Sausage and Polenta Breakfast Casserole

16 Reviews
ADD YOUR REVIEW
Photo: Johnny Miller; Styling: Heather Chontos
Hands-on Time
25 Mins
Total Time
9 Hours 15 Mins
Yield
Serves 8
By David Bonom
December 2012
RECIPE BY Cooking Light

Andouille sausage, two types of cheese, and a splash of hot sauce add flavor and a little kick to Sausage and Polenta Breakfast Casserole. This make-ahead breakfast casserole is perfect for holiday mornings--just cook and enjoy.

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 10 ounce diced chicken andouille sausage
  • 2 cups sliced green onions
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 1/2 cups fat-free milk
  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked quick-cooking polenta
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
  • 1.75 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (about 1/3 cup)
  • 2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
  • 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • Cooking spray

Nutritional Information

  • Calories 339
  • Fat 12.7g
  • Satfat 6g
  • Monofat 3.7g
  • Polyfat 0.7g
  • Protein 21.7g
  • Carbohydrate 26.4g
  • Fiber 3.9g
  • Cholesterol 167mg
  • Iron 1.8mg
  • Sodium 580mg
  • Calcium 418mg

How to Make It

Step 1

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add sausage; sauté 3 minutes or until browned. Add onions, thyme, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Step 2

Bring milk to a simmer in a large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in polenta and salt; simmer 7 minutes, stirring frequently with a whisk. Remove from heat. Add cheeses; stir until cheeses melt. Place the polenta mixture in a large bowl; let stand 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in pepper sauce and eggs. Add sausage mixture; stir well to combine. Spread polenta mixture into a 2-quart glass or ceramic broiler-safe baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cool to room temperature. Cover surface with plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight.

Step 3

Preheat oven to 425°.

Step 4

Uncover dish. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or just until set.

Step 5

Preheat broiler to high; remove dish while broiler preheats. Broil 2 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes.

Chef's Notes

MyRecipes is working with Let's Move!, the Partnership for a Healthier America, and USDA's MyPlate to give anyone looking for healthier options access to a trove of recipes that will help them create healthy, tasty plates. For more information about creating a healthy plate, visit www.choosemyplate.gov.

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Ratings & Reviews

StceceMD's Review

patricis
February 18, 2013
This was an outstanding breakfast, but would be great for dinner too. My instant polenta had the same grain:liquid ratio, but only required 2-3 minutes to cook, and it was definitely ready far before 7 minutes, but other than that I made this just as written. Reheats well too, so next time I will make a bigger tray and use for weekday breakfasts.

Question???

cookinginpdx
December 26, 2016
For those of you who have already made this does it have the consistency of grits or of that of the more firm mush? Thanks!

Should have made exactly as written

LauraD318
November 05, 2015
Needed more flavor.  Like others said you needed a good quality sausage to bring some flavor to the dish.  I used Italian chicken sausage, but it still needed more zip!  Should have increased the thyme and added some fresh rosemary.  Hubby said "not for me"  Will use the andouille next time.

"I normally don't like polenta, but I LOVE this casserole!"

nwilker
March 18, 2015
I heard this from about 5 different guests at our book club brunch. Maybe it's the eggs? Anyway, it's the first time I've had zero leftovers. I used red wine & garlic chicken sausage (because I am a spice wimp), and instant polenta instead of quick cooking. I found I had to use a lot more milk to get a creamy texture. It was worth the effort. I baked it in a 2.75 qt round dish. I will definitely be making this again, and again, and again.

LauraD318's Review

KillerChihuahua
January 04, 2015
Made this for Christmas breakfast and my family loved it. It was a race for the leftovers the next day. Very easy to prepare and love the make ahead aspect. Last thing I want to be doing on Christmas morning is running around making breakfast. Glad I decided to give this casserole a try.

nwilker's Review

mrsseals
September 21, 2014
I used buffalo sausage and some spanish chorizo (it's what i had in the house), sub-ed out green onion for red onion and added a jalapeno. I also followed others suggestions to skip the thyme, and use a bigger pan. It was pretty tasty! I didn't plan ahead so i just cooked it straight after the cooling step and it all worked out great.

tfontana's Review

agopchick
August 03, 2013
N/A

mrsseals's Review

STmarch
June 16, 2013
It could use a richer flavor. Unfortunately, that would add fat. This is a strong recipe and I agree with others that the type of sausage makes a difference. I purchased a fancy sausage and it helped but i also think the addition of thyme overpowered the dish. I will adjust and try again.

MelissaAukes's Review

KiskiCook
March 28, 2013
N/A

stpage's Review

tfontana
March 10, 2013
Just tried it this morning and it's really good! I was wondering how firm/runny it's supposed to be? I cooked it the recommended time and then left it under the broiler a little longer, and I wasn't sure how to make sure it is done in the middle.
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