Easy Sausage Parcels

Ingredients

• 8pork sausages (or veggie, vegan or chicken sausages)
• 2 large bunches, at least 24 leavesspring greens (or another type of large cabbage leaf)
• 400 mlpassata (or chopped tinned tomatoes)
• 1chicken or vegetable stock cube (or stock pot)
• To tasteblack pepper
• 150 gchestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped (or another kind of mushroom)
• To servebasmati rice (or pasta, potatoes or couscous)

Instructions

1. 1

   Grill the sausages

   Grill the sausages over a medium-high heat for 15 minutes, turning them occasionally, until fully cooked.

2. 2

   Preheat the oven

   Heat the oven to 180°C, or 160°C fan, Gas Mark 4 (350°F).

3. 3

   Prepare the leaves

   Trim the end from the spring greens bunches and separate the leaves. Cut out the thick central stalks and halve any very large leaves. Each leaf should be big enough to wrap around one-third of a sausage.

4. 4

   Soften the greens

   Put the trimmed leaves in a large saucepan or bowl and pour over 1 litre of boiling water. Leave them for about 1 minute, until pliable enough to wrap around the sausage, then drain in a colander.

5. 5

   Heat the sauce

   Pour the passata into a saucepan. Fill the passata jar with water and add that to the pan, then crumble in the stock cube and add a few twists of black pepper. Heat gently until the sauce is just about to bubble, then turn off the heat.

6. 6

   Chop the mushrooms

   While the passata heats, roughly chop the mushrooms.

7. 7

   Wrap the sausages

   Pour about one-third of the passata into the bottom of a large ovenproof dish. Cut each sausage into three equal pieces and wrap each piece in a spring green leaf. Arrange the parcels in the dish, repeating until all are wrapped.

8. 8

   Add sauce and bake

   Tuck the mushrooms and any leftover greens between the parcels, then pour over the remaining passata. Make sure the mushrooms are submerged, pushing down any that are not. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

9. 9

   Cook the rice

   While the parcels bake, cook the rice, pasta or potatoes according to the packet instructions or your preference.

10. 10

    Serve the parcels

    Pile the rice on plates and place the parcels on top, allowing about six parcels per person. Spoon the remaining sauce over them and serve.

What are sausage parcels?

Sausage parcels are sausages wrapped in leaves and baked in a sauce, making a filling one-dish meal. This British version uses spring greens and a simple tomato sauce with mushrooms.

Spring greens soften enough to wrap around the sausage pieces, while the passata keeps the parcels moist as they bake. Rice served underneath catches the sauce.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 440 calories, 48g protein, 22g carbs, 19g fat.

The sausages provide much of the protein and fat, while the rice contributes most of the carbohydrates; the tomato sauce and greens add further carbohydrates. Serve with a generous amount of greens and a measured portion of rice to balance the plate.

Choosing the ingredients

Sausages: Pork gives the dish its familiar flavour, but the recipe also allows for veggie, vegan or chicken sausages. Grill them fully before wrapping.

Greens: Choose large leaves that can cover a piece of sausage. Removing the thick central stalks makes them easier to fold.

Sauce and mushrooms: Passata makes a smooth base, while chopped mushrooms add texture between the parcels. Chopped tinned tomatoes can be used instead of passata.

Getting the leaves ready

Briefly soaking the leaves in boiling water makes them pliable without needing to cook them fully first. Drain them well so excess water does not thin the sauce.

Keep the pieces of sausage to about one-third of a whole sausage, as directed, so each leaf can wrap around them. If a leaf is especially large, halve it before wrapping.

Wrapping and arranging

Parcel shape: Place a sausage piece on a leaf and wrap it securely enough to hold together. Set each parcel in the dish with the join underneath where possible.

Even coverage: Arrange the parcels in the passata so the sauce can surround them. Tuck mushrooms and spare greens into the gaps, and push any exposed mushrooms beneath the sauce.

Checking doneness

The sausages are grilled for 15 minutes before baking, and the assembled dish then cooks for 30 minutes at 180°C, or 160°C fan. Keep the dish covered with foil during baking as directed.

The leaves should be tender and the sauce hot when served. If using an alternative type of sausage, follow its cooking guidance to ensure it is fully cooked.

Serving with a side

Basmati rice is the suggested accompaniment, served in a mound beneath the parcels with sauce spooned over the top. Pasta, potatoes or couscous are also listed as alternatives.

Cook the chosen side while the parcels bake, following its packet instructions or your usual method. This keeps the meal simple and helps make the most of the tomato sauce.

Recipe notes & tips

• Choose leaves large enough to wrap around each sausage piece.
• Trim out the thick central stalks so the leaves fold more easily.
• Drain the softened greens well before assembling the dish.
• Check that the mushrooms are pushed beneath the passata before covering the dish.
• Start cooking the rice while the parcels are in the oven.

Variations

• Use veggie sausages: Swap in veggie or vegan sausages for a meat-free version.
• Try chicken sausages: Use chicken sausages in place of pork.
• Swap the tomatoes: Use chopped tinned tomatoes instead of passata.
• Change the mushrooms: Choose another type of mushroom in place of chestnut mushrooms.
• Pick another side: Serve the parcels with pasta, potatoes or couscous instead of basmati rice.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using stalky leaves: Cut out the thick central ribs so the leaves are easier to wrap.
• Skipping the hot-water soak: Briefly soften the leaves so they can bend around the sausage pieces.
• Leaving mushrooms exposed: Push them beneath the passata so they are submerged for baking.
• Forgetting to cover the dish: Use foil during the 30-minute bake, as the method directs.
• Serving without the sauce: Spoon the remaining sauce over the parcels and rice.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container once cooled and use within 2 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout, either in the oven covered with foil or in the microwave.

Frequently asked questions