Cheesy Grits and Spinach Casserole with Bacon is a comforting side dish recipe for any occasion!
Good morning friends! Happy Memorial Day weekend. I hope you guys have had a wonderful weekend so far, and are getting ready to stuff your faces full of juicy cheeseburgers and chilled potato salads. That sounds pretty heavenly to me!
I’m not going to say that this cheesy grits and spinach casserole with bacon is the best thing to serve for Memorial Day. It’s more of a comforting, Sunday dinner type of side dish. This is why I’m sharing it with you today! Served along side the perfect roast beef and mixed greens salad, this grits and spinach casserole is full of delicious goodness.
I’m kind of a casserole freak. While the number one reason I love them so much is because they are so darn easy, the heartwarming feeling you get from eating a casserole right out of the oven can’t be matched. Ever since I made my baked polenta with chicken parmesan and my goat cheese polenta with balsamic mushrooms, I wanted to do something more rustic and involve grits. The cheeses just make this dish, but the crispy bacon and buttery grits just send it over the edge.
Pair this casserole with a brown ale. A brown ale has that comforting quality while not being too heavy and overpowering. It pairs perfectly with a comforting dish as this. Recipe is below! Have a wonderful weekend! xo
Cheesy Grits and Spinach Casserole with Bacon
Servings:
12Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cup grits I used Trader Joes' brand
- 8 slices of bacon chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 8 ounces fresh spinach
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese grated
- 3/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with a non-stick spray. Set aside.
- In a large pot, combine the chicken broth, whole milk and heavy cream. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Stir in the grits, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until thick. Stir the grits occasionally.
- While your grits are cooking, prepare your bacon and spinach mixture. In a large skillet, add the bacon. Cook over medium heat until crispy, about 8-10 minutes and then remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving the bacon grease in the pan. Transfer the bacon to a plate that has been lined with a paper towel. With the pan left over medium heat, add the onion. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until tender and then stir in the spinach. Season with salt and black pepper. Cook until the spinach has wilted, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat.
- When the grits have cooked through, stir in the butter, 3/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese and a dash of salt and black pepper. Stir until the cheese and butter have melted. Next, stir in the spinach mixture.
- Pour the grits into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle with bacon.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
14 Responses
This casserole looks amazing! So comforting and delicious!
Thanks, Kelly!
Stunning photos- this looks to die for :)
Thanks, Medha!
Trying this out this weekend, it looks amazing!!!
I see this is an older recipe. I’ve made it with thawed chopped spinach, squeezed dry, and transferred to crockpot to serve and keep warm. Now, I’m facing another brunch for 30, and want to know if anyone has ever made the night before and reheated in a low oven, say 325, for apx an hour? I can’t think of a reason it wouldn’t work, and that way I could make two large casserole. Thoughts anyone? This is my favorite grits recipe ever, and I’m from the Deep South!
Can you make the cheesy grits spinish casserole the day before and bake the next morningb
This looks awesome! Can you tell me if I can make it ahead and freeze it?