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Cheesy Ham & Grits Breakfast Casserole

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The next time you’re in the mood for a breakfast that’s a little bit different and a whole lot delicious, I’d recommend giving this comforting Cheesy Ham and Grits Breakfast Casserole a try.

Cheesy Ham and Grits Breakfast Casserole with Text Overlay School mornings around here are hectic, so I generally try to whip up big batches of breakfast foods on the weekend for quick reheating on weekday mornings. This typically results a stockpile of things like waffles, pancakes, muffins, granola, and hard boiled eggs. But it’s all too easy to get stuck in a rut, so sometimes, I like to shake things up with a breakfast that’s slightly out of the ordinary.

Close-Up in Glass Dish with Garnish of Parsley Grits may be a stereotypically southern staple, but this cheesy, ham-studded casserole of grits and eggs transcends regional differences. This dish is comparable to a regular egg-based breakfast casserole, but the inclusion of the grits gives it a heartiness and bite that would otherwise be lacking. In simple terms, it’s comforting and filling and just plain good.

Serving of Cheesy Ham and Grits Breakfast Casserole on White Plate This breakfast casserole is fantastic for our aforementioned hectic mornings. At some point during the weekend, I simply bake it up, allow it to cool, cut it into squares, and store those in a container in the refrigerator. Then when each family member is ready for breakfast later in the week, all I have to do is pop their serving into the microwave or toaster oven for a quick reheating. Side of fruit, glass of milk, and breakfast is served!

Aerial View Cheesy Ham and Grits Breakfast CasseroleThis cheesy casserole o’ grits also makes a perfect breakfast or brunch dish to serve to guests, and it would be wonderful on a holiday morning when you want a special breakfast that doesn’t require you to get bogged down in the kitchen. You can actually prepare and bake the whole casserole the night before, then refrigerate it overnight. In the morning, simply cover your dish with foil and stick it in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes. Voilà…a fresh, hot breakfast in a flash!

Close-UpSo the next time you’re thinking about making a yummy, eggy breakfast casserole, consider enhancing it with grits instead of predictable ol’ hunks of bread or hash browns. Even my 3-year-old, who refuses to eat grits when I drown them with butter and honey, loves this breakfast. It’s hearty, it’s comforting, it’s perfect for fall (or winter, or spring, or summer). I hope you enjoy this one, friends!

Cheesy Ham and Grits Breakfast Casserole Recipe

Cheesy Ham and Grits Breakfast Casserole | {Five Heart Home}

Cheesy Ham and Grits Breakfast Casserole

This savory casserole features eggs, grits, cheese, and ham for a special breakfast that's hearty and comforting.
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: grits
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 295kcal
Author: Samantha at Five Heart Home

Ingredients

  • 3 cups milk
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup corn grits
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
  • 8 large eggs
  • 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 cups diced ham

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish with butter or coat it with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a medium pot, mix milk and salt and bring to a boil. Stirring constantly, pour in grits, bring to a boil, and turn down heat. Continue stirring until grits begin to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted.
  • In a large bowl, scramble eggs. Mix in cheese, ham, and grits. Pour into prepared baking dish and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until puffy and golden brown. Serve warm.

Notes

  • If using whole or 2% milk, you may substitute water for 1 cup of the milk, if desired. If using skim milk, go ahead and use all milk.
  • To prepare this casserole ahead of time, bake it, allow it to cool, cover, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, bring casserole to room temperature, cover it with foil, and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes to reheat.
  • You may also bake this casserole, cool, cover tightly, and then freeze it for up to 1 month. Defrost casserole overnight in the refrigerator, bring it to room temperature, and then reheat it in the oven as indicated above (350°F for 15 minutes).
Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 186mg | Sodium: 734mg | Potassium: 183mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 702IU | Calcium: 267mg | Iron: 1mg

Adapted from Perfect Party Food.

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Comments

    • Samantha at Five Heart Home says

      I tend to make the same things for breakfast over and over as well, Abby. This was a nice change for us! Hope your family enjoys it as much as mine has, and hope you’re having a great week! 🙂

      Reply

    • Samantha at Five Heart Home says

      Thank you, Claire! I hope you enjoy it. I enjoy fixing something a little bit different for breakfast every now and then! Hope your weekend is great as well… 🙂

      Reply

  5. Kimberly @ A time to freeze says

    Samantha,
    I’m pinning this! I’m always looking for new breakfast casseroles to take to MOPS for our weekly potluck breakfasts. I have to say I’m a little nervous about the grits part since I’ve never actually made it before, but I think I will give it a try. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

    • Samantha at Five Heart Home says

      You can do it, Kimberly! If you’ve ever made oatmeal or Cream of Wheat, you can make grits. 🙂 Hope this is a hit with your MOPS crew! Thanks for the comment and the pin! 🙂

      Reply

    • Samantha at Five Heart Home says

      I hope you and your hubby enjoy it, Kelsey! This recipe seems to be appealing to grits lovers and non-grits lovers alike. 😉 Thanks so much for stopping by!

      Reply

  7. Morgaine says

    This looks great! My step-dad loves grits, I’ll have to pass this on to my mom. I am not really a grits type of person, however this looks fantastic (I might have to re-try grits with this recipe). Lovely!
    (new follower here!)
    Morgaine @ Madcap Frenzy
    P.S. I would love if you would link up any of your awesome posts at my September Totally Tuesday Link Party
    Hugs!

    Reply

    • Samantha at Five Heart Home says

      I’m glad you’ll be able to pass this recipe on to your mom and step-dad, Morgaine! Even my 3-year-old, who won’t usually eats grits, loves this casserole, so you may find that all of the ham and cheese and eggs disguises the grits enough for your liking as well! 😉 Thanks for the follow and the invite to your party…I just linked up. 🙂 Hope you’re having a great weekend!

      Reply

    • Samantha at Five Heart Home says

      Thanks so much for the comment and the pin, Hannah! I usually make grits with butter and honey, but my whole family really loved this cheesy variation. Hope you enjoy it, too! 🙂

      Reply

    • Samantha at Five Heart Home says

      Thanks, Kelly! I’d never put grits into an egg casserole before this recipe either, but it’s a fun alternative to bread or potatoes. Hope you enjoy!

      Reply

    • Samantha at Five Heart Home says

      Thank you, Deauna…can’t go wrong with a collection of grits recipes! I appreciate you stopping by! 🙂

      Reply

  13. Ginger says

    Ham and grits. Just what a southern girl wants for breakfast. 🙂 I’m stopping by from Monday Funday.

    If you’re interested, I’d love if you shared your casserole over at Gingerly Made’s Show & Tell party going on right now.

    Reply

    • Samantha at Five Heart Home says

      You’re so right, Ginger…this is what a southerner’s breakfast dreams are made of. 😉 And I appreciate the invitation to your link party…I’ll stop by later this evening!

      Reply

  14. Sherri @ MadeFromPinterest says

    I thought I wouldn’t like grits, and then I tasted them in a recipe like this. I fell in love. I was never able to get the recipe, so I am thrilled to find this one now!
    We would love to have you share with us at our weekly Super Saturday Link Party. Your recipes and ideas would be a hit with our crowd. It would be our honor to have you join us!

    Reply

    • Samantha at Five Heart Home says

      I totally agree, Sherri…this is a different way to eat grits that I think many people who don’t usually like grits would enjoy! And thanks so much for the invitation to link up to your party…I’ll definitely check it out! 🙂

      Reply

    • Samantha at Five Heart Home says

      Thanks, Amber…everything is better with cheese, right?! 😉 Even people who have never had or don’t usually like grits tend to enjoy this recipe. I appreciate you stopping by!

      Reply

  16. Holly says

    Can this be made in a crockpot, if you cook grits and then add the items. Just wondering if it would work, so it can cook overnight and already be piping hot when you get up in the morning!

    Reply

    • Samantha at Five Heart Home says

      Hi, Holly…great question! I have never tried this recipe in the crock pot, and I’m honestly not sure if it would work well because of the grits. I know that you can cook grits in a crock pot, and I know that you can cook eggs in a crock pot. But if you put the already-cooked grits in the crock pot with the rest of the ingredients, I’m afraid the grits might become really rubbery as the eggs cooked. I don’t know for sure, so if you decide to try it, please come back and let me know how it worked out! However, if it were me, I would probably choose an egg casserole that uses bread or hash browns instead of grits to cook in the crock pot.

      As I mentioned in the tips and tricks section at the bottom of the recipe, this recipe can be cooked ahead of time and reheated in the morning. It takes a bit of time to reheat, but saves the time it would take to bake and cook the recipe from the beginning.

      Hope this helps…have a great Sunday!

      Reply

      • Holly says

        I will give it a try on a night when we have breakfast for supper, and let you know how it turns out! That way, if it isn’t a success I can always throw some bread in the toaster and scramble some eggs to go with fresh fruit & bacon!

        Reply

        • Samantha at Five Heart Home says

          Ha, Holly…that sounds like a very smart plan! I can’t wait to hear how it goes…you’ve got me really curious! 🙂

          Reply

  17. Dawn Deems says

    I am definitely going to try this recipe over the holidays. Does it matter what type of grits you use (Instant, quick-cooking, regular)??

    Reply

    • Samantha at Five Heart Home says

      Hi Dawn! I just use regular grits but I think any kind should work fine. Thanks for the question…hope you enjoy this dish over the holidays! 🙂

      Reply

      • Dawn says

        Well, I bought the quick-cooking grits; that’s all they had. I made the recipe this morning. It was delicious!! Definitely a keeper! Thank you so much.

        Reply

        • Samantha at Five Heart Home says

          Yay, Dawn…I’m so glad to hear it! Thanks so much for coming back to let me know. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas!

          Reply

  19. Kristen says

    This Southern girl can’t wait to try this grits casserole! Planning to have enough leftover ham from Thanksgiving and will be making this weekend. YUM! Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply

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