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Creamy Sausage and Spinach Casserole
Chopped smoked sausage and ten ounces of fresh baby spinach go into a béchamel made with Gruyère, sharp cheddar, heavy cream, and fresh thyme. Drop biscuits made from cornmeal and buttermilk sit on top, baking into golden rounds that soak up the sauce at their base while staying tender above. Two cheeses go into the biscuit dough as well, so every bite carries flavor through. Ready in 90 minutes, serves 10 — holds well for a slow weekend morning.
Equipment
- Oven
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 lb. smoked sausage, chopped (such as Conecuh)
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 8 oz. Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
- 4 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
- 10 oz. fresh baby spinach
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup finely ground yellow cornmeal
- 1½ tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. baking soda
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt
- ¼ cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
- 4 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup whole buttermilk
Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 400°F. Brown the chopped smoked sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Getting a good sear on the meat builds the savory flavor base for the whole dish. Move the cooked sausage to a paper towel-lined plate and set it aside.
- 2Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over low heat, then whisk in the flour until completely smooth. Cook for 1 minute while whisking constantly to cook out the raw flour taste. Slowly whisk in the whole milk, heavy cream, fresh thyme, salt, and black pepper.
- 3Increase the heat to medium and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, whisking frequently until the mixture becomes thick and bubbly. Stir in the shredded Gruyere and sharp Cheddar cheeses until they melt into a smooth sauce.
- 4Fold the fresh baby spinach and the browned sausage into the cheese sauce until everything is evenly combined.
- 5Take the Dutch oven off the heat. Transfer the sausage and spinach mixture into a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking dish, spreading it out in an even layer.
- 6Whisk together the all-purpose flour, yellow cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt in a large mixing bowl.
- 7Cut the chilled butter pieces into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender or two knives until it looks like coarse meal. Cold butter is the secret to tender, flaky biscuits. Mix in the remaining shredded Cheddar cheese, then gently stir in the buttermilk until a dough just forms.
- 8Scoop heaping two-tablespoon portions of the biscuit batter and drop them evenly across the top of the casserole filling.
- 9Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the cornmeal biscuits turn golden brown and the filling bubbles around the edges. Let the dish rest for 10 minutes so the creamy sauce can thicken slightly before you dig in.
Notes
- Make ahead: You can prepare the sausage and spinach filling up to a day in advance. Store it in the fridge, then reheat gently on the stove before adding the freshly made biscuit dough and baking.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm individual portions in the microwave, or cover the baking dish with foil and heat in a 350°F oven until bubbly.
- Swap: If you can't find Gruyere, a good quality Swiss or extra sharp white Cheddar works beautifully in the cheese sauce.
