• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Simple Vegan Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Vegan Recipes
  • Get the vegan starter guide!
  • YouTube
  • Podcast
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Simple Vegan Recipes » Savory Vegan Breakfasts

    One Pot Vegan Grits Casserole with 'Sausage' Mushrooms

    Published: Nov 8, 2023 by Becky Striepe · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Recipe Video Print
    wooden spoon serving a scoop of vegan grits casserole
    bowl of vegan cheese grits casserole with a spoon
    wooden spoon serving a scoop of vegan grits casserole, text overlay
    image collage showing adding the spinach, cheese, and vegan butter to the pan; adding the cooked mushrooms; topping with cheese; and the vegan grits casserole after baking with the cheese melted

    A hearty, cozy vegan grits casserole with sautéed mushrooms that taste like sausage! It's a perfect breakfast or brunch casserole for a weekend morning.

    bowl of vegan cheese grits casserole with a spoon
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients and substitutions
    • How to make vegan grits casserole
    • Helpful tips
    • Storage directions
    • Frequently asked questions
    • More vegan grits recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    This sausage-y cheesy vegan grits caserole is perfect for treating your friends and family to a comfort food brunch. It's easy to make, and there's only one pot to clean after you clean your plate!

    One thing you should know about this recipe: it is NOT health food. It's greasy, a little bit salty, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Cheese grits are supposed to be decadent!

    To minimize the number of pans you'll need for this recipe, you make the sausage mushrooms in your 3.5 quart Dutch oven (or a similar-sized pot that can go from stovetop to oven), then reuse the same pot to cook the grits.

    Rinse the pan between uses, but don't worry about totally cleaning it out. A little bit of the sausage seasoning in the grits won't hurt anything.

    grits, vegan cheese, mushrooms, and other grits casserole ingredients in bowls on a white table

    Ingredients and substitutions

    • olive oil - To sauté.
    • button mushrooms - This is going to be your "sausage."
    • smoked paprika - Gives the mushrooms a smoky, umami flavor.
    • garlic powder - Makes things delicious!
    • fennel seeds - This really brings the sausage flavor.
    • quick grits - You want the kind that cook in five minutes. You can use regular grits and just follow the directions for four servings, but I don't recommend using instant grits.
    • baby spinach - Or other quick wilting greens.
    • vegan cheese shreds - These go into the grits AND on top! Use your favorite: mozzarella, cheddar, pepper jack, etc!
    image collage showing the mushrooms before and after cooking and the grits in the pan before and after boiling

    How to make vegan grits casserole

    Preheat the oven to 350° F, then make the sausage mushrooms.

    Heat a Dutch oven to medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, salt, and all of the spices and cook, stirring, for about seven to nine minutes, until the mushrooms soften and begin to brown. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

    Rinse out the pan and return it to the stove. You don't have to scrub it, just give it a good rinse.

    Now, make the vegan cheese grits.

    Add the water to the same pot you used for the mushrooms, and bring it to a boil. Add the grits, and cook on medium-low, covered and stirring occasionally, for five to seven minutes, until they thicken.

    When the grits are done cooking, turn off the heat and add the vegan butter, spinach, a cup of the vegan cheese shreds, and the cooked mushrooms to the pan. Stir well to melt the butter and cheese and wilt the spinach.

    Top with the remaining cheese, and bake the vegan grits casserole for 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

    image collage showing adding the spinach, cheese, and vegan butter to the pan; adding the cooked mushrooms; topping with cheese; and the vegan grits casserole after baking with the cheese melted

    Helpful tips

    • Rinsing the pan between cooking the mushrooms and the grits just gets rid of any excess seasoning which would give your grits a reddish color.
    • Do be sure to stir the grits a few times as they cook, scraping the bottom of the pan when you do. Stirring prevents lumps and scraping keeps the grits from sticking to the bottom as they cook.
    wooden spoon serving a scoop of vegan grits casserole

    Storage directions

    Store leftovers either in the pan you cooked in or in an airtight container. They'll keep for three to four days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.

    Frequently asked questions

    What can I add to grits besides butter?

    Oh my gosh, so many things! I love adding veggies, like spinach or corn. You can add non-dairy cheese. And, of course, you want to use salt and black pepper!

    More vegan grits recipes

    • overhead photo of a grits bowl with tofu, tomato, green onion, and avocado slices on a wooden table
      Grits Bowl with Avocado and Baked Tofu Strips
    • bowl of vegan grits topped with tomato, green onion, and mushroom bacon
      Vegan Cheese Grits with Mushroom Bacon
    • baked grit cakes on a white plate next to a vegetable and tofu scramble
      Baked grit cakes with corn and jalapeño

    📖 Recipe

    bowl of vegan cheese grits casserole with a spoon

    Vegan Grits Casserole

    A hearty, cozy vegan grits casserole with sautéed mushrooms that taste like sausage! It's a perfect breakfast or brunch casserole for a weekend morning.
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Keyword: vegan cheese grits, vegan grits casserole
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour
    Servings: 4
    Author: Becky Striepe

    Ingredients

    For the Sausage Mushrooms

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 8 ounce package button mushrooms - sliced
    • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
    • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
    • ½ teaspoon salt

    For the Vegan Cheese Grits

    • 4 cups water
    • 1 cup quick grits
    • 2 tablespoons vegan butter - or olive oil
    • 4 cups baby spinach - packed
    • 7 ounces vegan cheese shreds - divided - Use any variety you like!
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350° F.

    Make the sausage mushrooms.

    • Heat a Dutch oven to medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, salt, and all of the spices and cook, stirring, for about 7 to 9 minutes, until the mushrooms soften and begin to brown. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
    • Rinse out the pan and return it to the stove. You don't have to scrub it, just give it a good rinse.

    Make the cheese grits.

    • Add the water to the same pot you used for the mushrooms, and bring it to a boil. Add the grits, and cook on medium-low, covered and stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until they thicken.
    • When the grits are done cooking, turn off the heat and add the vegan butter, spinach, 1 cup of the vegan cheese shreds, and the cooked mushrooms to the pan. Stir well to melt the butter and cheese and wilt the spinach.
    • Top with the remaining cheese, and bake for 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

    Video

    Notes

    Store leftovers either in the pan you cooked in or in an airtight container. They'll keep for three to four days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Grits Casserole
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    396
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    21
    g
    32
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    6
    g
    30
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    0.03
    g
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    5
    g
    Sodium
     
    934
    mg
    39
    %
    Potassium
     
    273
    mg
    8
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    46
    g
    15
    %
    Fiber
     
    5
    g
    20
    %
    Sugar
     
    1
    g
    1
    %
    Protein
     
    6
    g
    12
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    3574
    IU
    71
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    9
    mg
    11
    %
    Calcium
     
    88
    mg
    9
    %
    Iron
     
    3
    mg
    17
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe? Share your photo!Mention @GlueAndGlitter on Instagram or Twitter!

    About Becky Striepe

    Headshot of Becky Striepe in front of a teal wall

    Hi there! I'm Becky Striepe (rhymes with sleepy), and I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here.

    Learn more about me >>>

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Got a question? Tried this recipe? Leave a reply! Cancel reply

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

      Recipe Rating




    1. Gwen

      April 29, 2021 at 4:45 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Becky! I've been meaning to come back and leave you a rating and comment for this recipe. We all loved it, it was such a comfort meal. Thanks for the introduction to cooking with grits, I'll be using them more now!

      Reply
    2. Elise

      October 02, 2020 at 4:43 pm

      Sounds great, thanks for the tips. Looking forward to making it. One question though. Are you supposed to add the mushrooms back in before you bake it? Thanks.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        October 05, 2020 at 8:46 am

        Yes! Thank you for asking this. I've edited the recipe to reflect that, too.

        Reply
    3. Bryan Martinez

      January 08, 2019 at 1:57 pm

      5 stars
      I'll have to make this recipe for breakfast soon! Maybe I'll have enough time to make it tomorrow haha thank you

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        January 09, 2019 at 12:12 pm

        Yessss treat yourself!

        Reply
    4. Dianne

      January 02, 2019 at 9:28 am

      5 stars
      Thank Dave for thinking of this idea, because it's pure genius! I'm definitely making it for brunch this weekend!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        January 05, 2019 at 4:58 pm

        Haha I will pass that along to him. He will be delighted to hear it!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    About Me

    photo of Becky Striepe
    Hi! My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”). I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here. → READ MORE

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    As Seen On: Buzzfeed, How Stuff Works, Parade Magazine, Follow Your Kind Podcast, Peta, Curiously Veg Radio, Shape Magazine

    About

    • About Becky Striepe
    • Privacy Policy
    • About the Ads
    • Video Blogging FAQ

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Trending now

    • glass jar of soy yogurt on a blue table with the Instant Pot in the background
    • photo of vegan spinach artichoke dip in the baking pan. A hand is dipping a cracker into the pan.
    • overhead photo of air fryer tofu in a blue bowl with green onions sprinkled on top
    • buffalo cauliflower on a blue plate
    • serving dish of air fryer brussels sprouts on a marble tabletop
    • bowl of air fryer kale chips with ranch seasoning
    • Vegan Cheesy Crackers are crunchy, savory, and remind me of vegan Cheese-Its, but without the animal cruelty.
    • jar of coconut curry sauce with some sauce running down the side of the jar
    • package of hemp tofu on a wooden countertop

    Copyright Notice

    All content Copyright © Glue & Glitter/Cattington Inc. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. You may post a short excerpt and/or one photo, as long as you provide clear credit and a link back to the original recipe or tutorial post at glueandglitter.com. Please do not repost recipes in full without my express permission.

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Glue & Glitter