Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole with Onion and Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 1 tbspolive oil
• 2red onions, cut into rings
• 1 tspbalsamic vinegar
• 6sausages
• 100 gbacon lardons
• 190 gmushrooms, preferably chestnut
• 1 tspgarlic purée, or 2 cloves minced
• 1/2 tbspsun-dried tomato purée, or 1 tbsp regular tomato purée
• 500 mlbeef stock, preferably made with reduced-salt stock cubes
• 1/2 tspmixed herbs
• 2bay leaves
• 1 tbspcornflour

Instructions

1. 1

   Soften the onions

   Gently cook the red onion rings in the olive oil in a pan over low heat, covered, for about 6 minutes or until soft. Stir occasionally.

2. 2

   Add vinegar

   Once the onions have softened, add a splash of balsamic vinegar and stir with the lid off.

3. 3

   Fry the lardons

   Meanwhile, fry the bacon lardons in a separate pan for 2 minutes.

4. 4

   Prepare sausages

   Put the sausages in a pan over a medium-hot heat and pierce their skins with a fork so some fat can escape as they cook.

5. 5

   Brown the sausages

   Turn the sausages until browned all over. They do not need to cook through, as they will finish cooking in the slow cooker.

6. 6

   Load the cooker

   Add the mushrooms, softened onions and cooked bacon lardons to the slow cooker.

7. 7

   Add seasonings

   Stir in the sun-dried tomato purée and garlic, then add the mixed herbs and bay leaves.

8. 8

   Mix cornflour

   Mix the cornflour with an equal amount of water until smooth and free of lumps.

9. 9

   Combine with stock

   Pour the cornflour mixture into the beef stock and stir well.

10. 10

    Add the gravy

    Pour the stock mixture over the ingredients in the slow cooker and stir it through.

11. 11

    Arrange sausages

    Set the browned sausages on top.

12. 12

    Cook slowly

    Cover and cook for 6 hours on Low, recommended for the best results, or 4 hours on High.

13. 13

    Keep covered

    Leave the lid on throughout cooking; lifting it to look or stir will affect the total cooking time.

14. 14

    Stir the casserole

    When the full cooking time is up, remove the lid and give the casserole a good stir.

15. 15

    Thicken the gravy

    For thicker gravy, mix 1 tbsp cornflour with 1 tbsp water and add it to the pot. Set the slow cooker to High and leave the lid off; the gravy should thicken within 15 minutes.

16. 16

    Serve hot

    Serve the casserole, ideally with mashed potatoes and peas.

What is a sausage casserole?

Sausage casserole is a British-style one-pot meal of sausages cooked with vegetables and a savoury sauce. This slow cooker version layers browned sausages over bacon, mushrooms and onions, with beef stock forming the base of the gravy.

The long, gentle cook gives the ingredients time to meld, while browning the sausages and softening the onions first build flavour before they go into the pot.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 444 calories, 33g protein, 11g carbs, 34g fat.

The sausages and bacon contribute much of the protein and fat, while the onions, tomato purée and cornflour supply most of the carbohydrates. Serve with peas or another vegetable and a measured portion of mashed potato to round out the plate.

Build flavour before slow cooking

Onions: Cook them slowly with the lid on until soft, then add the balsamic vinegar with the lid off. This softens their flavour and gives the casserole a little tang.

Bacon and sausages: Fry the lardons and brown the sausages before adding them to the slow cooker. The sausages need colour, not a full cook at this stage.

Choose the mushrooms and stock

Mushrooms: Chestnut mushrooms are suggested for this recipe and hold their shape well during the long cooking time. Cut larger ones into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly.

Stock: Beef stock gives the gravy its savoury base; the recipe recommends reduced-salt stock cubes. The tomato purée, garlic, mixed herbs and bay leaves add depth without making the sauce complicated.

Get a smooth gravy

Cornflour: First mix it with an equal amount of water until there are no lumps, then stir that mixture into the beef stock. This helps it disperse evenly in the slow cooker.

Thickening: The gravy can be thickened further after cooking with another mix of 1 tbsp cornflour and 1 tbsp water. Cook on High with the lid off for up to 15 minutes, checking for the thickness you like.

Cook gently and leave the lid on

Timing: Cook for 6 hours on Low for the recommended result, or 4 hours on High. The sausages finish cooking in the slow cooker after browning in the pan.

Lid: Keep the lid on for the full cooking time rather than opening it to check or stir. Once the time is up, remove the lid and stir the casserole before serving.

What to serve alongside

Potatoes: Mashed potatoes are a classic match and soak up the beef gravy. For a lighter plate, serve a smaller scoop of mash and add extra peas or another vegetable.

Vegetables: Peas are the suggested accompaniment; steamed greens or carrots also work alongside the rich sausages and sauce.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use a pan large enough to brown the sausages without crowding them.
• Turn the sausages as they brown so they colour on all sides.
• Mix the cornflour thoroughly with water before adding it to the stock.
• Keep the slow cooker covered during the main cooking time.
• Taste the gravy before serving and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Variations

• Use chestnut mushrooms: Their suggested flavour and texture suit the long cook.
• Swap the tomato purée: Use 1 tbsp regular tomato purée instead of 1/2 tbsp sun-dried tomato purée.
• Use minced garlic: Replace 1 tsp garlic purée with 2 minced cloves.
• Change the herbs: Use a different dried herb blend in place of the mixed herbs.
• Add more vegetables: Serve with extra peas or greens for a more vegetable-led plate.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the browning: Brown the sausages on all sides first; they will finish cooking in the slow cooker.
• Crowding the pan: The sausages may colour unevenly, so brown them in batches if needed.
• Lifting the lid: Keep it closed during cooking to avoid affecting the total cooking time.
• Adding lumpy cornflour: Stir it with an equal amount of water until smooth before combining it with the stock.
• Expecting thick gravy straight away: Use the optional cornflour slurry and cook on High with the lid off for up to 15 minutes.

How to store

Cool leftovers promptly, then store them covered in the fridge and eat within 2 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout, adding a splash of water or stock if the gravy has thickened too much.

Frequently asked questions