Name: Easy Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole - Printable Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 15 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: English
Ingredients: Large Frying Pan; 3.3 Litre Slow Cooker; 1 tbsp Olive Oil; 12 x Sausages; 1 x Onion, peeled and thickly sliced; 3 x Medium Carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces; 1 x Red Bell Pepper, deseeded and cut into large pieces; 2 x Large Garlic Cloves, peeled and roughly chopped; 2 tsp Smoked Sweet Paprika; 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce; 1 x Vegetable Stock Pot*; 1/2 tsp Pepper; 1 tsp Salt; 1 x 400g (14oz) Tin of Chopped Tomatoes; 2 x 400g (14oz) Tins of Baked Beans; 2 x Sprigs of Fresh Thyme

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Looking for an easy midweek meal? Don’t have time but still want a comforting dinner? This super easy slow cooker sausage casserole is for you! With just 15 minutes prep, the slow cooker does all the hard work for you. Sound good? Read on for the delicious recipe and helpful tips.

A top down view of a slow cooker filled with sausage casserole with beans. Set against a white wood effect backdrop there is a wooden spoon in the bowl and a light brown linen napkin to the side.

Slow cooker sausage casserole

Slow cooker recipes are a midweek favourite of mine. There’s something so satisfying about coming home from work knowing dinner is ready for you!

In fact, utilising slow cooker recipes is a top tip in my popular post, how to plan 5 midweek meals in less than 10 minutes. Check it out and bag your FREE meal planning kit today!

And yes, a regular oven cooked sausage casserole is delicious, but that’s more of a weekend meal really. Especially when served alongside cheesy mashed potatoes or Yorkshire puddings. With slow cooker dinners, you can simply turn it on and walk away. I mean, who loves slaving over a hot stove all day anyway?!

Plus you can always change up the flavour with something like slow cooker curried sausages, if you want to mix things up!

A plate of slow cooker sausage casserole and rice with a hand reaching in with a fork, scattered with chopped parsley. The plate is set on an ornate white wood board with a light brown linen napkin to the side. Set on a white wood effect backdrop.

Can you cook raw sausages in a slow cooker sausage casserole?

Absolutely! That’s the beauty of slow cooking. Because it cooks for so long, you can be safe in the knowledge that any of that nasty raw meat bacteria will have been killed off.

Also, a ‘dump and go’ recipe is far more simple that having to do lots of prep first. Am I right?!

A top down view of the raw slow cooker sausage casserole ingredients in the bowl of a slow cooker set over a white wood effect backdrop. There is a light brown linen napkin scrunched up at the side, a white wood board with chopped carrots and a knife on it, a small pot of parsley, a pack of sausages and a pepper in the background.

Do you need to brown sausages before slow cooking?

No you don’t. You can make this particular recipe by putting sausages in the slow cooker without browning first.

Browning them is mainly for texture. But it can add a little more flavour too (thanks to the maillard reaction).

It’s all down to personal preference. If you prefer the look of browned sausages, then fry them first. They won’t get any more brown in the slow cooker.

A top down view of 3 bowls filled with slow cooker sausage casserole with beans and rice. Set over a white wood effect backdrop, there are also some forks, scattered chopped parsley and a light brown linen napkin in the background.

Can I put frozen sausages in a slow cooker?

I personally wouldn’t. It’s a hot pot for bacteria breeding to happen and, honestly, just not worth it.

If you’d like to know more, this post on why it isn’t safe to cook frozen meat in the slow cooker is very informative.

An angled top down view of a slow cooked sausage casserole with beans in a slow cooker on a white wood effect backdrop. There is also a light brown linen napkin scrunched up in the background and a person reaching into the shot with a fork.

Can I slow cook sausages in the oven?

Absolutely! This slow cooker sausage casserole can be cooked in the oven. Place all the ingredients into a large lidded pot and cook at 160ºC/150ºC Fan/320ºF for about 1 hour.

A close up top down view of slow cooker sausage casserole with beans and rice on a small plate set over a larger plate. There's a fork in the casserole, a light brown linen napkin to the side and it's set over a white wood effect backdrop.

Can you make slow cooker sausage casserole vegetarian?

Of course it can! There are lots of slow cooker sausage recipes out there, but this can be made vegetarian very easily.

All you need to do is use vegetarian Worcestershire Sauce and sausages. Note that Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce is not vegetarian as it contains anchovies/fish sauce.

A top down view of a hand holding a wooden spoon, reaching into a slow cooker sausage casserole. Set over a white wood effect backdrop, there is also a glass bowl with chopped vegetables, a small knife, a chopping board and a light brown linen napkin in the background.

Can it be made gluten free?

This slow cooker sausage casserole recipe is naturally gluten free. Please do check the labels to be sure though, particularly with the sausages, Worcestershire sauce and vegetable stock pots.

Ingredients and substitutions

Confused about what ingredients to buy? Not sure about a substitution? Here’s what you need to know…

The star ingredients

Sausages – If using pork sausages, choose those with a high meat percentage. They’re better for you and the flavour is always superior. Making a vegetarian version? I’ve used Richmond meat free sausages with great success.
Onion – A regular brown onion is perfect. Red would work if that’s all you have though.
Carrots – Medium carrots are ideal. Simply increase or decrease the quantity if you can only get small or large.
Pepper – Nice large red bell peppers work brilliantly in this recipe. Yellow or orange would also work well, but I’d avoid using green as they can be a little bitter.

Flavour boosting ingredients

Oil – I like to fry sausages in olive oil as it adds a lovely flavour. Feel free to use FryLight if you’re making a lighter version. Other oils such as sunflower and vegetable also work well.
Garlic – Large garlic cloves please! None of those sad tiny ones, we want real FLAVOUR. If you can only get small garlic, add an extra clove for good measure.
Paprika – I like to use sweet smoked paprika. I found an amazing one at TK Maxx of all places! But you can just as easily find this in the supermarkets. Just beware of the hot ones as this will add fire to your sausage casserole!
Worcestershire Sauce – Lea & Perrins is the original (and the best in my opinion) but if you’re making a vegetarian option you’ll need to use a different brand. In the US and can’t find it? You can make your own Worcestershire sauce.
Vegetable Stock Pot – I always use the Knorr stock pots as they are packed with flavour and dissolve really easily. However, stock cubes would work equally as well.
Salt & Pepper – I use sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Table salt and ground pepper would be absolutely fine though, as it’s all going to dissolve anyway.
Thyme – Fresh thyme is best as it packs a flavour punch! You could switch this out for 1 tsp of dried thyme if you need to though.

The sauce ingredients

Tinned Tomatoes – You need to use a good quality brand that isn’t full of liquid. I used the Napolina chopped tomatoes which worked really well.
Baked Beans – This one is down to preference. We’re a fan of Heinz baked beans in my house but Branston would work well too. The thicker the sauce the better though, or you could end up with a runny casserole.

A plate of slow cooker sausage casserole and rice with a fork in the side, scattered with chopped parsley. The plate is set on an ornate white wood board with a light brown linen napkin to the side. Set on a white wood effect backdrop.

Recipe tips and troubleshooting

Here are some tips I think you’ll find helpful when making this slow cooker sausage and bean casserole.

You don’t have to brown your sausages, but it does add a little texture and flavour that otherwise wouldn’t be there.
Short on time? You can skip browning your sausages and just dump them straight into the slow cooker.
Remember to cut your veg chunky or they will become very soft and mushy.
Like your veg crunchy? Keep the peppers back and add them in 1 hour before the time is up.
Enjoy a little heat? Add in some chilli flakes to your taste, for a fiery kick to your slow cooker sausage casserole.

Time management

Have limited time? Struggle with recipe timings? Or juggling around other things? Here’s some time managing info to make your life easier.

You don’t have to brown your sausages. Just add them into the slow cooker raw and it will all work out fine. I promise. It’ll save you about 15 minutes.
If the time goes a little over 8 hours, don’t worry. I’ve put mine on overnight (9 hours) before and it was still delicious!
Need this slow cooker sausage casserole in a hurry? Cook on high for 4-5 hours instead.

A top down view of slow cooker sausage casserole and rice on a small plate set over a larger plate. There's a fork in the casserole, a light brown linen napkin to the side and it's set over a white wood effect backdrop. The plate is positioned in the bottom right hand side of the photo.

If you like this recipe…

…you might also like:

Easy Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole – Step by Step Picture Recipe

(For a printer friendly version, see the recipe card at the end of this post)

Ingredients

Here is what you will need to serve 4.

1 tbsp Olive Oil
12 x Sausages
1 x Onion, peeled and thickly sliced
3 x Medium Carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
1 x Red Bell Pepper, deseeded and cut into large pieces
2 x Large Garlic Cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tsp Smoked Sweet Paprika
1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 x Vegetable Stock Pot*
1/2 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Salt
1 x 400g (14oz) Tin of Chopped Tomatoes
2 x 400g (14oz) Tins of Baked Beans
2 x Sprigs of Fresh Thyme

*or you can crumble in a stock cube

Essential equipment

Large Frying Pan
3.3 Litre Slow Cooker

Instructions

Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat then add the oil (1 tbsp). Put the sausages (x 12) into the pan and cook until browned all over. It will take about 15 minutes.

You can skip this stage and put the sausages into the slow cooker raw if you like.

12 sausages frying in a pan on the stove.

12 browned sausages frying in a pan on a stove.

Then add the onion (1 x peeled and thickly sliced), carrots (3 x medium, peeled and cut into large pieces) and red pepper (1 x deseeded and cut into large pieces) into the bowl of your slow cooker.

Chopped onion, carrots and pepper in a slow cooker bowl on a kitchen worktop.

Top with the garlic (2 x cloves, peeled and roughly chopped), paprika (2 tsp), Worcestershire sauce (1 tbsp), vegetable stock pot (x 1), pepper (1/2 tsp) and salt (1 tsp).

Chopped onion, carrots, pepper, spices and seasoning in a slow cooker bowl on a kitchen worktop.

Next, pour in the chopped tomatoes (1 x 400g | 14oz tin) and the baked beans (2 x 400g | 14oz tins) and mix thoroughly until everything is evenly distributed.

Chopped vegetables, spices, tomatoes and beans in a slow cooker bowl with a wooden spoon inside on a kitchen worktop.

Finally, stir the sausages through the mixture then top with the thyme sprigs (x 2).

Slow cooker sausage casserole ingredients in a slow cooker on a kitchen worktop.

All that’s left to do is pop the lid on and cook on low for 8 hours. You could cook this on high for 4-5 hours if you need it quicker.

Slow cooker sausage casserole with beans in a slow cooker on a kitchen worktop with a timer next to it saying '8 hours'.

A sausage casserole with beans that has finished slow cooking in a slow cooker on a kitchen worktop.

Divide your slow cooker sausage casserole between four bowls and serve with a tasty side (see some suggestions later in this post).

Can you freeze slow cooker sausage casserole?

Yes you can freeze it! Allow your sausage casserole to cool completely, then divide between 4 freezer bags or tubs and pop into the freezer.

Use within 3 months and defrost thoroughly in the fridge before reheating.

A close up top down view of a slow cooker sausage casserole in a slow cooker on a white wood effect backdrop with a light brown linen napkin to the side.

What to serve with slow cooker sausage casserole

Pasta
Rice
Easy air fryer chips
Couscous
Boiled potatoes
Crushed potatoes
Jacket/baked potatoes (If you have a 2nd slow cooker you can even make slow cooker jacket potatoes!)

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Easy Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole - Printable Recipe

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes

Need an easy midweek meal without the fuss? This super easy slow cooker sausage casserole recipe is for you! With just 15 minutes prep, the slow cooker does all the hard work for you.