Grits and sausage casserole is full of creamy grits, chunks of sausage and melty cheese for a hot, hearty breakfast that’s great for the holidays or anytime!

A small spatula lifting out a piece of sausage grits casserole from a baking dish.

I feel like today’s recipe is what you’d get if overnight cheesy grits casserole and everyone’s favorite sausage and egg casserole had a baby.

Or maybe if you swapped out the hash browns for grits in the classic hash brown breakfast casserole.

This grits and sausage casserole stands all on its own though. It’s a Southern classic after all!

(Today’s version has made its way through many a home. And into my home from friends and also a Taste of Home magazine cut out.)

We’ve got creamy grits, hearty chunks of sausage and then just enough eggs and cheese to tie it all together.

A baked grits and sausage casserole with fresh parsley on top and sprigs of parsley to the side for garnish.

It’s just 6 simple ingredients for this recipe and it’s easy to prep. (Plus, you can make it ahead of time if needed. Score!)

It gets bubbly and cheesy and hot and delicious as it bakes, with a delightful crust around the edges.

It makes a perfect addition to your Christmas morning spread and works great for any holiday breakfast or brunch.

Or even as breakfast for dinner!

Finally, to note, this recipe is gluten-free as is. Makes it a great one to add to the menu if you've got a crowd and people with a variety of dietary needs.

OK, let’s get cooking.

Ingredients laid out in separate bowls for making a cheesy sausage and grits casserole.

Cooked, crumbled pork sausage in a skillet with a wooden spoon resting in it.

A mixing bowl with a mixture of eggs and milk and seasonings.

A mixing bowl with grits topped with shredded cheddar cheese and pork sausage crumbles before being mixed together.

A large baking dish with a grits and egg mixture before being baked.

Now, I’ve got some notes and tips coming up below on how to make grits and sausage casserole. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

Ingredient Notes:

Grits: I use and recommend quick-cooking grits for this recipe. I haven’t tested it with instant grits. You could try regular grits or stone-ground grits, but your cooking time will be different.
Sausage: I use regular pork sausage, like Jimmy Dean; the kind that comes in a large round roll. You could also substitute turkey sausage. But it does need to be cooked and crumbled to use in this recipe, so please plan accordingly.
Sausage heat: I tend to make this casserole with all mild sausage, but you could definitely use one mild and one hot or all hot sausage if you prefer.
Cheese: Shredded cheddar cheese is my go-to, but you could mix it up and use Monterey Jack cheese or a Mexican blend cheese for this casserole if you’d like.
Milk: Using whole milk, 2% or half and half adds some extra creaminess and richness to this casserole. However, skim milk or a fat-free half and half would be fine, too.

Baked grits and sausage casserole in a large baking dish with chopped fresh parsley on top.

Very versatile.

Since this is the holidays, and we’ve got a lot happening, let’s talk about how you can make life easy and prep this in advance.

Make Ahead Tips:

Prepare the entire casserole as directed. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Remove from the refrigerator and uncover as you preheat the oven.
Bake as directed, adding an additional 5-10 minutes to the bake time to ensure the casserole gets hot. (Add the last bit of cheese in the last 5 minutes.)

A spatula resting in a baking dish with a grits breakfast casserole that's been sliced and has one large piece removed.

And if you need some additional dishes to serve with this, I recommend this Christmas coffee cake and you can be sure everyone will love this French toast casserole.

Also, no one seems to mind when I make a batch of these homemade biscuits. They are the best!

On the lighter side, this brunch salad with greens and fruit pairs nicely with breakfast foods. (A basic fruit salad would be good here, too.)

Don’t forget the bubbly! These poinsettia cocktails are light and pretty and perfect for the holidays.

Finally, let’s talk about what to do with any leftovers.

A slice of a breakfast casserole with grits and sausage and cheese on a plate with fresh fruit.

A fork resting on a bite of a sausage egg and grits casserole on a plate with fresh fruit to the side.

Storage Tips:

Once cooled, the leftovers will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
Reheat individual servings in the microwave. I usually start with 45 seconds and then check it and add additional time as needed.
You can also freeze the leftover cooked casserole. Place individual servings in a freezer safe bag or container - make sure to label and date it - and freeze for up to 3-4 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight then reheat in the microwave.

There you have it!

I hope this makes the holidays a little less stressful and a little more delicious.

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

Yield: 12 servings

Grits and Sausage Casserole

Name: Grits and Sausage Casserole
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 cups water; 1 cup quick-cooking grits; 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided; 2 tablespoons butter, sliced; 2 lbs. pork sausage, cooked and drained; 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided; 3 large eggs; 1 1/2 cups whole milk; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Grits and sausage casserole is full of creamy grits, chunks of sausage and melty cheese for a hot, hearty breakfast.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

3 cups water
1 cup quick-cooking grits
¾ teaspoon salt, divided
2 tablespoons butter, sliced
2 lbs. pork sausage, cooked and drained
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
3 large eggs
1 ½ cups whole milk
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Slowly whisk in the grits. Add ½ teaspoon salt and stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so the grits don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
Once finished cooking, add the butter and stir until it’s melted and incorporated.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked grits, cooked sausage and 1 ½ cups of the shredded cheese.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and the whole milk. Add the black pepper and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt.
Add the egg mixture to the grits mixture and stir until well combined. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 55 minutes to 1 hour, until set. Add the remaining ½ cup shredded cheese and bake 5 more minutes, until melted. Let the casserole stand for 5-10 minutes before serving so it sets up fully.

Notes

Grits: I use and recommend quick-cooking grits for this recipe. I haven’t tested it with instant grits. You could try regular grits or stone-ground grits, but your cooking time will be different.

Sausage: I use regular pork sausage, like Jimmy Dean, the kind that comes in a large round roll. You could also substitute turkey sausage. But it does need to be cooked and crumbled to use in this recipe, so please plan accordingly.

Sausage heat: I tend to make this casserole with all mild sausage, but you could definitely use one mild and one hot or all hot sausage if you prefer.

Cheese: Shredded cheddar cheese is my go-to, but you could mix it up and use Monterey Jack cheese or a Mexican blend cheese for this casserole if you’d like.

Milk: Using whole milk, 2% or half and half adds some extra creaminess and richness to this casserole. However, skim milk or a fat-free half and half would be fine, too.

Make ahead tips:

Prepare the entire casserole as directed. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Remove from the refrigerator and uncover as you preheat the oven.
Bake as directed, adding an additional 5-10 minutes to the bake time to ensure the casserole gets hot. (Add the last bit of cheese in the last 5 minutes.)

Leftovers: Once cooled, the leftovers will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave. I usually start with 45 seconds and then check it and add additional time as needed. You can also freeze the leftover cooked casserole. Place individual servings in a freezer safe bag or container - make sure to label and date it - and freeze for up to 3-4 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight then reheat in the microwave.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 388Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 138mgSodium: 919mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 21g