Name: Veggie sausage casserole
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 8 vegetarian sausages; 1 large red onion finely chopped; 2 celery sticks finely chopped; 2 carrots finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves finely chopped; 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika; 1 tsp fennel seeds (optional); few sprigs of thyme rosemary or sage; 2 tbsp tomato purée; 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar; 400g can plum tomatoes; 250ml vegetable stock; 400g can butter beans; 60g fresh vegetarian pesto; warm crusty bread to serve (optional)

Veggie sausage casserole

Make this casserole with veggie sausages and butterbeans for a flavourful family meal that delivers four of your 5-a-day. Serve with warm crusty bread

1 hr 20 min total 20 min prep 1 hr cook 4 300 cal

Instructions

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1 Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over a medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the sausages and quickly stir to coat in the oil. Cook for 5-7 mins until browned all over, then scoop out and set aside on a plate. Turn the heat down to medium and stir in the onion, celery and carrot with a big pinch of salt. Cook for 8-10 mins until softened but not coloured.
2 Stir in the garlic, paprika and fennel seeds, if using, and cook for another 1-2 mins until fragrant. Stir in the herb sprigs and the tomato purée. Stir well to coat everything and cook for 5 mins until the tomato purée has caramelised and turned dark red. Add the vinegar, tomatoes, stock and beans, along with their liquid, then rinse out the tomato can with water and add that too. Bring to a simmer and return the sausages to the pan. Simmer gently for 40-45 mins, stirring frequently, until the sauce has thickened. Season to taste, remove the herb sprigs and discard.
3 Drizzle over the pesto and serve with warm crusty bread, if you like.