Perfect for breakfast, brunch or a fun dinner, these brunch bowls are full of flavor. The egg goes so well with the Parmesan polenta for a creamy and decadent brunch treat.
An egg poached to perfect sitting on top of a bowl of creamy Parmesan polenta. It would be a treat on its own, but add some asparagus and sausage to take it to the next level. This is brunching at it’s best!
Happy Monday everyone! It seems we’ve survived the Cinco de Mayo celebrations, which is great because we have a whole new reason to be excited.
Well, a few reasons if you live in our house. Little dude’s birthday is next weekend! We spoiled him last year with his Pirate Party, so now he has pretty high expectations.
He’s been planning his strawberry train cake since January. (Spoiler alert for those of you who will be joining us!)
He’s actually been wanting to start making it since then as well, but luckily for everyone who will be in attendance I have convinced him that might not be a great idea.
Of course it’s Mother’s Day weekend as well, which is always a great occasion to have a nice brunch. I’ll be elbow deep in frosting, so luckily I’ve had a great excuse to make brunch ahead of time to share with you as inspiration.
I have been looking forward to #BrunchWeek ever since I saw some posts last year. I love brunch food and the idea of everything brunch. There is just something about having a leisurely late morning meal that makes me smile.
I knew I needed to beg and plead to be involved this year. Luckily with a little groveling I was able to do just that. Put on your finest brunch clothes and get your appetite ready. The next six days are going to be amazing!
There are a few things that scream brunch to me. Two of the strongest contenders are poached eggs and asparagus. I’m guessing because they both pair so well with hollandaise, which is the epitome of brunch extravagance.
I wanted to pair eggs and asparagus in a fun new way that still had a touch of the extravagant feel but in a modern and playful way.
My mind went a million places, but settled quickly on this brunch bowl as soon as I dreamed it up. The creamy Parmesan polenta served as the perfect base to help sop up a runny egg yolk.
Plus that nutty Parmesan flavor marries so well with asparagus. I just knew it would be a match made in heaven long before I ever had a chance to give it a try.
Do you know what? I was right! (I usually am though, just ask my husband!) I happened to have some sausage on hand that was a bacon and sausage hybrid.
It was lovely, but if you have Italian sausage, breakfast sausage or crumbled bacon instead, any one of them would be great!
Also, if the idea of poaching an egg gives you nightmares, fry one to your liking. Or buy one of these pans which make it super simple!
These brunch bowls got rave reviews at our house and will definitely be served at future brunches and brinners! The best part is it really works for either.
It is fancy enough for a special occasion brunch and hearty enough for dinner!
Parmesan Polenta Brunch Bowl with Asparagus and Sausage
Perfect for breakfast, brunch or a fun dinner, these brunch bowls are full of flavor. The egg goes so well with the Parmesan polenta for a creamy and decadent brunch treat.
Ingredients
- 1 cup polenta, not instant
- 4 Tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 pound Michigan Asparagus
- 1/2 pound sausage (breakfast or Italian)
- 4 eggs, poached or fried to your liking
- salt and pepper
- Parmesan for serving
Instructions
Polenta
- In a large saucepan or dutch oven, bring 4 1/2 cups of water to a boil.
- Add a pinch of salt and then slowly add polenta while whisking. Continue vigorously whisking the polenta for 2 minutes as it starts to thicken.
- Drop the heat to low and stir every ten minutes for 50 minutes, adding more water or a little milk as necessary.
- When polenta is soft and thick, stir in butter and milk.
- Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside.
Asparagus
- Cut or break asparagus into small pieces, about 1-2 inches long.
- In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add asparagus and season with salt and pepper.
- Sauté until just tender-crisp and then remove from pan.
- Add the sausage and brown until cooked through.
To Assemble
- Cut or break asparagus into small pieces, about 1-2 inches long.
- In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until just tender-crisp and then remove from pan. Add the sausage and brown until cooked through.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 506Total Fat: 43gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 271mgSodium: 1153mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 20g
All nutritional information is estimated and will depend on the exact ingredients you use.
Jan
Sunday 29th of April 2018
I have never made Polenta! I have always wanted to try! Maybe this will be the reason to do it since we love asparagus and sausage! Thanks for sharing for Brunch Week Link Up @ Celebrate 365 Blog Party!
Carlee
Tuesday 1st of May 2018
You totally should give it a try and the Parmesan makes it extra flavorful and perfect!
Sam Monaco
Thursday 1st of June 2017
Oh!my this looks wonderful Carlee. I haven't had Polenta in years, thanks for this one I need to run out and get some polenta. There are so many different things that you can do with it.
Carlee
Friday 2nd of June 2017
I have just started getting into polenta recently. This Parmesan polenta was absolutely heavenly and a great base for a nice poached egg. I can't wait to see what your polenta creations are!
Jade @ Jonesin' For Taste
Monday 22nd of May 2017
I love polenta! It's one of our new favorites. I've only used it for dinner so far but this is exactly what I need to do for breakfast, or brunch!
Carlee
Tuesday 23rd of May 2017
Polenta is one of my newer obsessions. I love it with a healthy bit of cheese and some delicious toppings. It is the perfect pillow for a runny yolk to land on! Thanks, Jade!
Lazy Gastronome
Sunday 21st of May 2017
Looks delicious! Thanks for sharing on the What's for Dinner link up!
Carlee
Tuesday 23rd of May 2017
Thank you for hosting!
Big Rigs 'n Lil' Cookies
Thursday 18th of May 2017
We were just talking about Polenta last week, and my husband has never tried it. This would be a great recipe for him to give it a try. I LOVE that you used bacon sausage! My most favorite breakfast sausage :)
Carlee
Tuesday 23rd of May 2017
Isn't the bacon sausage so good? This would be a great way to get him started on polenta. I didn't grow up in a polenta or grits household, but I've been having fun experimenting lately!