If you need a foolproof dinner for busy weeknights then look no further than my Easy Sausage Casserole, made in a Slow Cooker. A true dump and go recipe, not only is this slow cooked casserole easy to prepare but it is also so versatile. One the whole family will enjoy.
Cooking sausage casserole in a slow cooker means you can get a hearty, delicious meal on the table with minimal prep and effort. Simply slice a few onions and peppers, open a tin each of tomatoes and beans then chuck them in a slow cooker with sausages and a few store cupboard staples. What could be easier?
Sausage and Bean Casserole
Sausage Casserole with beans and peppers is such a great comfort food. Brothy and comforting, it is a perfect meal for cold frosty nights. This easy slow cooker sausage casserole is infused with some Mediterranean inspired flavours. Sliced peppers, garlic, oregano and basil really elevate the classic sausage casserole – its still hearty and wholesome but feels a little lighter and less stodgy.
Ninja Foodi Slow Cooker
I use a Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 Multi Cooker 6 Litre as my slow cooker. I love it because it means I only need one appliance for multiple functions, which saves a ton of space in my small kitchen. The slow cooker function works just like a regular slow cooker or crock-pot. It also has a sear/sautée function which means I can easily brown the sausages for this casserole before adding the rest of the ingredients, and don’t need to use a separate pan.
I could go on about how much I love my Ninja Foodi forever, but basically it is:
- Versatile and space saving with 9 functions in one appliance, including a slow cooker and air fryer (two very useful kitchen gadgets that do take up a lot of space).
- Super easy to clean.
- Time and energy saving as there is no preheating necessary, it cooks quicker than the oven and uses less energy.
If you want a standalone slow cooker then you can’t go wrong with a Crock Pot. Before I got my Ninja Foodi I had this 5L crock pot which was perfect for my small family (I always like to make sure we have leftovers). But smaller households might prefer this 2.4l mini Crock Pot.
Sausage Casserole Ingredients
- Sausages – Any kind of sausage works well in this casserole. I have used pork, turkey and vegetarian sausages before and they all taste great. Pick whatever suits your household and lifestyle.
- Tinned Cherry Tomatoes – I love these over chopped tomatoes as they have a sweeter flavour and keep the sauce nice and chunky. You can also use chopped tomatoes, and add extra fresh cherry tomatoes if you like too.
- Tinned Beans – haricot beans are my favourite in sausage casserole, but borlotti beans, cannellini or black beans also work well.
- Peppers – two of any colour.
- Red Onion – you can also use a white onion.
- Garlic
- Chicken Stock Cube – use a vegetable stock cube if you want to make this dish vegetarian.
- Oregano, basil and tomato puree – to add a fresh Mediterranean flavour to the sausage casserole.
Serving and Storing
I love to serve my slow cooker sausage and bean casserole with rice but it works really well with mashed potato too. Try mashed sweet potato or mashed turnip as an alternative. Sausage casserole is also great with some warm crusty bread to mop up all that sauce.
Make this slow cooker sausage and pepper casserole vegetarian by using vegetarian sausages and a vegetable stock cube. It can easily be made vegan by choosing the right plant based sausages and stock too.
Add some extra veggies – a tin of sweetcorn or some chopped carrots are nice additions.
I leave the sausages whole but you can chop them up to make the casserole easier to serve. It is best to cook the sausages whole and cut them up before serving. The easiest way to do this is actually with kitchen scissors! But you can also use a knife.
You can cook sausage casserole in the oven. Use a Dutch Oven or covered casserole dish and cook at 160℃ for about an hour, though results will not be exactly the same as this recipe has been specifically designed for slow cooking. Try my Simple Sausage Bean Casserole for a stovetop version.
Leftover sausage and bean casserole well keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove until piping hot.
Freeze sausage casserole in a suitable container for up to 3 months. Defrost throuoghly in the fridge overnight and reheat till piping hot.
I hope you like this recipe as much as I do!
Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment or tag me on Instagram @carrieskitchen_ if you make it!
More easy dinner recipes:
- Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
- Baked Orzo with Mediterranean Vegetables
- Chilli Chicken Garlic Noodles
- Minced Beef and Black Bean Tacos
Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole
Equipment
- Slow Cooker or a multi cooker like my Ninja Foodi
Ingredients
- 8 to 12 sausages about 500g or 1lbs
- 400 grams tin haricot beans or cannellini or black beans
- 400 grams tin cherry tomatoes or chopped tomatoes
- 2 red onions thinly sliced
- 2 peppers (of any colour) thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 chicken stock cube
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
Optional Ingredients
- salt and pepper
- oil to brown sausages
- chopped fresh basil and parsley
Instructions
- Brown the sausages in a little oil until just coloured but not cooked through in either a pan or in the slow cooker if it has that function. You can skip this step if you like.
- Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and give it a stir.
- Put the lid on and cook on low for 7 hours or high for 3.5 hours.
- Stir well and season to taste if necessary (though the stock cube should be plenty). Stir in some optional fresh chopped parsley and/or basil.
- Serve with rice or mashed potato.
Notes
Nutrition
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