Sausage Grits casserole with creamy grits, rolled together with delicious eggs, and hearty sausage, is a unique breakfast casserole that your family is sure to love.
What are grits? Grits are simply ground down corn! Sausage grits casserole is a pretty easy baked dish. Super easy to make, grits are a time honored tradition in a southern family.
Tons of cheese and smothered in butter, there is a lot in this casserole to seriously enjoy! You first make your cheesy grits, add your cooked sausage, and combine with your egg mixture before popping into the oven.
It’s a creamy casserole that can be altered in a lot of ways to eat over and over again. Even if you “hate grits”, this casserole could really change your mind!! This casserole is complimented by a serving of a sweet fruit like cut up strawberries or blueberry breakfast cake.
Sausage Grits Casserole
Scroll to the bottom for a printable version of this post, including all measurements and instructions, so you can follow along in your kitchen without being on your phone.
Here is what you need to gather to get started:
- quick cooking grits
- butter
- ground sausage
- cheddar cheese
- salt
- garlic powder
- thyme
- pepper
- eggs
- milk OR whole cream
- extra salt and pepper
Seasoning Matters: You must, must make sure you season your grits properly. Grits in and of themselves (kind of like oatmeal) is just a grain and requires extra flavors to really bring out the best dish. Do not be afraid to add extra butter, cheese, or bacon on top prior to serving.
RELATED RECIPES: Ninja Foodi Breakfast Cake, Amish Breakfast Casserole, Sausage Hash Brown Casserole, Biscuits and Gravy Casserole, Cinnamon Apple Breakfast Bake, Blueberry Breakfast Casserole, Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole, Ham Hash browns
Variations in Grits Casserole
Grits can be insanely personal to a southern stomach and I am not claiming that this is the ONLY way to cook grits casserole!
Here are some delicious variations for this breakfast casserole so you can bring in the flavors you love the most.
- If you love more meat, up your ground sausage from 1/2 a pound to a full pound.
- Extra Cheese – can you ever have too much cheese?
- Add a half a cup of Rotel OR fresh cut up tomatoes
- Mix with Bacon or Cooked Saute Shrimp
- Change the cheese from Cheddar to Gouda
- Add Cajun seasoning for a bit of a kick
- Insert cut up bell peppers for some color
- Use left over grits from this slow cooker creamy grits recipe
Cheesy Sausage Grits Casserole Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 3/4 cup quick cooking grits
- 1 stick, 1/2 cup butter, divided
- 1/2 pound ground sausage, cooked and drained
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 4 eggs
- 1/4 cup milk
How to make Cheese Grits Casserole
Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish. Set aside.
Cook sausage and drain any excess grease.
Add water in a large saucepan and heat to a rapid boil over high heat. Stir in grits and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Stir frequently and cook for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir in half of the butter until melted. Add 3/4 cup cheese and mix well.
Stir in cooked sausage and remaining salt and seasonings.
Set aside.
Add eggs and milk to a bowl and whisk well.
Pour into a preheated skillet and scramble eggs, until half cooked.
Stir eggs into grits mixture.
Pour casserole into prepared pan.
Dot with remaining butter and bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned.
Top with cheese and return to oven for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Serves 4-6
Can you make Grits Casserole ahead:
Yes, you sure can! You can make sausage grits casserole ahead, prep and put in fridge with foil tightly on dish. Proceed as directed in heating next day.
Serve Grits with other Potluck Dishes
Need more delicious breakfast recipes? I got you!
- Sausage Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole
- Overnight French Toast Casserole
- Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole
- Apple Breakfast Bake with Caramel Sauce
- Blueberry French Toast Casserole
Questions? Feedback? I love when you tell me what you love or what you added to make it better so I can improve my recipes!
Leave me a comment if you make this recipe.
Cheesy Grits Casserole with Breakfast Sausage
Sausage Grits casserole with creamy grits, rolled together with delicious eggs, and hearty sausage, is a unique breakfast casserole that your family is sure to love. Super easy to make, grits are a time honored tradition in a southern family. Tons of cheese and smothered in butter, there is a lot in this casserole to seriously enjoy!
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 3/4 cup quick cooking grits
- 1 stick, 1/2 cup butter, divided
- 1/2 pound ground sausage, cooked and drained
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 4 eggs
- 1/4 cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish. Set aside.
- COOK THE SAUSAGE: Cook sausage. Drain any excess grease and set sausage aside.
- COOK THE GRITS : Add water in a large saucepan and heat to a rapid boil over high heat. Stir in grits and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Stir frequently and cook for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in half of the butter until melted. Add 3/4 cup cheese and mix well.
- Stir in cooked sausage to grits mixture and remaining salt and seasonings. Set aside.
- COOK THE EGGS: Add eggs and milk to a bowl and whisk well. Pour into a preheated skillet and scramble eggs, until half cooked.
- Stir eggs into grits mixture.
- PREP THE CASSEROLE Pour grits/eggs/sausage pan into prepared casserole pan. Dot with remaining butter and bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Top with cheese and return to oven for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Please see article for flavor variations, additions, and extra topping suggestions
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 478Total Fat: 42gSaturated Fat: 22gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 226mgSodium: 1091mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 18g
Nutritional information is automatically calculated with ingredients and serving size and may not be accurate. Please always double check with your own nutritional apps as well.
KIm says
Grits must be made with chicken broth not water! Makes a tinny of difference in flavor
Trisha says
You can def make them with chicken broth, I just dont prefer them that way for breakfast.
Sherlyn says
This is a keeper! Everyone loved it, even if I didn’t read the directions carefully enough and put the butter and cheese on top before I cooked it – it was still wonderful. Thank you for this recipe.
Emily says
I was so excited to see a breakfast casserole without eggs, but it has them. Are they crucial? My husband has an egg sensitivity
Trisha says
Emily, truthfully I have never made this breakfast casserole without eggs. I feel like you COULD make it without the eggs but I havent tested it.
Nina says
Can we make the day before
Trisha says
Grits are pretty tricky when it comes to left overs. I find that the day of is when they are at their creamiest however they SHOULD heat up just fine next day in the oven – might need an extra 5 minutes to offset the coldness of the fridge.