pot of boiling water, making sure water does not touch bottom of the basket. Cover and cook until dumplings are puffy and slightly firm to the touch, about 15 minutes.

  4. Transfer dumplings to serving bowls. If dumplings stick together, gently pull or cut them apart. Pour warm broth or soup over dumplings in bowls, and serve. (Dumplings will expand in broth.)

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

317 Calories
13g Fat
42g Carbs
5g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Calories 317
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 13g 17%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Cholesterol 34mg 11%
Sodium 774mg 34%
Total Carbohydrate 42g 15%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 5g

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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