Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole
As a Nutritional Therapist, I don't often share recipes with processed meats, but I make an exception for this Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole. I always tell clients, "It's what you eat most of the time that matters". The ocassional sausage casserole is unlikely to be harmful. However if you prefer not to eat sausages replace with chicken thighs and this recipe works equally well.
A little sausage know-how:
I rarely eat sausages, but I do enjoy them occasionally – especially at a summer BBQ or in a warming winter casserole! And I can guarantee the grandchildren will eat all the veggies if accompanied by sausages in a casserole. If you're buying them, look for a high pork/meat content (80%+ is a useful benchmark), then compare the fat, saturated fat and salt per 100g. Don't worry too much about chasing a completely additive-free sausage – the overall ingredient list and nutritional profile matter more. And remember, sausages are an occasional food, not something you need to ban!
The % meat is probably the first thing I’d look at, but it shouldn’t be the only thing. A higher meat percentage doesn't automatically mean lower fat, as sausages can contain quite a lot of pork fat. The NHS recommends comparing the nutrition labels, particularly fat and saturated fat, and notes that sausages are generally high in fat and often salt.
My simple sausage-shopping checklist:
Look for a high meat content – ideally 80%+ pork where possible. Some premium sausages are 90%+.
Check the fat – higher meat content doesn't necessarily mean lower fat. Compare sausages per 100g, rather than per sausage, because sizes vary.
Check saturated fat – worth comparing if you're choosing between brands.
Check salt – sausages can be surprisingly salty, so lower is preferable.
Look at the ingredient list – pork should be prominent, followed by relatively straightforward ingredients such as herbs, spices and perhaps breadcrumbs/rusk.
Don't get too hung up on additives – I wouldn't automatically reject a sausage because it contains a few additives. Some are there for perfectly legitimate technological reasons. I'd be more interested in the overall ingredient list, meat content, fat and salt.
Don't be fooled by words like "premium", "traditional" or "farmhouse" – check the actual label. The FSA has found discrepancies between declared and measured meat content in some sausage products, so the percentage on the label is more useful than the marketing language.
Portion matters too – even a good-quality sausage is still a processed meat, so I'd keep it as an occasional food rather than an everyday protein source.
My Recipe
Serves 4-6 depending on appetite and health goals. This recipe generally does us for 3 adults and 2 children with healthy appetities.
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2-3 garlic cloves finely chopped
12 good quality sausages
2 medium carrots cut into chunks
2 parsnips or equivalent in turnip chunks or whatever root veg the family eats.
1 tin butterbean or any pulses. Swap out for a tin baked beans if it means the family will eat it just drain off most of the sugary juice from the beans
400g tin chopped tomatoes
300ml good quality or home-made chicken stock. I use home-made or Carols stock market from Dunnes stores or M&S Chicken Bone Broth from the freezer.
3 tbsp tomato puree
1 handful red lentils, well rinsed
1 tbsp Worcester sauce
1 tsp dried herbs or use fresh parsley and thyme if you have it
salt and pepper
Method
Brown the sausages. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and brown the sausages all over for 5–7 minutes. You don't need to cook them through. Transfer to the slow cooker. Sometimes I chop them before adding to the slow cooker.
Soften the onion and garlic. In the same pan, add the sliced onion and cook for 3–4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Tip into the slow cooker.
Add the vegetables and pulses. Add the carrots, parsnips/turnip and drained and rinsed butterbeans (or the baked beans) to the slow cooker.
Make the sauce. Add the chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, tomato purée, red lentils, Worcestershire sauce and dried herbs. Season with black pepper and just a little salt – the sausages and stock may already be quite salty.
Give everything a good stir, making sure the lentils are distributed through the liquid.
Cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the sausages and vegetables are cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
Check the consistency. If it's a little too thick, add a splash of hot stock or water. If it seems too thin, leave the lid off for the final 20–30 minutes if your slow cooker allows, or simply let it stand for a few minutes before serving – the lentils will continue to thicken it.
Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving. Scatter over fresh parsley or thyme if you have it.
