Not Mashed Potatoes, Not Rice — Serve Your Pot Roast Over This Hearty, Quick-Cooking Grain Instead

Pot roast with mashed potatoes? Old news. Pot roast with rice? Been done. Pot roast with baked potatoes? We're getting somewhere. Still, we have to dig deeper to find a new carb to pair with this beefy dinnertime classic. And so we have grits. That creamy Southern staple might be just the thing to give your roast a fresh spin. The hominy-based porridge is most often found on the breakfast table, but it's also been known to make an appearance at suppertime. Shrimp and grits, for example, is a classic, and crawfish and grits might be even better. Plus, many Southerners do swear by the grits and pot roast combo (myself included).

So why does this duo work? Simple. Grits are thick, ideally buttery, and easy to whip up, taking only five minutes to prepare if they're labeled quick or instant, or 15 minutes for the regular kind. When a savory roast and its rich sauce are served over top, each element comes together to form a sumptuous bite. The mild, dynamic flavor of your grits provides the perfect blank canvas for your roast, amplifying those beefy flavors and giving the dish even more comforting, cozy flavor. The best part of this combo, though, is that it's incredibly easy to execute. Simply make a batch of grits with broth, a bit of salt, and butter, then ladle your roast and its sauce on top. And there you have it, a hug in a bowl, and one fine meal to boot.

One of my favorite things about grits is that, really, they can be anything you want them to be. They can be sweet or savory. They can be thick or to the texture of gruel. They can be cheesy or they can be served plain with salt and pepper. The only limit is your creativity. This advantage also applies to its use as a slate for pot roast. You can absolutely serve your pot roast atop a pillow of plain, salted grits. Or, you can use this combo as an opportunity to infuse this comfort food of all comfort foods with even more flavor. My favorite way to do so is by adding cheese to my grits base.

There are many cheeses you can use for this purpose. Parmesan will add a nuttiness and richness that goes well with your pot roast, while cheddar will bring a nice, sharp, savory quality. Goat cheese, while less expected, can add a lovely creaminess and tangy flavor that can really brighten up your dish. And, hey, you can always use a trusty package of Boursin cheese in one of its many great flavors (which we've ranked). Not feeling cheese? Not to fret. Adding ghee or brown butter to your grits will give them a rich, toasty flavor that will seriously elevate the dish. You can also feel free to add aromatics, such as onions (caramelized would be nice) or garlic for more bite. The possibilities for preparing grits to accompany pot roast are as endless as your appetite will be when you serve this combo.