Slow-cooked vegetarian sausage casserole recipe

This slow-cooked vegetarian sausage casserole is so simple to prepare that you'll love this super delicious family meal.

It’s perfect to get started at lunchtime and have ready to serve up after the school run.

Or if you’re at work all day, it can be prepared in the morning and cooked on low ready to eat when you get home.

And of course, it's meat-free, making use of wonderfully flavoursome vegetarian Lincolnshire sausages, which I use in this recipe because they hold together really well during cooking and taste great.

It’s a tasty, low-fat dish that feeds four.

Instructions

Put the sausages into a slow cooker.

Add the broccoli.

Add the peppers.

Add the courgettes.

Add the carrots.

Add the tomatoes.

Add the stock cube and garlic.

Mix well.

Cook on high for 1 hour, then medium for 4-6 hours.

Season to taste.

Alternatively, if you’re in a hurry, the whole thing will take around 30 mins if simmered on the hob – just add some extra water to allow for loss as steam.

Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect slow-cooked vegetarian sausage casserole

Is a slow-cooked vegetarian sausage casserole easy to make?

This is a tremendously easy recipe to prepare, especially when it comes to effort vs. deliciousness! All you need to do is chop up a few ingredients, toss it in your slow cooker, give everything a mix. That’s it!

After that, it’s just a matter of sitting back and waiting for all the delicious flavours to come together over the next few hours. However, if you’re in a rush you can also throw everything in a saucepan and cook it on the hob, where it should only take 30 minutes - just add a little extra water if you're doing it this way, as it will produce more steam.

Will I need any special equipment for a slow-cooked vegetarian sausage casserole?

Other than a slow cooker you shouldn’t need anything you wouldn’t find in the average kitchen. If you don’t have a weighing scale you can use the images in the instructions as a guide for how much of each vegetable to use.

If you don’t have a slow cooker to hand you can use a saucepan and the hob as an alternative.

Where can I buy vegetarian sausages?

Vegetarian sausages are available in all major supermarkets in the UK, and you’ll often be able to find them in smaller, local food shops too. Have a look in both the chilled and frozen section, as how they are stored can differ depending on brand.

Be careful if you’re using a packet mix type sausage you’ve made yourself, as they’re more likely to break apart during cooking.

Is this slow-cooked vegetarian sausage casserole suitable for vegans?

This casserole would be suitable for vegans if you simply use vegan sausages instead of vegetarian ones The most common animal based ingredient is vegetarian sausages is egg, which usually acts as a binder as well as flavour enhancer.

While the vast majority of vegetable stock cubes are vegan, be sure to check that too.

Is this slow-cooked vegetarian sausage casserole gluten-free?

Not by default, as most brands of vegetable stock cubes and vegetarian sausage in the UK are not gluten-free. However, it is possible to find a few brands of both ingredients that are, so if you were to use those could you make a tasty gluten-free, vegetarian casserole.

I find the gluten-free vegetarian sausages in the UK are often rather adventurous in their ingredients and flavours, from kale and cashew to hemp and sumac, so you can end up with some really interesting flavour combinations in your casserole.

Is this slow-cooked vegetarian sausage casserole keto-friendly?

At around 26g of carbohydrates per bowl this recipe isn’t very keto-friendly and unfortunately as the carbs are fairly evenly spread among the ingredients it would be hard to make this dish super keto-friendly. 

However, serving a much smaller portion as part of a low-carb meal would be a possibility.

Is this slow-cooked vegetarian sausage casserole healthy?

This vegetarian sausage casserole is wonderfully healthy! It has plenty of vitamins, a decent chunk of protein and it’s light on calories making it a great lunch or dinner you can enjoy any day of the week.

Is this slow-cooked vegetarian sausage casserole safe to eat while pregnant?

As long as all the ingredients are in good condition, and the casserole is prepared and cooked hygienically then this dish should be fine to eat whilst pregnant.

In the UK the NHS has some fantastic guidance on foods to avoid when pregnant.

This website does not offer medical advice. Please speak to a health professional if you have any questions.

Is this slow-cooked vegetarian sausage casserole suitable for babies and toddlers?

This dish is a great source of protein from the vegetarian sausage along with all the vitamins and minerals in the vegetables, which makes it suitable for toddlers over 1 year -as long as you adjust the recipe to be mindful of salt. Too much salt isn’t good for baby’s kidneys so do not add any salt or stock cubes to the dish. You should also make sure the vegetarian sausages you use aren’t too high in salt.

Always make sure everything you serve to babies or toddlers is an appropriate size and shape, so cut the vegetarian sausages and veg smaller than you normally would, and make sure any small, round foods you might add, like cherry tomatoes, are also cut into small pieces.

Always keep babies supported upright while eating and supervise your baby when they’re eating in case they start to choke.

The NHS has some great advice on what to feed young children. If you are unsure, check with your health professional. This website does not give medical advice.

What goes well with a slow-cooked vegetarian sausage casserole?

I personally love a little chunky bread and some salted butter or olive oil with a casserole, it's just such a comforting combination.

I find bread with a little extra flavour in it also works very well with this recipe, so if you're feeling adventurous you could whip up these tasty and quick to make vegetable soda bread rolls or chilli cheese savoury scones in the time it take for your casserole to slow cook. 

Can I make a slow-cooked vegetarian sausage casserole without sausages?

While the sausage helps to add a rich flavour that permeates the whole dish during cooking, if you don’t have any vegetarian sausages available - or simply don’t enjoy the taste - you can leave it out and still have a very tasty, very healthy dish.

Can I add extra veg to this slow-cooked vegetarian sausage casserole?

This recipe has the perfect ratio of ingredients so when it’s slow cooked it comes out neither too wet nor too dry. However, you should be able to swap out one veg for a different type of veg, or add a little extra of something you particularly enjoy (or want to use up) without any problems.

How should I store a slow-cooked vegetarian sausage casserole?

This casserole should be cooled down to room temperature, placed in an airtight container and stored in the fridge within two hours of cooking, where it will last for up to three days. 

It's best to reheat your casserole on the hob in a saucepan rather than use a slow cooker again, as reheating using a slow cooker means the food will be in the ‘danger zone’ of temperatures (where bacteria will multiply more quickly) for longer than is advisable.

You could also reheat your casserole in the microwave - place it in a microwave safe container and cook until piping hot.

How long does this slow-cooked vegetarian sausage casserole keep?

If stored in the fridge correctly the casserole will last for up to three days, and if stored in the freezer it will last for at least three months without any negative impact to its flavour or texture.

In fact, I find if you leave many slow cooked dishes in the fridge for a day or two it simply gives it further time for the flavours to develop, and is just as tasty if not more so when reheated.

Can I leave this slow-cooked vegetarian sausage casserole out on the counter?

You cannot leave this dish out on the counter as it can’t be at room temperature for more than a couple of hours in total. Always make sure to store any casserole you aren't eating straightaway in the fridge after cooling.

Can I make this slow-cooked vegetarian sausage casserole ahead?

As this casserole can be safely kept slow cooking for at least a couple of hours you could make it ahead of time and simply leave it in the slow cooker until you need it - if the timings work out.

You could also prepare are the casserole up to three days ahead of time, store it in an airtight container in the fridge before reheating in a saucepan when required.

Can I freeze this slow-cooked vegetarian sausage casserole?

You can absolutely freeze this vegetarian sausage casserole - just make sure to get it cooled down to room temperature, placed an airtight container and in the freezer within two hours of taking it off the heat.

I would advise freezing your casserole in manageable portion sizes, even individual servings - that way you don't have to thaw out the whole thing and there’s no waste.

To do this simply place the casserole into separate containers before freezing. If you find yourself running short on containers you can also pop the casserole out of the containers once frozen, then place the frozen blocks in a single freezer bag.

To reheat your casserole I would advise leaving it in the fridge overnight to defrost, but you can just as easily cook from frozen - see below for more info.

What is the best way to reheat this slow-cooked vegetarian sausage casserole?

The easiest way to reheat a casserole from the fridge or frozen is in the microwave - simply place it in a microwave safe container and cook on the defrost or low-medium setting in until piping hot.

You can also reheat it on the hob by placing it in a saucepan over a low-medium heat and stirring regularly until steaming hot. If reheating from frozen I would add a tablespoon or two of water to the pan to prevent sticking, and if possible also use a lid which will help to trap the steam and defrost the dish more quickly.

Can I make this slow-cooked vegetarian sausage casserole in a different quantity?

You can make this vegetarian sausage casserole in any quantity that will still fit in your slow cooker. Simply use the recipe card found on this page to adjust your serving size accordingly, which will also update the quantities of each ingredient required.

Can I use a saucepan instead of a slow-cooker for this vegetarian sausage casserole?

Yes you can use a saucepan - over a medium heat it should take around half an hour to cook through, but if you use the lowest heat setting on your hob - and ideally use a heat spreader too - you can still get a slow cooked dish that gives the flavours extra time to develop in the pan.

How can I make sure this slow-cooked vegetarian sausage casserole is perfectly cooked?

While it’s not a good idea to lift the lid on your slow cooker too often, as you want to keep the steam in - which keeps everything moist and the temperature steady - the easiest way to make sure the vegetables are cooked to your liking is to use a clean spoon and have a little taste every half an hour or so.

Why did my casserole turn out undercooked?

Whether using a slow cooker or on the hob if you find your casserole is undercooked it may be because your temperature wasn’t set high enough, or you simply haven’t left it in for long enough, so check both the heat and timings. The easiest way to remedy the situation is simply leave the casserole to cook for longer.

Why did my dish taste bland?

Slow-cooking brings a lot of flavour to even simple ingredients, and combined with the stock cube I find this dish has flavours that really highlight the delicious veg.

However, if you feel your dish could do with an extra kick you could add some herbs, spices or extra ingredients to round it out further - see the answer below for some suggestions on different directions you could take this dish.

How can I change the flavours in this dish?

Casseroles are incredibly versatile when it comes to flavours and ingredients, and whatever works in a casserole dish will work in a slow cooker too, so feel free to experiment as much as you like.

Whether you're looking to find the next great casserole ingredient combination (there's literally hundreds of well known casserole dishes!) or simply to use up what's left in your cupboards or fridge here's a broad overview of ingredients to get you started.

Fresh vegetables are already a huge part of this dish, but it never hurts to add more! If you want to, you can also first fry some or all of your veg on the hob first, which will enhance their flavours.

Fresh herbs can enliven many casserole recipes - I enjoy either rosemary, thyme and/or sage in more earthy dishes while coriander, parsley and even mint works well with Mediterranean and North African dishes. It’s also a great garnish to sprinkle over the dish once it’s been served.

Dries herbs and spices add a lot of flavour to any dish, and I find it best to take spice combination inspiration for dishes you already know - few bay leaves, sage and a little nutmeg to starchy dishes like sweet potato, a sprinkle of ground turmeric and curry powder for an Indian kick, a or dash of paprika and cumin for something with onions, garlic. There's so many spices that it's really up to you how you use them, just remember a little can go a long way.

Tinned vegetable work very well as they are generally a little softer to begin with, which isn't a problem in casseroles. Tinned veg are also a great way of adding vegetables that aren’t in season or readily available, as well as being a great way of using up anything that you find in the back of the cupboard. So from kidney beans to sweetcorn in something with a Mexican twist, to new potatoes and green beans in something with more a British flavour you'll be able to incorporate practically anything into a casserole.

Canned soups can also be added to appropriate dishes instead of tinned tomatoes. Adding creamy soups works well with the addition of Mediterranean veg, vegetarian chicken and fresh herbs while chunky vegetable or other types of soups can be added to almost any slow-cooker casserole.

Pastas such as penne or macaroni goes well with both veg and meat substitutes and are a great way of bulking out a dish, just cook your pasta until just before al dente, then place it in the slow cooker with the other ingredients. Pasta is fantastic when accompanied with dried or fresh herbs such as oregano, marjoram and basil. Pasta also does well with a spicy kick, so feel free to add some finely diced chilli, paprika or similar spice.

Cheeses add a ton of flavour to casseroles, so you don’t need to overdo it. From a sharp cheddar to a subtle mozzarella it can be mixed through as cubes or sprinkled on top. Cubes of non-melting cheese like goat’s cheese or halloumi will add a tasty, salty kick while a strong cheese such as a blue cheese or smoked cheese will go a long way, so don’t overdo it!

Different types of meat substitutes are increasingly common, from new types of sausage such as vegetarian chorizo to vegetarian chicken and beef that can come in a variety of styles from mince and cubes to fillets you can cut up yourself. Generally, the meat substitute in question will have a similar flavour to its meat counterpart and can be used interchangeably.

Where does casserole’s name come from?

Confusingly, a casserole can either reference the food itself, or the name of the container it is traditionally cooked in.

The container, a casserole dish, is a large, deep pan or bowl that boths cooks the dish and is generally also used to serve it. Its name probably comes from the French ‘casse’ which means ‘small saucepan’.

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