Veggie sausage casserole

Name: Veggie sausage casserole
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 8 vegetarian sausages; 1 large red onion finely chopped; 1 2 celery sticks finely chopped; 1 2 carrots finely chopped; 1 3 garlic cloves finely chopped; 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika; 1 tsp fennel seeds; 1 few sprigs of thyme rosemary or sage; 2 tbsp tomato purée; 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar; 400 g can plum tomatoes; 250 ml vegetable stock; 400 g can butter beans; 60 g fresh vegetarian pesto; 1 warm crusty bread to serve

Prep: 20 minsCook: 1 hr

Prep

20 mins

Cook

1 hr

Servings

Difficulty

Medium

Nut-FreeEgg-Free

(0)

This veggie sausage casserole is one of my go to weeknight dinners because it comes together in just 80 minutes and honestly feels like comfort food at its finest. The beauty of this dish is how straightforward it is to make, and it's genuinely budget friendly since you're probably already stocking most of these ingredients. Butter beans are the star here, packed with fiber and plant based protein that keeps you satisfied long after dinner. I love how the smoked paprika and fennel seeds give the sausages an almost meaty depth, while fresh pesto stirred through at the end adds a bright, fresh finish. Serve it with warm crusty bread to soak up every last bit of that gorgeous tomato sauce, and you've got yourself a meal that feels way more impressive than the minimal effort required.

Ella x

Ingredients

Servings:

2 tbspolive oil
18 vegetarian sausages
1 largered onion finely chopped
12 celery sticks finely chopped
12 carrots finely chopped
13 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 tspsweet smoked paprika
1 tspfennel seeds(optional)
1few sprigs of thyme rosemary or sage
2 tbsptomato purée
1 tbspbalsamic vinegar
400 gcan plum tomatoes
250 mlvegetable stock
400 gcan butter beans
60 gfresh vegetarian pesto
1warm crusty bread to serve(optional)

Detail level

Instructions

1
Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over a medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the sausages and quickly stir to coat in the oil. Cook for 5-7 mins until browned all over, then scoop out and set aside on a plate. Turn the heat down to medium and stir in the onion, celery and carrot with a big pinch of salt. Cook for 8-10 mins until softened but not coloured.
2
Stir in the garlic, paprika and fennel seeds, if using, and cook for another 1-2 mins until fragrant. Stir in the herb sprigs and the tomato purée. Stir well to coat everything and cook for 5 mins until the tomato purée has caramelised and turned dark red. Add the vinegar, tomatoes, stock and beans, along with their liquid, then rinse out the tomato can with water and add that too. Bring to a simmer and return the sausages to the pan. Simmer gently for 40-45 mins, stirring frequently, until the sauce has thickened. Season to taste, remove the herb sprigs and discard.
3
Drizzle over the pesto and serve with warm crusty bread, if you like.

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