Hearty Sausage Casserole

yield: SERVES 3 prep time: 15 MINUTES cook time: 50 MINUTES total time: 1 HOUR 5 MINUTES

Delicious Sausage Casserole – There is nothing more comforting than digging into a hearty dish of sausage casserole – it’s a family winner!!

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 200g of butternut squash, cubed
• 6 low-fat sausages – *see note (I used Mild Italian Turkey Sausages)
• ½ red pepper, sliced
• ½ green pepper, sliced
• 1 small courgette (zucchini), quartered and sliced
• ½ cup of frozen peas
• 2 tbs of tomato paste
• 1 tsp of mixed herbs
• 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar (good quality brand)
• ½ teaspoon of tabasco sauce (can add more if you like it spicier)
• 1 cup (240ml) of chicken or vegetable stock – (use slightly less stock for slow cooker method)
• 1 can of cannellini beans (with juice) – or another white bean of choice
• cooking oil spray
• Salt and black pepper to season.
• Fresh chopped parsley

Instructions

Stove Top:

1. Spray a large casserole dish with some cooking oil over medium heat.
2. Brown the sausages lightly on all sides, removed and set aside
3. Spray with some more cooking oil spray, add the onion and fry for a couple of minutes to soften.
4. Add in the balsamic vinegar and a little of the stock and deglaze the pan scraping off any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
5. Add in the butternut squash, peppers and garlic, plus the mixed herbs, tomato paste, tabasco sauce, stock and can of cannellini beans (including juice)
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Place in the sausages, cover and simmer for 40 minutes.
7. Add the peas and courgette for the last 5 mins of cooking time.
8. Taste and season with salt and black pepper.
9. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley. Serve with your choice of sides.

Slow Cooker:

1. Brown sausages and onion as per steps 1-4 above.
2. Add to a slow cooker with all other ingredients, apart from peas and zucchini
3. Cook on low for 6 hours.
4. Add the zucchini and peas in for the last hour of cooking time.
5. Taste and season with salt and black pepper.
6. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley. Serve with your choice of sides.
7. Enjoy

Notes

This recipe is gluten free, dairy free, Vegetarian, Slimming World and Weight Watchers friendly

• Slimming World – 1 syn per serving
• Green WW Smart Points – 7 per serving
• Blue WW Smart Points – 4 per serving
• Purple WW Smart Points – 4 per serving
• Gluten Free – use gluten free sausages and stock
• Vegetarian – use vegetarian sausages and stock

NOTE: Syn and Points values will vary depending on the sausage you use.

SUITABLE FOR FREEZING