This sausage and bean casserole is the best Winter comfort food. Pork sausages are combined with butterbeans, chorizo, butternut squash and spinach in a herby tomato sauce. This simple casserole recipe is packed with flavour and as well as lots of nutritious veggies. Serve this sausage casserole alongside mashed potatoes and you’ll be in heaven!
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- Sausage and Bean Casserole Nutrition
- Sausage and Bean Casserole Ingredients
- Sausage and Bean Casserole FAQ
- How to store sausage and bean casserole:
- How to reheat sausage and bean casserole:
- How to freeze sausage and bean casserole:
- What to serve with this sausage casserole?
- Is this sausage casserole gluten-free?
- Could you make this sausage casserole vegetarian or vegan?
- Why you should make this…
- Watch the Video
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- Sausage and Bean Casserole with Chorizo Recipe
Guys, we did it. We made it to 2021. It hasn’t been easy. There are times when I thought we might not make it. But look at us. We did it. *sheds a little tear of joy*
Now I don’t know about you, but after a year like 2020, the thought of sticking to a regimented diet doesn’t appeal to me in the slightest. Especially with these dark, cold and sometimes even snowy evenings, all I want is hearty, nutritious comfort food.
And thus we have this ridiculously delicious sausage and bean casserole recipe! We’re taking pork sausages, spicy chorizo sausage, butter beans, cubes of butternut squash and spinach, all smothered in a tomato sauce that is flavoured with smoked paprika, saffron, rosemary and bay.
This casserole is worth making for the sauce alone! All those herbs and spices pack in the flavour and a little wedge of crusty bread won’t go amiss to make sure you mop up every last bit of sauce on your plate.
Thanks to all of the nutritious veggies this sausage casserole feels less like a meat-feast and more like a hearty, balanced meal worthy of a place in your weekly repertoire. While I’ve made it in a casserole pot, you could definitely make it in a slow cooker to save some time and effort!
Sausage and Bean Casserole Nutrition
When it comes to nutritional value, sausages vary greatly depending on the brand. Sausages are usually made up of meat (in our case, pork) herbs, spices, seasonings, fillers and in some cases preservatives. In this article from the Guardian Matt Fort talks about how to pick good quality sausages. Aim for over 75% lean meat (the more the better) with natural casings.
Pork is a good source of protein as well as being abundant in vitamins like thiamine, selenium, zinc and B12. Sausages are also known to be high in fat, both saturated and unsaturated. Saturated fat is known to increase the amount of ‘bad’ cholesterol in the blood, however, eating foods containing soluble fibre (such as the beans in this recipe!) alongside saturated fat helps reduce the amount of fat and cholesterol absorbed into the bloodstream during digestion.
Similar to sausage, chorizo is also made of pork, however, it is also fermented, cured and smoked, as well as being flavoured with garlic and paprika. The curing process means chorizo is relatively high in sodium which can contribute to raised blood pressure. Because of this, you likely won’t need to add any salt to the final recipe, but taste and make sure just in case!
Butternut squash is a fantastic source of fibre, a macronutrient essential for a healthy gut. It also contains micronutrients like calcium, magnesium, zinc and vitamins A, C, E and B.
Tomatoes provide us with vitamin C, potassium, vitamin K and folate, all-important micronutrients for health. However, tomatoes also contain lycopene, an antioxidant which protects the body from damaging free radicals. The lycopene content in tomatoes increases considerably when they are cooked, meaning tinned tomatoes pack a nutritious punch.
Beans are a fantastic source of plant protein and fibre, both essential for good health! I’ve used butter beans (also known as lima beans) in this recipe which are high in copper, folate and thiamine.
Spinach is a fantastic source of nutrients including vitamin K, essential for healthy blood clotting and wound healing, and folic acid, a micronutrient that is also required for healthy red blood cells.
Sausage and Bean Casserole Ingredients
Sausages – I’ve used high-quality pork sausages for this recipe. No fancy flavourings, just good old pork. You can use any sausage you like really, but the combination of herbs and spices in this casserole sauce packs in so much flavour, I didn’t want to complicate that further. If you would prefer to use chicken or beef sausages go right ahead!
Chorizo – If you’re feeling up to it, go for picante (spicy) chorizo to up the heat. Otherwise, the regular chorizo, sometimes known as dulce (sweet) chorizo, works perfectly.
Onion & garlic – I used white onion in this recipe, but red would work just as well. These add a delicious base to the casserole sauce.
Butternut squash – the squash in this recipe adds delicious sweetness. If you aren’t able to get butternut squash, any type of squash would work. Alternatively, you could use sweet potato or pumpkin.
Chopped tomatoes – Any type of tinned tomato would work well in this recipe. I’ve used chopped, but you can also use plum or cherry tomato!
Stock – either chicken or vegetable works great! I use Knorr stock pots as they taste great and are easy to use. Make sure to get low sodium stock or use homemade if you are watching your sodium intake.
The herbs & spices – the combination of rosemary, bay, paprika and saffron all add beautiful earthy and floral notes to the sauce. It’s up to you whether you use dried or fresh herbs. I’ve used smoked paprika in this recipe but you could use regular or spicy if you’d like. If you’ve not got any of these, just omit them instead of trying to substitute.
Beans – I always use tinned beans as they are so easy to just throw in a recipe! I’ve opted for butterbeans in this casserole recipe but cannellini beans or haricot beans would also work well. If you’re using dried beans, make sure to allow time for soaking them and cooking them before adding the beans to the recipe.
Spinach – swap spinach for any greens you fancy. Kale would be a great substitute but would need a little bit of extra cooking time.
Sausage and Bean Casserole FAQ
How to store sausage and bean casserole:
Allow the casserole to cool at room temperature for no more than 2 hours. Once cooled, transfer to a Tupperware container and store in the fridge. Eat within 3-4 days.
How to reheat sausage and bean casserole:
On the hob: Transfer the casserole to a saucepan or casserole pot with a splash of water. Cook on a medium-high heat for 7-10 minutes, stirring regularly. Ensure the casserole is popping hot all the way through before serving.
In the microwave: Add the casserole to a microwave-safe container and pop into the microwave for 3-4 minutes, stirring halfway through. Ensure the casserole is steaming hot before eating. If it is not microwave for 1-2 more minutes.
How to freeze sausage and bean casserole:
Allow the casserole to cool completely at room temperature for no more than two hours. Once cooled, store in an airtight container or freezer bag and put in the freezer. Use within 3 months.
To defrost the casserole pop it into the fridge to thaw – this can take up to 24 hours. Alternatively, you can use the defrost setting of a microwave to thaw this sausage and bean casserole.
What to serve with this sausage casserole?
Mashed potatoes are the ultimate side dish to this sausage and bean casserole. But potatoes in any shape or form would be delicious. Ideally, you want something that is going to soak up the sauce. Rice would work well. Or just a chuck of nice, crusty bread.
Is this sausage casserole gluten-free?
In order to ensure this casserole is gluten-free, make sure you use sausages and chorizo that are labelled as gluten-free. Also, make sure that the ingredients you are using are prepared in a gluten-free environment.
Could you make this sausage casserole vegetarian or vegan?
Swap the sausages for veggie sausages and either omit the chorizo or use a chorizo substitute to make this sausage casserole vegan!
Why you should make this…
- Guy Fierri would be proud because we are taking you to flavour town with this one! That’s right, it’s delicious!
- All that saucy sauce, a match made in heaven for butter mashed potatoes or a chunk of crusty bread.
- Lots of nutritious veggies! All the squash, tomato, beans and spinach bump up the nutrient content.
- Minimal effort! Once the sausages and chorizo is cooked, it’s a case of throwing in the veg and letting time and a little bit of heat do the hard work.
- Kids and grown-up will love it alike!
- Did I mention it’s delicious?! (seriously it might be one of the best things I’ve made of late)
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Sausage and Bean Casserole with Chorizo
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 2–3 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Casserole
- Cuisine: British
Description
This sausage and bean casserole is packed with veggies to make it extra nutritious as well as extra tasty! Sausages, chorizo, beans, squash and spinach are cooked in a tomato sauce that is spiked with paprika, saffron, rosemary and bay. Delicious!
Ingredients
- 1/2 tablespoon oil
- 6 good quality pork sausages
- 200 grams chorizo, sliced
- 1 white onion, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 150 grams butternut squash, cubed
- 1 tin of butterbeans or cannellini beans, liquid drained
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 250 millilitres chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 pinch saffron threads
- 200 grams of fresh spinach
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a heavy-based casserole pot. Add the sausages and cook, turning regularly, for 5-7 minutes until browned on all sides. Remove to a plate and once cooled, slice them into 4-5 pieces.
- Add the chorizo to the pot and cook for 4-5 minutes, until it has browned and released some of it’s fat. Remove the chorizo to a plate but keep the oil in the pot. If you wish to, you can discard some of the fat to reduce the fat content, but leave a little to cook the onions.
- Add the onion to the pot and cook for approximately 5 minutes until it has softened, then add in the garlic and cook for a further minute.
- Add the squash, beans, tinned tomatoes, rosemary, bay leaves, paprika, saffron and sausages back into the pot. Bring everything up to a boil and the reduce to a simmer. Cook for 25 minutes.
- Stir the spinach into the casserole then taste add season with salt and pepper as required.
- Serve with mashed potatoes or crusty bread!
Notes
How to make sausage casserole in a slow cooker:
Brown the sausages and chorizo in a pan before adding them to the slow cooker. If you’ve got time, soften the onions before adding them to the slow cooker too, otherwise, add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker except for the spinach. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. You may need to take the lid off and cook on high for the last hour to reduce and thicken the sauce. Stir the spinach in at the end.
Keywords: sausage casserole, sausage and bean casserole, casserole recipe, comfort food, sausage casserole slow cooker,
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Had this cooked by the chef herself. I can def recommend. Its really tasty!!
★★★★★
Wooo thank youu!