This is a recipe based on one of my favorite plant-based dishes from Paperboy, an Austin brunch restaurant that never disappoints. I find myself taking all of our friends that visit here and everyone always gushes about the decor and the food. It’s trendy and cute but the food is actually delicious and reasonably priced so it strikes all the right notes for me. I will admit that I’m one of those people that tends to find a dish at a restaurant I like and then order it over and over again. I did that with Paperboy’s menu item that features grits with mushrooms, kale, and onions the first 3 times I went before I decided to branch out. The combination of the savory bold flavors with the creamy grits and the fact it’s plant-based makes it a total win for me!
Although this dish has a couple moving parts and requires a little multitasking, none of the steps are difficult. I suggest having all your ingredients out and prepped so that moving from one step to the other is seamless. While you’re roasting the mushrooms, make sure to get the grits going. Once the grits and mushrooms are done, the rest comes together quickly!
Whether you’ve been to Paperboy and had their grits with mushrooms, kale, and onions or not, I hope you enjoy this plant-based brunch dish that can be served at any time of day!
Creamy Grits with Roasted Mushrooms, Kale, and Pickled Onions
Course: EntreeCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes30
minutesCreamy grits topped with roasted mushrooms, sautéed kale, sage, and pickled red onions served alongside an egg cooked to your liking!
Ingredients
- Mushrooms
8 oz. shiitake mushrooms, ¼ inch slices
3 T balsamic
2 T soy sauce
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 t brown sugar
2 T olive oil
Salt and pepper
- Grits
½ cup milk or plant-based milk (I used oat milk)
1 T butter or plant-based butter
1 ½ cups of water
½ cup of traditional grits (not quick cook grits)
½ cup of cubed cheddar (or substitute vegan cheddar + 2 T of nutritional yeast)
½ teaspoon of garlic powder
Salt and pepper
- Kale
1 large bunch of kale, stems removed and cut or ripped into medium sized pieces
2 T of butter (plant based if vegan)
1 clove of garlic, minced
15 sage leaves
½ cup of vegetable broth
Salt and pepper
- For Serving
Pickled red onions (we purchased ours from our local produce delivery service but if you’d like to make your own, follow this recipe: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/quick-pickled-red-onions/)
Poached, soft boiled, or fried egg (omit if vegan)
Directions
- Mushrooms
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss sliced mushrooms with balsamic, soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Allow to “marinate” while the oven is preheating. Get started on grits while waiting for oven to preheat (see instructions below).
- Once oven is preheated, spread mushrooms onto rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, tossing halfway through for even browning.
- Remove mushrooms from oven and set aside.
- Grits
- Heat water, butter, and pinch of salt over medium-high heat until water is boiling.
- Once water is boiling, slowly pour grits into water and mix thoroughly. Allow to return to boil then reduce to very low and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes until most water is absorbed. Add milk and allow to cook for 10 more minutes uncovered.
- Once most liquid has been absorbed, add in cheddar (or plant based cheese and nutritional yeast if making vegan) and stir and allow to melt. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
- Kale
- Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat and once oil is shimmering, add garlic and sage and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Add vegetable broth and kale, toss to coat. Cover pan and allow to cook for 4-5 minutes until soft but still bright green.
- Remove cover, add salt and pepper, and cook for 1-2 more minutes until all liquid has evaporated.
- Combine mushrooms with kale and toss together until well combined. Turn off heat and set aside.
- For Serving
- Place grits into bowl, top with mushroom and kale mixture, and pickled red onions. Drizzle with good olive oil and sprinkle with fresh black pepper. Serve with a poached, soft-boiled, or fried egg on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you are vegan and omitting the egg, I suggest serving with a protein of some sort, such as crispy chickpeas or fried tofu.
- If you can’t find shiitake mushrooms at your local grocery store, you can substitute with other types of mushrooms such as portobello or cremini.
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