finding time for cooking

for the time-starved or curious culinary adventurer

  • Recipes By Type
    • Appetizers, Dips, & Snacks
    • Bread Recipes
    • Breakfast Goodies
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes & Veggies
    • Sauces, Spices, & Other Basics
    • Snacks
    • Full Recipe Index
  • Drinks: Cocktails & More
    • Best Cocktail Gifts: For the At-Home Bartender or Mixologist
  • Whatcha Need??
    • Foods I’m Obsessed With
    • 30 Minutes or Less…for the Time-Challenged Cook
    • What Bread To Make (Based on Your Time)
    • Gluten-Free Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Super Healthy
    • Cooking for One
    • Soup
    • Unleavened Bread Recipes
  • About Me & More
    • Get In Touch!
    • How-Tos
    • Kitchen Tools I’m Obsessed With
    • Food and Travel—Two of My Favorite Things
    • Bunion Surgery Recovery Tips
    • Tips for Liver Detox / Gut Health Protocol

Cheesy Sausage & Grit Casserole

November 15, 2015

Sorry, friends. There’s no way to make this dish look pretty in pictures. But it IS super yummy!

I’m always on the lookout for new breakfast casserole recipes for our Friday morning work breakfasts, particularly ones that don’t take a million different ingredients and a lot of assembly time (because let’s face it, I get home late).  This one is is simple, affordable, and comes together super quickly.

Sausage & Grit Breakfast Casserole

Funny story about this recipe though…the original recipe instructions just say “boil salted water, then add grits”.  Because my background is pasta, where you heavily salt the water (then, obviously, pour a lot of it out), I boiled the water and tossed a handful of salt in, and of course salted my sausage and added (salty) cheese.  The result?  So salty, it was almost inedible.  It WAS kind of inedible, in my opinion.  Lesson learned—follow the instructions on the package!

sausage & grit breakfast casserole ground turkey spices

Preheat oven to 325 F.  Saute the sausage (or the meat and spices, if you’re making your own), breaking it into small pieces.

sausage & grit breakfast casserole onion

sausage & grit breakfast casserole turkey sausage

When the sausage is almost done, add the diced onion and continue to saute for a few more minutes until the onions are soft and the sausage is cooked through.  Drain to remove excess fat (if there is any—if you used turkey or chicken, there shouldn’t be).

Yes, ground chicken or turkey will look weird. So weird. Let’s move on now.

sausage & grit breakfast casserole grits cooked

How you cook your grits will depend on the kind you have, so follow the directions on your grits package carefully.  I used 5-minute quick grits, so it was super easy.  Bring water to a boil on medium-high, add the salt and grits, bring mixture back to a boil, then turn down to low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.

sausage & grit breakfast casserole grits butter

sausage & grit breakfast casserole grits cheese

When the grits are done, add the butter and stir in until totally melted, then add the egg and 1 cup of the cheese to the grits.

Sausage & Grit Breakfast Casserole done

The easiest way to combine everything is just spread the sausage and onions in the bottom of the greased 9×13 pan, then pour the grit mixture over the top and gently stir everything together.  Garnish with the remaining cheese, paprika, and parsley.  Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the casserole is bubbly and lightly brown on top.  Let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.

The casserole can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking (it also freezes well).

Cheesy Sausage & Grit Casserole

  • 1 cup of uncooked grits
  • 4 cups of water
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 pound of ground sausage (I used ground turkey or chicken, with its own spices; see below)
  • 4 green onions or 1 sweet onion, chopped
  • 1/2 stick of butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 teaspoon of paprika
  • 1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped

Spices for sausage (if you’re making your own; per pound of meat)

  • 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon of dried sage
  • 1/2 tablespoon of smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon of red chili flakes
  • 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon of sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
Preheat oven to 325 F.  Saute the sausage (or the meat and spices, if you’re making your own), breaking it into small pieces.  When the sausage is almost done, add the diced onion and continue to saute for a few more minutes until the onions are soft and the sausage is cooked through.  Drain to remove excess fat (if there is any—if you used turkey or chicken, there shouldn’t be).
Follow the directions on your grits package carefully—I used 5-minute quick grits, so I brought my water to a boil on medium-high, added the salt and grits, brought the mixture back to a boil, then turned down the temperature to low, covered, and cooked for 5 minutes. Easy peasy.
When the grits are done, add the butter and stir it in until totally melted, then add the egg and 1 cup of the cheese to the grits.  Stir everything together, then combine with the sausage mixture and pour into a greased 9×13 pan.  I actually just spread the sausage in the bottom of the greased 9×13 pan, then poured the grit mixture over the top and gently stirred everything together.
Garnish with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, paprika, and parsley.  Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the casserole is bubbly and lightly brown on top.  Let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.

The casserole can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking, and it also freezes well.

Original recipe here

Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Recipe Experimentation

« Almond Cake with Fruit Compote (gluten-free)
Bourbon Vanilla Banana Bread with Candied Walnuts »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Me

Welcome to my little corner of the internet! I created this blog for people who love cooking & baking but are challenged to find the time and energy to do it. Recipes run the gamut from super healthy to indulgent, but the focus is on using REAL food no matter what.

Follow Along!

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Recent IG Adventures!

This air fryer frozen salmon is in the running for This air fryer frozen salmon is in the running for "meal I make the most"...once I found a great source of high-quality frozen salmon filets, mastering how to cook them quickly in my air fryer *from frozen* was the next step. No weird thawed mushy watery texture here...just a delicious, healthy, fast weeknight dinner!

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this photo to see how to make it!
#salmonrecipe #airfryer #airfryerrecipes #weeknightdinner
This grapefruit cardamom gin cocktail is the perfe This grapefruit cardamom gin cocktail is the perfect drink to ease our descent from summer into fall...bright, tart, and balanced with a bit of warm spice!

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this photo to get the recipe! --> @findingtimeforcooking

#gincocktails #drinkrecipes #grapefruit #cocktailrecipes
This Asian-inspired ground chicken (or turkey) has This Asian-inspired ground chicken (or turkey) has become a weeknight go-to for me, and makes awesome leftovers that I don't find an excuse not to eat at the office 😜

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this pic to get the (like, 10-minute) recipe!

#mealprep #leftovers #groundchicken #asianinspired
Remember that blueberry simple syrup I talked abou Remember that blueberry simple syrup I talked about a few weeks ago?? Yeahhhh it also makes a pretty awesome twist on a gin smash cocktail. 

To get the recipe, click the link on my IG bio and tap on this photo --> @findingtimeforcooking
#gincocktails #blueberries #easycocktails #drinkrecipes
This super easy coffee cake is packed with fresh a This super easy coffee cake is packed with fresh apricots and dark cherries--the perfect way to use your late summer stone fruit bounty! It's also pure comfort food, with the most addictive cinnamon crumble topping 😍

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this photo to get the full recipe!
#coffeecake #apricots #brunchgoals #darkcherry
Meet your new summer iced coffee fave 🎉 I'm see Meet your new summer iced coffee fave 🎉 I'm seeing espresso tonic pop up on menus all over the U.S., and this blueberry basil espresso tonic takes things to a whole new level! It's super easy to make, refreshing, and unique...the perfect afternoon pick-me-up or mocktail any day.

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this photo to see the recipe! -->@findingtimeforcooking
#espressotonic #mocktails #icedcoffeerecipe #espresso
Even though I tend to consider blueberries a mid-t Even though I tend to consider blueberries a mid-tier berry at best, I've been a tad bit obsessed with this blueberry simple syrup the past month or so...it's easy & versatile, and makes delicious iced coffee drinks, cocktails, and more. And yes, those recipes are forthcoming 😜

Tap the link in my IG bio & click on this photo to get the (super fast & easy) recipe! --> @findingtimeforcooking
#blueberries #blueberrysyrup #simplesyrup #foodblogfeed
This super easy one-bowl cake is kind of like an a This super easy one-bowl cake is kind of like an all-in-one strawberry 🍓 shortcake...just top with fresh whipped cream! A great way to use up juicy strawberries that are starting to go soft, and a perfect summer dessert.

Tap the link in my IG bio & click on this photo to see the recipe!
#strawberries #summerdessert #easydessert #bakingfromscratch
I've been on a roll with new summer cocktails late I've been on a roll with new summer cocktails lately, and this apricot mint gin cocktail is a WINNER. The key is an apricot syrup made from roasting fresh apricots (for a cake, which is also amazing), rather than a brandy or liqueur. Trust me, it's worth that extra step!!

Get the recipe by clicking on the link in my IG bio and tapping on this photo! 
#summerdrink #gincocktails #cocktailsofinstagram #cocktailrecipes
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Popular Posts

Roasted Brussels Sprouts “Rubble”: The Easiest, Fastest, Most Delicious Way to Eat Them

Berry-Basil Smash (A Refreshing Gin Cocktail)

Food Travel Postcard: Motovun, Croatia

The Best Healthy Chocolate Cornstarch Pudding

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recent Posts

  • How to Cook Frozen Salmon in the Air Fryer…a…
  • Grapefruit Cardamom Gin Cocktail
  • Asian-Inspired Ground Chicken or Turkey…Perf…

Categories

  • Appetizers, Dips, & Snacks
  • Bread Recipes
  • Breakfast Goodies
  • Cooking for One
  • Desserts
  • Drinks: Cocktails & More
  • Eating Out
  • Family Secret Recipes
  • Food-Related Miscellany
  • Foods I'm Obsessed With
  • Gluten-Free Recipes
  • Go-To Recipes
  • How-Tos
  • Kitchen Gear
  • Main Dishes
  • Pasta Recipes
  • Recipe Experimentation
  • Sauces, Spices, & Other Basics
  • Side Dishes & Veggies
  • Snacks
  • Soup
  • Super Healthy
  • Travel and Food
  • Uncategorized

Privacy Policy & Disclosures

Copyright & Terms of Use

Copyright 2023 Finding Time For Cooking

1 shares