Vegan sausage and bean casserole with sweet potato and red pepper is one of my family's favourite meals.
Perfect for easy and fast mid-week dinners and ideal for batch prepping. This recipe can easily be prepared as gluten-free.
This delicious casserole is brimming with savoury flavours of smoky paprika and sweet tomato sauce that is simmered into an amazing ragu.
Coupled with the textures of creamy butterbeans, yummy meat-free sausages, and chunks of soft sweet potatoes this dinner adds up to the perfect autumnal and winter warming comfort food.
Quick Origins of Sausage Casserole
Globally, people have been cooking casseroles for hundreds of years but many claim that France is the location of the origins of the modern day casserole.
The word casserole refers to the earthenware pot that was traditionally used to slow cook food into a French cassoulet.
A cassoulet traditionally was prepared with meat, particularly sausages, white beans and tomato sauce.
By the 1950s casseroles were a popular everyday dish in the US. And are now an equally common meal in the UK.
In France cans of casserole are a readily available to buy from supermarkets.
Meat-free Sausage Casserole
This recipe for meat-free sausage casserole is so fast and easy to prepare. It is the perfect family meal or crowd pleaser.
There are so many ways to create new meals from leftover casserole, just check the recipe notes, so even if your only feeding a few people this casserole can provide several different meals.
First sweet potato chunks, red pepper slices, rough chopped onion, celery slices, and crushed garlic is cooked in ½ a cup of veggie stock until the sweet potato begins to soften. Alternatively a tablespoon of oil can be used for this stage. However, its not really needed as the flavours produced from this casserole is enough and doesn't require oil, but feel free to use it.
Next the flavours are added. Chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, smoky paprika, onion powder, soya sauce, red wine vinegar, and dried herbs are mixed through the veggies, along with a can of drained butterbeans. Everything is given a good stir and cooked for a few more minutes.
Now the veggie-bean which is similar to a tasty tomato ragu is decanted into a casserole dish, with the meat-free sausages popped on top. I like to bake the vegan sausages on the top of the casserole as it provides a better texture and allows the veggie sausages to colour and crisp.
If preferred switch out the meat-free sausages for big juicy mushrooms or tomatoes. Slice larger mushrooms into chunks and place directly into the casserole before baking, or pop the tomatoes into the casserole so that they nicely wedge into the sauce.
After about 25-30 minutes the sausage casserole should be ready. The sausages are removed and sliced into 2-3 pieces before being mixed through the casserole.
I like to add a few sliced spring/green onions over the top and a sprinkle of paprika or chilli flakes for heat. A few drops of hot sauce would also be tasty.
My kids love pasta served with this vegan sausage casserole but I have included other ideas down below in the recipe notes, so be sure and check those out.
I would love to know how you get on with preparing this delicious veggie casserole. Don't forget to pop a quick comment below. Thanks so much.
How To Prepare Vegan Sausage Casserole (With Red Pepper And Sweet Potato)
Add chopped sweet potato, red pepper, celery, onion and garlic to a pan along with 125ml/ ½ a cup of veggie stock.
Pop a lid on and simmer for 10 minutes over a medium heat.
Mix through the butterbeans, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, paprika, dried herbs, onion powder, soya sauce and red wine vinegar.
Simmer for 3 minutes.
Add half a teaspoon of sugar along with salt and pepper to taste.
Decant the veggie mix into a casserole dish.
Place the uncooked meat-free sausages on top of the casserole.
Remove the sausages and chop into 2-3 pieces per sausage.
Mix the pieces throughout the casserole.
Sprinkle over paprika/pepper/chilli flakes for added heat if liked.
Recipe Notes And FAQS
Leftover casserole can be stored in the fridge for 3 days. Or frozen for 4-6 months.
Allow leftover chilled or defrosted casserole to come to room temperature before reheating at the cooking temperature for 25-30 minutes or until piping hot throughout. Add extra stock or water to loosen up the sauce a little if required before placing in the oven.
Small amounts of leftover sausage casserole can also be reheated on the stove top. Place in a pan with extra liquid if needed, and simmer for 2-5 minutes just until its all piping hot. Stir frequently.
* not a fan of meat-free sausages? sub these out for large mushrooms sliced into thick wedges or use button/smaller mushrooms kept whole. The mushrooms can be added to the casserole along with the butterbeans so that they can have an initial cook in the pan before being baked. Or simply pushed into the casserole before baking, take into account cooking times for the mushrooms as large chunks will need longer.
* another idea is to replace the sausages with whole tomatoes. Simply add the tomatoes to the top of the casserole before baking in the oven.
* or simply replace the sausages with another can of drained beans. Any bean is fine or use a can of mixed beans.
* sweet potato can be replaced for carrots or butternut squash. Slice the carrots thin so that they have time to cook through.
* not keen on celery? replace with a green pepper or courgette.
A few suggestions:
* pasta/spaghetti/thick noodles
* any variety of rice
* crusty bread, garlic bread
* peas and sweetcorn, corn-on-the-cobs
* any salad veggies
* any steamed or roasted veggies
* baked white potato
* potato wedges/fries/chips
* fresh red onion rings
* sliced spring/green onions
* pickled beetroot
* vegan coleslaw
* hot sauce
* serve on toasted/grilled bread for next days lunch
* use as a baked potato filling
* stuff into vegan-friendly sub/hot-dog rolls, sprinkle some shredded vegan cheese over and bake until melted and crispy
* reheat leftovers, give it a mash and use as a sloppy joe filling
* cover leftovers with mashed potatoes or a root vegetable mash and bake until bubbling, golden and crisp
* chop up leftovers and use as a pastry filling. Use vegan-friendly puff or filo pastry and create little pasties. Follow pastry package instructions for baking temperatures and bake until golden and crisp. Great for a treat, picnic or kids lunch box.
Yes, with a few considerations it is easy to prepare this casserole as gf.
* use a gluten-free vegan stock
* check that your meat-free sausages are certified gluten-free
* choose tamari soya sauce which is generally gluten-free as opposed to ordinary soya sauce
More easy delicious vegan meal ideas
Vegan Cheese, Onion and Potato Pie (Traditional British)
Vegan Traditional Lancashire Hotpot
Vegan Sausage Casserole (With Sweet Potato And Red Pepper)
Equipment
- Non-stick pan/skillet/ deep fry pan for cooking sauce
- Casserole dish at least 3 litres/3-4 US quart capacity for baking casserole
- optional or use a dutch oven or similar pan that's suitable for both stove top and oven
Ingredients
For Sautéing Veggies
- 125 millilitre vegetable stock plus a little extra if necessary. Alternatively use 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.
Casserole:
- 1 pack vegan sausages about 8 sausages. I used Vegan Richmond sausages. Thawed if frozen. Or replace with mushrooms either whole or sliced if large.
- 140 grams onion 1 medium, chopped, or 2 teaspoon of onion powder
- 100 grams celery 2 ribs, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced/fine diced or replace with 2 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 110 grams red bell pepper 1 medium, sliced
- 350 grams sweet potatoes 2 medium, chopped into bitesize chunks.
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree paste
- 1 can chopped tomatoes 400 grams/ 15 oz can
- 1 can butter beans 400g/ 15 oz can, 1 ½ cups, drained.
- 2 teaspoon red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soya sauce use Tamari if gluten-free
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon smoky paprika or regular
- ½ teaspoon sugar your usual sugar or syrup is fine, such as maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon mixed herbs
- 125 millilitre vegetable stock
Optional garnish:
- 4 spring/ green onions sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 Fan/ 200 Celsius/ 392 Fahrenheit/ Gas 6.
Sauté with veggie stock:
- Add onions, garlic, sweet potatoes, celery, red pepper and ½ cup/125ml of vegetable stock to a pan.Bring to a simmer.Lower heat and place a lid on the pan.Cook for 10 minutes.Add a small splash of extra stock or water if necessary to avoid sticking.
To sauté with vegetable oil:
- If using oil gently sauté the vegetables for about 10 minutes, over a low-medium heat, or until the sweet potato begins to soften. Stir frequently, but do not add a lid to the pan. If veggies begin to stick just loosen them up with a splash of water or stock.
Continue preparing the casserole:
- To the veggies add tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, butter beans, smoky paprika, mixed herbs, onion powder, red wine vinegar, soya sauce, and ½ cup/125 ml of stock. Give everything a good mix.Simmer for 3 minutes.
- Add ½ teaspoon of sugar, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Scoop the mix into your casserole dish.
- Pop the vegan sausages on to the top of the casserole so that they can get some colour as they cook.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the sausages have cooked and gained some colour, and the casserole sauce is bubbling and thick.Remove the sausages and chop into 2-3 pieces per sausage.Add back to the casserole and mix through.
- Optional: Sprinkle sliced green/spring onions over each portion or over the entire casserole. A few pinches of paprika or chilli flakes is a nice addition.
Notes
- Nutritional information is provided for guidance only and is not a strict calculation as ingredients vary. Data is run through computerized nutrition apps.
- For a lower sodium meal choose a low-salt vegan stock and use tamari soya sauce which usually contains less sodium compared to ordinary soya sauce.
- Leftovers can be cooled and stored in the fridge, in a covered container, for up to 3 days.
- Or frozen for 4-6 months. Defrost before reheating.
- Sausage casserole is perfect for batch prepping. Cool the finished dish, and freeze in an air-tight container or within the casserole dish with a lid. Defrost at room temperature before reheating in the oven.
- Reheat at the cooking temperature for around 20-30 minutes or until the casserole is piping hot throughout. A little splash of water may be needed if the casserole sauce has become very thick.
- Small amounts of leftovers can be reheated on the stove-top within a pan. Add a small amount of stock or water to loosen up the sauce enough to reheat without sticking to the pan.
- Leftovers served over a slice of toasted/grilled bread makes for a tasty, easy and quick lunch. My kids love this. Or stuff into a baked potato and enjoy with a side salad. Doing this can help stretch a small amount of leftovers into one or two meals.
- Serve meat-free sausage casserole with your favourite pasta and veggies such as peas and corn, which are my kids favourite accompaniments. Additionally a slice of crusty bread is ideal for extra hungry appetites. My teenage son always wants extra of everything and then some!
Beth
This is such a tasty and delicious dinner. The family absolutely loved this recipe! I’ll definitely be making this again for dinner soon! My son especially loved this!
Glad you all enjoyed the casserole. Its one of my sons favourites too! 🙂
Emily
Loved the flavors happening in this casserole! So delicious and hearty.
I agree! The smoky paprika and sweetness from the sweet potatoes combined with the tanginess of the red wine vinegar makes for a really yummy tomato sauce. Happy you enjoyed the veggie sausage casserole 🙂
maryanne
This was so incredibly flavorful - hard to believe that it's so healthy! I love the paprika and slight tang from the red wine vinegar. Will be making this again!
So glad to read that you enjoyed the sausage casserole. Its one of my family's most requested dishes 🙂
Biana
This stew looks amazing! So healthy and delicious.
Thanks! It definitely is!
Julia
Such a hearty meal! Loved reading about the history of casserole dishes.
Thanks so much. I love the history behind the recipes as it just adds an extra dimension of enjoyment knowing the dish has been cooked for hundreds of years 🙂