Smoky Sausage and Butterbean Casserole
Usually I think of a stew as a classic winter dish, but this one is so easy and tasty that I like to make it all year round. I often make a big batch at the start of the week and take it for my lunch Monday to Thursday. Because it’s quite chunky, it’s a really satisfying lunch or dinner, and the sour cream adds a lovely creaminess to the dish.
Tip – If you have this in the evening, any leftovers can be frozen for another day (just freeze it before you add the sour cream). I usually have the casserole by itself, but you could make some mash or roasties to go with it, or even pop some par-boiled new potatoes into the casserole. I’ve
served it with green beans and a slice of crusty bread in the past too. Amend the calories to account for any changes/additions.
POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Serves 4 – per serving = 6 points or 292 cals, 4.7g fat, 27.8g carbs, 34.4g protein
Ingredients
8 x low fat pork sausages (I use Aldi Skinny Pork Sausages 3% fat)
4 x bacon medallions, diced
1 white onion, sliced
250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp hot chilli powder
1/2 tbsp plain flour
Pinch chilli flakes (optional)
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
1 chicken stock cube made up with 300ml boiling water
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tbsp dark brown muscovado sugar
1 tsp mixed herbs
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
400g tin of butter beans, drained
1 tbsp half fat soured cream
Salt and black pepper
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan).
- Use a pan that can go both on the hob and in the oven. Put on to a medium/high heat, spray with low-calorie cooking spray and brown the sausages for 5 minutes until they start to colour. Take the sausages out of the pan and pop to one side. Add the diced bacon into the same pan, spray again with low-calorie cooking spray and fry to your liking –I like it crispy on the edges.
- Add the onion to the bacon and fry for another 4–5 minutes until the onion starts to soften , adding a little water if the pan gets dry. Next, add the mushrooms, fry for a few minutes, and then add the garlic. Cook for a further minute. Add the smoked paprika, chilli powder, flour and a few chilli flakes, if you are having them, to the pan and mix in.
- Stir in the tomatoes, chicken stock, tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, herbs and butter beans and mix. Add 100ml water and then add the sausages back to the pan. Bring to a simmer on the hob. Add the lid and then pop in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Once cooked, remove the stew from the oven, season to taste and stir through the sour cream. Remove the bay leaves from the pan before serving.