Easy Sausage Casserole by Good Food

Ingredients

• 6 (about 400g) cooking chorizo sausages
• 6 (about 400g) pork sausages
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 medium sticks celery, finely chopped
• 2 red or yellow peppers, chopped
• 3 fat garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
• 1 ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 125ml white wine
• 2 x 400g cans cherry or chopped tomatoes
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 1 x 400g can cooked beans or lentils, drained and rinsed
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bunch chives, snipped (optional, for garnish)
• To taste black pepper
• To taste salt (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the olive or rapeseed oil in a large, heavy-based pan or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.
2. Add the finely chopped onion to the hot oil and cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has softened and become translucent.
3. Stir in the finely chopped celery and the chopped red and yellow peppers. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes, allowing the vegetables to soften slightly.
4. Add the chorizo sausages and pork sausages to the pan. Brown them for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until they develop a nice color all over.
5. Stir in the chopped garlic cloves, sweet smoked paprika, ground cumin, and dried thyme. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously, until the spices become fragrant.
6. Pour in the white wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan; this adds flavor to the sauce.
7. Add the two 400g cans of tomatoes and the two sprigs of fresh thyme to the pan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Crumble in the chicken stock cube and stir until dissolved.
8. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let the casserole cook for 40 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the sausages to cook through. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
9. Remove the lid, then stir in the drained and rinsed cooked beans or lentils. Cook for a further 5 minutes, allowing them to heat through.
10. Remove the fresh thyme sprigs from the casserole. Taste and season with black pepper, and salt if needed, remembering the chorizo adds significant saltiness. Stir through the snipped chives, if using, just before serving. Serve hot.