Don’t have the time to stand over the stove stirring stone ground grits to perfection? My recipe for Instant pot grits is exactly what you need for smooth, creamy, old fashioned southern grits with zero effort or lumps. I’m sharing the best type of grits to use, the ideal cooking liquid ratio, and how nail the texture every time.
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Best Pressure Cooker Grits Every Time
While it’s easy to learn how to make creamy grits, classic recipes are traditionally made by standing at the stove and stirring up to 45 minutes for smooth, creamy stone ground grits. Though delicious, they are impractical on busy mornings or when trying to manage other dishes.
Learning how to make hands-off grits in the Instant Pot still yields that home cooked, hard-earned taste and flavor, but in a lot less time! Use it as a hearty breakfast side dish topped with butter and crispy bacon, or add cheese for indulgent cheesy grits.
This method of making grits also can be a starting point for another southern favorite of our families, crispy baked grit cakes. Grits made in an Instant pot are a great weeknight side dish because it doesn’t require any babysitting. Often, though, I make a batch of holiday mornings, served along side buttery, soft-curdled eggs, and our famous cheesy sausage muffins.
I used Anson Mills coarse ground grits and followed the recipe as written! I stirred and let settled for about five minutes and they were perfect!!!
—Danielle
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(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
Dump, seal, and cook
The trick to not having the grits stick to the liner as they cook is spraying generously with nonstick cooking spray or spreading butter along the bottom and edges of the pot. Pour in the water, salt, grits. Seal and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
Release pressure and finishing touches
At the end of the cooking time just let the pot sit for 15 minutes without releasing pressure. Release any remaining pressure and whisk until the grits are nice and smooth. Then it’s time to add more goodness – like more butter, milk, and of course cheese. It’s impossible for me to not have cheesy grits! Enjoy.
What’s The Best Type Of Grits To Use?
Stone Ground Grits – These had the most consistent results when cooking with an electric pressure cooker. Because this type of grit is more coarsely ground, they have a heartier texture and perform well cooked under such high heat.
Old Fashioned Regular Grits – These are granulated to a medium grind so they cook faster. For that reason, I found them a little inconsistent when cooking in an instant pot. Sometimes they turned out fine, but other times the water absorbed too quickly and the grits stuck to the bottom. If a burn notice appears while cooking old fashioned grits, release pressure and stir. Most likely all the water has been absorbed, so the grits are done.
Quick Instant Grits – The finest ground grit so they cook the fastest, usually in about 5-7 minutes on the stove top. When I tried cooking them in a pressure cooker the water absorbed too quickly, so the grits stick to the liner, resulting in a burn notice. Honestly, any time saved by using an instant pot will be spent cleaning burnt grits off your liner.
Best Type of Liquid To Use
To pressure cook grits use only water, broth, or a mixture of the two. Cooking under pressure with milk or dairy is not recommended because it will curdle and scald.
After the grits have fully cooked use milk, half and half, or heavy cream to achieve that smooth, ultra creamy flavor. The higher fat in added dairy, makes the creamiest, best tasting grits!
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Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. It helps others when searching for recipes and I appreciate feedback from our community. You will always hear back from me! -Melissa
Hands-Off Instant Pot Grits (Smooth & Creamy)
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt, (if using chicken broth instead of water reduce salt to ½ teaspoon)
- 1 cup stone ground grits, (or see recipe notes for other versions)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ½ – 1 cup whole milk, half and half, or heavy cream
- ½ – 1 cup (optional) shredded sharp or medium cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Spray liner generously with cooking spray so grits don't stick to pot. Pour in water first to create a barrier, then add salt and grits. Whisk gently to combine.3 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 cup stone ground grits
- Secure on lid and make sure valve is in sealed position. Cook under HIGH pressure for 10 minutes. After cook time has ended, hit CANCEL, and let pressure release naturally for 15 minutes.
- Remove lid and add butter. Add milk or cream, depending on your preferred thickness. Whisk vigorously to remove any clumps. You may also need to use a back of a spoon to break up any clumps.3 tablespoons butter, ½ – 1 cup whole milk, half and half, or heavy cream
- For cheesy grits add cheddar cheese and stir until blended. If necessary, season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve immediately.½ – 1 cup (optional) shredded sharp or medium cheddar cheese
Notes
Best Grits to Use
Using stone ground grits had the most consistent results when cooking under pressure. Because this type of grit is more coarsely ground, they have a heartier texture and perform well cooked under such high heat. Regular, or old fashioned, grits are granulated to a medium grind so they cook faster. For that reason, I found them a little inconsistent when cooking in an instant pot. Sometimes they turned out fine, but other times the water absorbed too quickly and the grits stuck to the bottom. Instant Grits not recommended.Troubleshooting Burn Warning
If your instant pot stops cooking and says “BURN” while cooking grits, the grits have probably stuck to the bottom of the pot. Hit CANCEL and quickly release any pressure from the pot. Carefully open lid and stir the grits. Most likely there will be a thin layer of stuck on grits on the bottom. At this point I usually test my grits to see if they are cooked. If so, add the butter, milk, and cheese. If they are not cooked, secure the lid back on, and let the grits sit and steam for 15 minutes. Remove lid, stir, and add remaining ingredients. Then remove the cooked grits from the pot and let the liner sit with boiling water and soap to loosen the stuck on grits.This post contains affiliate links. My opinions are always my own. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I make a small commission – at no cost to you. Read full disclosure policy here.
I used Anson Mills coarse ground grits and followed the recipe as written! I stirred and let settled for about five minutes and they were perfect!!!
This is great, Danielle! Thanks for sharing!
Best,
Melissa
I did pot in pot following Quaker old fashioned portions. I cooked 10 minutes Quick Release and grits were perfect.
I love this suggestion. Thanks for taking the time to share!
Best,
Melissa
Used your measurements in 3 qt pot got burn message. Opened it up and added another cup of water. Did not stir just added water. Burn message continued, so the bottom is scorched.
Hi Joyce,
I’m so sorry this happened. I’ve had it happened to me before, not with grits, but other recipes. Sometimes instant pots can be temperamental like that. Were you using stone ground grits? I know when I’ve tried with regular grits they stick to the bottom of the pot more. Sorry for your troubles!
Best,
Melissa