Grits and Sausage Casserole

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

PRINT PIN Save

No ratings yet

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

Prep Time20

Cook Time1

Total Time1 30

Yield: 12 servings

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

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or follow me on Instagram @familyfoodonthetable and tag me in your photo!