Sausage & Bean Stew

45 minutes

Easy

This recipe is about making meat go further. Six sausages stretched across four portions with beans, vegetables and stock is practical cooking on a budget.

Nut-free

Egg free

Ingredients

6 sausages
1 onion
2 carrots
2 × 400 g tins mixed beans, drained
2 × 400 g tins chopped tomatoes
400 ml vegetable stock
1 tbsp sunflower oil

Method

Step 1

Heat 1 tbsp sunflower oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Step 2

Add 6 sausages and cook for 6–8 minutes, turning regularly, until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.

Step 3

Finely chop 1 onion and slice 2 carrots.

Step 4

In the same pan, add the onion and carrots and cook for 8–10 minutes until softened.

Step 5

Add 2 tins chopped tomatoes, 400 ml vegetable stock and the drained beans.

Step 6

Return the sausages to the pan.

Step 7

Bring to a simmer and cook for 20–25 minutes until the sauce thickens and the sausages are fully cooked through.

Tips

Cool completely, then refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat until piping hot.
The key technique is browning the sausages first, then building the stew in the same pan. The browned bits on the base dissolve into the sauce when liquid is added, creating depth of flavour without adding anything extra.