This is one of those comforting dishes I’ve ever made and it works all year round. Loved by all and a great crowd pleaser!
This rustic casserole is where creamy Parmesan-infused polenta meets sautéed garlic spinach, tender sausage, and melted Gruyere. Perfect for cozy family dinners especially on cold fall and winter nights, it’s baked to golden perfection and can be elevated with sautéed mushrooms for a gourmet twist.
Enjoy!
Creamy Polenta Casserole with Sausage and Spinach
Mia Florea
This hearty and flavorful dish combines velvety polenta with layers of sautéed spinach, savory sausage, and rich Gruyere cheese. Perfect for cozy family dinners, it’s baked to golden perfection and can be elevated with sautéed mushrooms for a gourmet twist.
To prepare the sausage, cut them into 1 ½ inch pieces, make a cross slit on each end, and sauté in a saucepan with the olive oil. Cook them until browned and cooked through.
Remove the sauage and add the garlic and spinach. Cook until softened. Set aside.
To prepare the polenta, bring the water to a boil, add the salt, and slowly pour in the cornmeal, mixing continually for about 20 minutes on low heat. Then remove from the heat and add the butter, sour cream, and parmesan.
In a cast iron or a deep dish, place a layer of creamy polenta, sprinkle on half the spinach and a few sausages. Then add half the gruyere cheese. Top with another layer of polenta and the remaining spinach and cheese. When layering, ensure the dish isn't overfilled as polenta expands slightly when cooked.
Place the rest of the sausages on top and bake in a preheated oven at 180° C/356° F for about 20 minutes.
Enjoy!
Notes
Tip: You could add about 3 cups of sautéed mushrooms to the layers. Chanterelles, for example, will elevate this dish.
I'm a business graduate turned Pastry Chef with a passion for cooking savory dishes as well. My culinary journey began in 2011 after the birth of my first daughter, and I haven't looked back since.
I spent 17 years in the Gulf Region, including Dubai and Qatar, where I had the privilege of working with 'The Cooking Academy.' During my time there, I served as a teacher for various classes and briefly took on the role of General Manager.
After the pandemic, I launched my own project, 'Baked by Mia,' a cooking platform that came to life in 2020. The goal of this platform is to encourage everyone to bake more, focusing not on the perfection often associated with being a pastry chef, but on embracing and enjoying time spent in the kitchen with family and friends.
Hi Kelly,
It’s a super delicious recipe that we’re sure you’re going to love. Re sausage: our chef used smoked pork sausages for this recipe, but fell free to experiment with other types of sausages.
Very flavorful and filling. It hits all the right notes for me. 👍
Can’t wait to try this! Can you tell me what sausage to use? I wasn’t sure what dry thin sausage meant.
Hi Kelly,
It’s a super delicious recipe that we’re sure you’re going to love. Re sausage: our chef used smoked pork sausages for this recipe, but fell free to experiment with other types of sausages.
Very flavorful and filling. It hits all the right notes for me. 👍