Italian Sausage and Bean Casserole

A round serving plate of Italian sausage and beans in a tomato sauce

Italian Sausage and Bean Casserole

Print Recipe

Sweet Italian sausage is cooked with cannellini beans, in a tomato rosemary, wine sauce.

Course Dinner Ideas

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 435

Author Janette

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
8 sweet or spicy Italian sausages
1 cup (128 grams) onion finely chopped
3 garlic cloves grated or finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste puree in the UK
Small pinch red pepper chili flakes more if you like it spicier
½ cup (118 ml) Italian red wine substitute chicken stock for children
3 cups (700 grams) canned chopped tomatoes
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
30 oz (two 15 oz cans)850g (two 425g cans) canned cannellini/white kidney beans, drained (or dried if making in the slow cooker)

Instructions

To make on the stovetop:

Heat a braising pan or high-sided skillet/frying pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Brown the sausages for about 3 minutes per side until golden (they don’t need to be cooked through). Remove the sausages from the pan and set aside.
To the same pan, add the onions (add more oil if needed) and cook until they begin to soften. Stir in the garlic and rosemary and cook for 1 minute, being careful not to let them brown.
Add the tomato paste and red pepper flakes, stirring to combine. Pour in the wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes until the tomatoes break down into a saucy consistency.
Stir in the beans, then nestle the sausages back into the pan. Cover and simmer for a further 10 minutes until everything is heated through and flavors combine.

To make in the slow cooker:

Soak dried beans overnight in water. Brown the sausage as in step 1, then put everything into the slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours.

Video

Notes

You will need to use dried beans as canned will fall apart and they will need to be soaked overnight before cooking. Brown the sausage as in step 1, then put everything into the slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours.

Nutrition