Andouille Sausage, Grits & Sunny Egg Recipe

Bring liquid to a boil

In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups water and 1 cup whole milk to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.

Add grits and simmer

Slowly whisk in 1 cup grits. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. For stone-ground grits cook 25–30 minutes until thick and tender; for quick grits cook 5–7 minutes. Add a splash more water if too thick.

Finish grits

Stir in 2 tablespoons butter, 1 cup grated cheddar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm over the lowest heat, stirring occasionally while you finish the rest of the meal.

Prepare andouille

Slice 2 andouille sausage links into 1/4-inch rounds. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage slices in a single layer and cook 3–4 minutes without moving to develop color, then flip and cook another 2–3 minutes until browned and heated through. Remove sausage to a plate, leaving rendered fat in the pan.

Sauté aromatics

If the pan is dry, add a little of the reserved olive oil. Reduce heat to medium, add 1/2 cup diced yellow onion and 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper to the pan. Sauté 4–5 minutes until softened. Add 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Combine and finish

Return the browned sausage to the skillet and toss with the vegetables for 1–2 minutes to meld flavors. Stir in 1 tablespoon chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt and pepper if needed. Keep warm until plating.

Fry eggs sunny-side up

In a nonstick skillet, melt 1 teaspoon butter over medium-low heat until foaming but not browned. Crack 2 large eggs into the pan (or cook one at a time if your pan is small). Cook gently, spooning some of the butter over the whites occasionally, until the whites are set but yolks remain runny, about 3–4 minutes. For slightly set yolks, cover the pan for the last 30–60 seconds. Season with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

Divide the warm cheesy grits between two bowls (about 1/2 cup grits per bowl as a base, more if desired). Top each portion with the andouille and pepper mixture, distributing evenly.

Gently place one sunny-side-up egg on top of each bowl of grits and sausage.

Drizzle about 1 teaspoon hot sauce per bowl (adjust to taste), sprinkle 1 tablespoon sliced scallions across both bowls, and add extra parsley or cracked black pepper if desired. Serve immediately.