This Sausage, Red Wine and Butter Bean Casserole is such an easy and delicious midweek meal. It’s also quick to make and very versatile – perfect for busy weeknights!
Sausage, Red Wine and Butter Bean Casserole
This Sausage, Red Wine and Butter Bean Casserole is a wonderfully flavoursome, yet very quick and easy stew – perfect for busy weeknights. Simply fry up some sausages and remove to a plate. Fry onions and garlic, add tomatoes, red wine, salt and pepper, then simmer for 10 minutes. While the stew is simmering, chop the sausages into chunks, then add them back into the stew along with the butter beans. Simmer for 5 more minutes, then stir in some fresh parsley and serve!
Why chop the sausages?
I like to chop the sausages into chunks. I think it looks nicer and sort of feels like you are getting more! But this dish will work just fine if you want to keep the sausages whole. This casserole also works well with leftover cooked sausages (if that ever happens in your house!) – chop them up and add them in at the same time as the tinned tomatoes.
Make it veggie
Quorn sausages also work brilliantly in this recipe, if you want to make it veggie. Just follow the exact recipe below, but use Quorn sausages instead of meat ones.
What to serve with sausage casserole?
This Sausage and Butter Bean Casserole is such great comfort food, so I have paired it with buttery mashed potato and green vegetables for maximum comfort value. But it also goes very well with rice or crusty French bread to mop up all those delicious juices. You could even stir it into pasta, if you fancied!
What to drink with sausage casserole?
This casserole goes well with a glass of Chianti or Merlot. A Côtes du Rhône would also work well. Tip a small glass into the stew and the rest is for you (and your friends and family, obviously 😉 )
Make it your own
This sausage casserole is very easy to adapt:
- Use white wine or chicken stock, instead of red wine
- Add a teaspoon of fennel seeds and/or chilli flakes (added in with the garlic), for extra flavour
- Use Quorn sausages to make this veggie
- Use cannellini beans, chickpeas or kidney beans, or any other bean you like, instead of butter beans
- Use basil, oregano, rosemary or thyme (or even a mixture!), instead of parsley
Can you reheat leftover sausage casserole?
Absolutely! Simply put any leftover sausage casserole into an airtight container and place it in your fridge, where it will keep for up to 3 days. To reheat, tip the sausage casserole into a large saucepan, add a splash of water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until the stew is piping hot all the way through. This casserole can also be reheated in the microwave, if you prefer.
Can you freeze sausage casserole?
Sausage casserole is a brilliant make-ahead meal and perfect for filling your freezer! Put the cooked casserole in an airtight container and place it in your freezer, where it will keep for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat as above.
If you like this recipe…
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Sausage, Red Wine and Butter Bean Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red or white onion diced
- 8 pork sausages
- 2 garlic cloves crushed or grated
- 400 g tin tomatoes
- 100 ml red wine (optional - see Note 1)
- 400 g tin butter beans drained
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped (plus extra for garnish)
Instructions
- Put the olive oil in a large frying pan and add the sausages. Fry for 5 minutes, until browned on all sides. Remove the sausages to a plate. (See Note 2.)
- Put the the diced onion in the same pan and turn the heat down low. Cover with a lid and fry for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened and are lightly browned.
- Add in the garlic and fry for 1 more minute. Then add in the tinned tomatoes and red wine (if using) plus some salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then turn down and allow to simmer, with the lid off, for 10 minutes.
- When the sausages are cool enough to handle, chop each one into 6 pieces. (See Note 3.)
- After the casserole has been simmering for 10 minutes, add in the butter beans and the sausage pieces. Simmer for a further 5 minutes. Then stir in 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley.
- Serve with mashed potatoes, rice or pasta and green vegetables - or just serve with crusty bread and a glass of whatever red wine you used in cooking. Sprinkle over some extra parsley as a garnish.
Notes
- If you prefer not to use wine you can use chicken stock or water instead.
- You can grill the sausages, if you prefer.
- You can leave the sausages whole, if you prefer, but you may need to cook them in the sauce for slightly longer to ensure they are cooked all the way through.
- Suitable for freezing.
- Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
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Alison says
Definitely my sort of meal, it really does look delicious
Eb Gargano says
Thank you, Alison. It is delicious…and easy…and ready in 30 minutes!! Definitely my kind of meal 🙂 Eb x
Mandy says
Looks lovely! We often have a veggie version of this although of course one of the kids always picks out the beans! Thanks for linking up with #CookBlogShare x
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Mandy, it’s a great family meal, isn’t it? Fortunately my kids both like beans – my son in particular just can’t get enough of them! 🙂 Eb x
Only Crumbs Remain / Angela says
Such a perfect winters dish Eb and a great way to use up any spare sausages. I love that you’ve indicated that it works well with Quorn sausages too 🙂
Angela x
Eb Gargano says
Thanks, Angela! I do try to provide veggie alternatives to most of my meaty ones (and lots of veggie recipes too!). I am a big fan of Quorn sausages and use them a lot. They are pretty much a straight swap for meaty ones in recipes like this, except with the twin advantages of not taking so long to cook AND being able to use them straight from frozen. 🙂 Eb x
Corina says
This is so mouthwatering! I love tomatoey sausage casseroles – they’re such great comfort food. I think I’d just eat this with some crusty bread and the best thing would be that my picky youngest one would love it too! Thanks for joining in with #CookOnceEatTwice
Eb Gargano says
Mmmm, yes this with crusty bread on a busy weeknight…so good! And then only one pan to wash 🙂 Thanks for commenting! 🙂 Eb x
Tania says
I’ve recently tried a similar recipe with chorizo instead of ‘normal’ sausages which was also very tasty, this does look lovely though. I’m also not beyond putting baked beans in a sausage casserole, the kids love it! I used kidney beans in the last one I did though, which I do prefer ☺
Eb Gargano says
Thanks, Tania. I like chorizo in a sausage casserole too…in fact I have a chorizo version I will be posting soon…I like all sorts of beans in a casserole: kidney beans are great, as are cannellini beans, pinto beans and haricot beans – don’t really like baked beans in my casseroles as they mess with the flavour of the sauce and add extra salt and sugar I don’t really want in there, but each to their own, eh? Thanks for commenting 🙂 Eb x
Kate - gluten free alchemist says
I do love a sausage casserole! I have a similar one on my blog too….. Yum!
Eb Gargano says
Oooh I’ll have to check yours out! Sausage casserole is great, isn’t it? Perfect for busy weeknights! Thanks for commenting:-) Eb x
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins says
Mmmm you cannot beat a good old sausage stew, in fact I have one planned for tomorrow! Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Eb Gargano says
I totally agree…it’s lovely quick and easy midweek meal. Perfect for busy days! Hope you enjoy yours 🙂 Eb x
Maureen says
We have been eating from your recipes for much of this week and have already had the Thai Traybake (very popular!) and followed up with this. It really is easy peasy and thanks again for a wonderful, filling, healthy and tasty meal. For myself I need to perhaps use better quality sausages nest time around as there was some sausage leakage into the sauce, but that did not stop husband or daughter from having seconds. Another success – Thank you!!
Eb Gargano says
Really pleased you liked it! I can very much recommend Tesco Finest Sausages – they work well in all my sausage dishes – though to be honest sausage leakage doesn’t sound too much of a bad thing 🙂 Eb x
E says
Just made this and it was amazing! Can’t believe something so flavoursome only needed such a short amount of cooking time. I used caramelised onion sausages, added some kale and a bit of tomato paste, had it with fresh bread made by the husband…. Recommend this recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Eb Gargano says
Thanks so much for this lovely comment. I am delighted to hear you enjoyed this so much… and I love the sound of your adaptations! Eb 🙂
Linda Richardson says
Thank you for this recipe. Made it last night and absolutely delicious. Amazing how just a little red wine enhances the flavour of the sauce. I may even try it without the sausages
Eb Gargano says
Aw, yay! I am so happy to hear this. I totally agree – a little red wine makes such a difference! Eb 🙂