Sausage and Bean Casserole (Rich & Smoky!)

This Smoky Sausage and Bean Casserole is absolutely packed with flavour! It’s perfect for batch cooking, easy to make and beyond delicious to eat!

The BEST Sausage Casserole!

I mean, in my humble opinion of course. I’ve tried a few different sausage casseroles in my time and they tend to be more down the minimalistic, gravy style. Often underwhelming. Whilst developing this recipe I was incredibly conscious of packing in bold hearty flavours which resulted in this rich and smoky sauce. Here’s why I know you’ll love it:

• No Fuss – All in one pot with minimum prep.
• Flavours – Deep, soul-hugging flavours.
• Filling – Perfect for batch cooking and feeding a hungry crowd!

The great thing about this casserole is that’s it’s done on the hob. I find casseroles in the oven are annoying because they get so freaking hot and difficult to check on. Slow cookers are great but you just get less control over the heat.

How to make Sausage Casserole on the Hob (quick summary)

1. Fry sausages until they begin to brown.
2. Add chorizo and brown.
3. Remove then fry onion, pepper and garlic.
4. Stir in tomato puree then deglaze with red wine.
5. Add beef stock and tomatoes.
6. Add Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, rosemary, bbq sauce and smoked paprika.
7. Add sausages back in and simmer with lid on.
8. Take lid off and add beans, simmer to reduce.

‘Smoky’ Sausage and Bean Casserole

Smoky you say? I do indeed 🙂 

The smokiness aspect of this casserole comes from a few different ingredients. Smoked paprika is a large contributor, as are the chorizo sausages. But the key ingredient is the BBQ sauce. It sounds strange, but it really REALLY works. It not only adds a touch of sweetness to the casserole, which helps balance out the other flavours, but adds to that gorgeous background smokiness. 

What beans to use in a sausage casserole?

Here I use Pinto Beans, which best mimic regular canned beans. I have used Butterbeans in the past as well which also work great.

What to serve with a sausage and bean casserole?

I usually go for Mustard Mash (or regular mash). If I’m feeling lazy I’ll go with chunky buttered bread. If I’m feeling fat I’ll do both 🙂 Rice also works great.

Make ahead sausage and bean casserole

You can certainly make this ahead of time! Just make as stated, simmer for 90mins then cool, cover and pop in the fridge. Take it out, pour in beans and heat over medium flame until cooked through, using water to thin out as needed.

And there we have it! A perfect family dinner to add to your rotation. Rich, smoky, filling and delicious.

Hey, whilst you’re here why not check out my other recipes?

Easy Sausage Dinners

• Honey Mustard Sausage Tray Bake
• Devilled Sausages
• Toad in the Hole
• Homemade Sausages

Alrighty, let’s tuck into this sausage bean casserole recipe shall we?!

How to make Sausage and Bean Casserole (Full Recipe & Video)

5 from 11 votes

Sausage and Bean Casserole

By: Chris Collins

This Smoky Sausage and Bean Casserole is absolutely packed with flavour. It's perfect for batch cooking, easy to make and beyond delicious to eat!!

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 2 hours hrs

Total: 2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Servings: 6

SaveSaved Pin Recipe Comment Print Recipe

Send me this recipe!

Just enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox!

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Name *

Email *

Send

Equipment

• Large Pot or Dutch Oven with Lid
• Jug (for stock)
• Wooden Spoon
• Sharp Knife & Chopping Board

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 12 Pork Sausages (see notes)
• ▢ 8 Mini Cooking Chorizo (see notes)
• ▢ 2x 14oz/400g cans of Peeled Plum Tomatoes, diced in can with a knife (or chopped tomatoes)
• ▢ 2x 14oz/400g cans of Pinto Beans, drained
• ▢ 1 cup / 250ml Beef Stock, combined with 1 tsp cornstarch/cornflour
• ▢ 1/2 cup / 125ml Red Wine
• ▢ 3 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• ▢ 2 heaped tbsp Tomato Puree (Tomate Paste in US)
• ▢ 2 Red Peppers, roughly diced
• ▢ 2 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
• ▢ 1 large Onion, roughly diced
• ▢ 1 tbsp BBQ Sauce
• ▢ 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
• ▢ 2 Bay Leaves
• ▢ 1 sprig of Rosemary
• ▢ Salt & Pepper, to taste
• ▢ Olive Oil, as needed

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

• Add a splash of olive oil to a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 12 pork sausages, fry until they begin to brown, then add in 8 mini chorizo. Keep frying until fully browned, then remove. They don't need to be fully cooked through at this point, just nicely browned.
• Add 1 large onion, 2 red peppers and 2 cloves of garlic to the leftover fat and fry until they soften and caramelize. Reduce heat down to medium, stir in 2 heaped tbsp tomato puree, then deglaze with 1/2cup/125ml red wine. Allow to reduce for a few mins, then stir in 1cup/250ml beef stock (+cornstarch/cornflour).
• Add 2 cans of plum tomatoes (chopped), 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp bbq sauce, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 2 bay leaves, 1 sprig rosemary and seasoning to taste. Give a stir then add your sausages back in. Give it one big final stir, reduce heat to low and pop on the lid. Allow the casserole to simmer with the lid on for 1 hour 30mins. This is important for the flavours to develop.
• After 90mins, take the lid off and stir in 2 cans of beans. Allow to simmer with the lid off for another 10mins or until it's nicely thickened, stirring occasionally. Pluck out the bay leaves/rosemary stalk and serve with mash or chunky buttered bread!

Video

Notes

a) Sausages - I usually go for good quality Cumberland sausages. I recommend using a 'neutral' flavoured sausage, i.e not packed with different herbs etc otherwise it'll throw off the flavour. Also, as the sausage are the star of the show, don't skimp out of cheap ones!

b) Chorizo - You'll find the mini chorizo sausages in the UK in Morrisons and Waitrose, and possibly other supermarkets too. Can't comment on the USA. In both cases though if you can't find them feel free to use regular chorizo (9oz/250g worth) and dice into large chunks. 

c) Beans - I always used butterbeans and cannellini in the past and both work great if you don't have pinto beans.

d) Timing - Really important to simmer for a long time to develop the flavours, don't be tempted to stop it early. It'll be worth the wait 🙂

e) Serving - 9/10 times I make this I'll serve it with Mustard Mash. If I'm feeling lazy though I'll just buy a cheap chunky loaf of bread. Rice also works great.

f) Make ahead - if you want to make this ahead of time, make as stated, simmer for 90mins then cool, cover and pop in the fridge. 15mins before serving take it out, add in the beans and pop on the hob again over medium heat, using water to thin out as needed.

g) Calories - based on using 1 tsp olive oil and sharing between 6 with no sides.

Your Private Notes:

Click here to add your own private notes or reminders about this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 851kcal | Carbohydrates: 34.89g | Protein: 38.83g | Fat: 60.4g | Saturated Fat: 21.594g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7.383g | Monounsaturated Fat: 27.857g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 2077mg | Potassium: 1296mg | Fiber: 7.6g | Sugar: 8.34g | Vitamin A: 566IU | Vitamin C: 35.7mg | Calcium: 142mg | Iron: 5.71mg

Looking for more?

You’ll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook ‘Comfy’

If you loved this Sausage Casserole recipe be sure to pin it for later! Already made it or got a burning question? Give me a shout in the comments and pick up your free ecookbook along the way!