We had brunch while we were watching the football game the other day. Andouille sausage, two types of cheese, and a splash of hot sauce add flavor and a little kick to this Sausage and Polenta Egg Bake.
Sausage and Polenta Egg Bake

by
Keywords: bake breakfast egg polenta sausage
I love this creamy and spicy breakfast dish. You can also make it the night before - just put it together up to the point when you are ready to put it into the oven, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Then bake in the morning!
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 10 ounce diced andouille sausage
- 2 cups sliced green onions
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 1/2 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked 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
Instructions:
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.
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.
Preheat oven to 425°. Spread polenta mixture into a 2-quart glass or ceramic broiler-safe baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or just until set.
Preheat broiler to high; remove dish while broiler preheats. Broil 2 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes.
** Simple Substitutions**
- Use chicken andouille sausage (less fat, and fat isn't necessary for this dish)
- Replace whole milk with fat-free milk (this is just as creamy with fat-free milk)
- Use low-moisture mozzarella in place of the cheddar (lower fat mozzarella, as is found in the low-moisture version, is really melty, and this dish is flavorful enough to withstand the loss of the flavor from the cheddar)
- Replace the eggs with egg-beaters or 4 egg whites and one whole egg (easy way to reduce the fat and calories!)
Both spicy and creamy, this is a great way to start the day! And it's so easy, you won't have to spend all day int he kitchen.
Oh, and definitely save the leftovers - they make a fantastic side dish!

Oooooo... I love that you used polenta in this, Susan! :) Sounds delicious!
ReplyDelete