Grits and Sausage Casserole

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Grits and Sausage Casserole

Grits and Sausage Casserole is the ultimate breakfast and brunch entertaining casserole anytime of the year. Each bite is filled with sausage, cheese, grits, and spices for an insanely delicious bite that will have your family begging for more. Plus, it's so simple to prep in about 20 minutes which makes feeding a crowd incredibly easy.

Servings: servings

Calories: 347kcal

Ingredients

1 pound ground breakfast sausage
1 cup quick-cooking grits
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon dried sage
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
6 large eggs
¼ cup salted butter melted and slightly cooled
½ cup milk
¼ cup sliced green onions optional garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13"x9" baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
In a large skillet, cook and crumble sausage over medium heat until browned and cooked through. Drain any excess fat and set aside.
In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Stir in grits and salt, and reduce the heat to low. Cook the grits, stirring periodically, for 5-7 minutes until thickened.
Pour the melted and slightly cooled butter in a large bowl. Transfer the cooked grits into the bowl. Add the remaining seasonings, and stir until well combined.
Add 2 cups of the cheese, and stir until the cheese is melted and well combined.
Gradually stir milk into the grits mixture.
Add the eggs to a medium bowl and beat lightly with a fork. Temper the eggs by adding 2 tablespoons of the grits and whisking quickly. Repeat this process 3 times.
Stir in the tempered eggs and cooked sausage until everything is evenly combined.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining shredded cheese.
Bake 35-40 minutes, or until the casserole is set and the top is golden brown.
Allow the casserole to cool for a few minutes before serving. Sprinkle sliced green onions on top, if desired.

Video

Notes

Tips:

- Swap the protein. You can also use fresh chicken sausage or turkey sausage instead of breakfast sausage for a healthy swap in this sausage casserole.

- Be sure to use quick cooking grits. This is essential to getting the right texture and also to cut down on the prep cooking time. You will cook the grits first to make sure they hydrate well prior to baking.

- Add other veggies. You can also add greens, like wilted spinach, or veggies like bell peppers.

- Make it spicy. Add hot sauce or diced and minced jalapeno for a little kick of heat!

- Use a different cheese. Any shredded cheese would truly be delicious here, gruyere, Swiss, or fontina are some of our other favorites.

- If your grits are too thick. Prior to baking, if your grits are too thick be sure to add additional water or milk. They should be easily spoonable prior to baking.

Storage:

For the Fridge: Cool to room temperature then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat with a dash of milk in the microwave until warmed through to rehydrate the grits.

In the Freezer: You can store this also in the freezer after it has cooled to room temperature for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then rewarm in the oven or microwave adding more milk or water as needed to soften the grits and help them come back to the right texture.

You can assemble this casserole a few hours in advance and store in the fridge. We don't recommend making it too many hours ahead of time since the grits can get hard and then when baked aren't as creamy.

Nutrition

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