A warm, hearty bowl of creamy grits is topped with sautéed, bacon-y collard greens, blistered tomatoes, crispy bacon, goat cheese crumbles, and finished off with a fried egg. It really is a cozy, fall hug in a bowl. I can't get enough.
I really crave foods that transport me to fall time, and this dish does just that. Grits and Greens with Blistered Tomatoes is packed with flavor, texture, creaminess, and as much cozy that can fit in one bite.
Ingredients You'll Need for Hearty Grits and Greens Bowls
How to Make Grits and Greens Bowls
Grits - If you're not a big fan of grits, I love to make this bowl with either creamy polenta or mashed potatoes. However, I think most people don't like grits because they've had bad experiences with them. Add lots of butter, salt, and milk.. before fully counting them out.
Collard Greens - I've never tried this recipe with anything other than collards, because I just love them. But, I'm sure this would be great with either sautéed kale, spinach, or even mustard greens.
Bacon - There are so many ways to change this bowl up. I love to make it with country ham, andouille sausage, chorizo, and so many other protein options.
Goat Cheese - Feta cheese is also a great option.
Tomatoes - I just love the juiciness and sweetness of the blistered tomatoes, but you can change it up for whatever you like. You can even skip this ingredient if you're not a fan of tomatoes.
Fried Egg - If you're not a fan of eggs, feel free to skip this.
More Recipes to Get You in the Fall Spirit
I don’t know why, but when I think of fall, I also think of salted caramel. It just feels like the perfect season for a salted caramel brownie, a hot caramel latte, or warm caramel drizzled over ice cream. Here’s the best & fool-proof Salted Caramel Sauce.
For the pumpkin spice lover, here’s a homemade & super simple Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte with a homemade pumpkin spice syrup. Forget the Dunkin’ or Starbucks drive thru. I’ve got you covered.
A huge fan of pumpkin, but not of gluten? Yeah, ditto. Check out the Ultimate Pumpkin Bread Recipe that is gluten free, or can be made regular - if you’re into that sort of thing. It’s heavenly, so tender & moist, and packed with allllll the fall flavors. It’s not tooo sweet and has the perfect amount of spice. YUM. and YUM.
As it gets cooler outside, a warm meal is just what I crave. A fall comfort food for me is Sloppy Joes with lots of saucy goodness. This recipe is truly the best and only one you’ll ever need. Trust me on this.

Grits and Greens Bowls with Blistered Tomatoes
Ingredients
Instructions
- For crispy bacon crumbles: Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a sheet tray with aluminum foil. Place 6 pieces of bacon on the lined sheet tray and bake for 16-17 minutes, or until it reaches your desired “crispiness.” Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain and cool. Once cooled, chopped into smaller pieces and set aside for topping.
- For the collards: In a frying pan over medium-low heat, add remaining 2 strips of chopped bacon and render the fat off. Raise the heat to medium-high and allow the bacon to get crispy. Add the olive oil, garlic, and collard greens and stir to combine. Cover and allow the collards to steam and soften, about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sometimes I add a little splash of water to help the collards steam. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- For the grits: In a pot, cook 1 cup of quick cook grits according to package instructions. Once cooked, add in the butter, salt, and half and half (or milk.) Add as much milk as you prefer to thin the grits to your desired consistency - add more milk for thinner grits. Set aside.
- For the blistered tomatoes: Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat with the olive oil. Once hot, add the tomatoes and let sit for 2 minutes without stirring. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper, and stir. Let cook and blister 2-3 more minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and set aside.
- To assemble: Portion out grits into bowls, top with collard greens, blistered tomatoes, goat cheese crumbles, chopped crispy bacon, and a fried egg. Enjoy!
Notes
- This meal is great for leftovers, and I love to make a big batch of all the toppings to store in the fridge for the week. I do like to cook the grits fresh for each meal, but they still warm over well if you have leftovers - just add a little extra water or milk when reheating.
- Depending on what I’m feeling, I like to change up the proteins. Try this recipe with crispy bacon, country ham, andouille sausage, chorizo, or so many other options.
With love & buttercream,
Hannah Catherine
Mention @rosemarywhisk or tag #rosemarywhisk!
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