This easy sausage and cannellini beans casserole is an incredibly easy to make one-pot meal that comes together in under 30 minutes. You can enjoy it meat free by using vegetarian sausages!
To celebrate British Sausage Week I made this healthy easy sausage and cannellini beans casserole. In addition to the sausages and beans I used onion, garlic and sweet and earthy prunes. All in one dish and ready in about 25 minutes!
We all know that sausages aren’t exactly good for us, yet they remain a staple in our diet (among the meat eating contingent of the population that is). Why is that? I think the answer is simple: they are convenient and delicious! To me it’s clear that their popularity is not in danger of diminishing any time soon. So I thought I’d come up with a healthy sausage recipe that’s also delicious, satisfying, and perfect as a family dish.
What sausages to use in sausage and cannellini casserole
I used Cumberland sausages in this healthy sausage casserole, as they seem to contain less fat than ordinary ones. They are also full of delicious herbs. This is a personal preference and any other type of sausage will work in this dish too. You can also use good quality vegetarian sausages and enjoy this dish meat free.
Do I have to use prunes
No, you don’t. I chose to add them to this casserole for a bit of tangy sweetness as well as depth of flavour.
Prunes are a very underused ingredient even though they are nutritious, full of fibre, iron and other minerals. But more importantly, they taste delicious. They are a fantastic ingredient to pair with peppery herby sausages!
If you like using prunes in savoury dishes you may also like this easy Sauerkraut Chicken Casserole.
How to make easy sausage and beans casserole
This sausage stew requires very little preparation (the only 2 ingredients that require chopping are garlic and onion). The entire dish comes together in less time that’s usually needed to bake sausages.
Start by frying the sausages with the bay leaf until lightly brown. Then add the onions and garlic and continue frying for a couple more minutes. Next add the beans, prunes and wine and continue cooking. Pour in some of the water, season, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the heat and enjoy!
Serving suggestions
Serve this healthy sausage stew hot alongside potatoes, quinoa, pasta or with a chunk of crusty bread. Sprinkle over fresh parsley, lemon zest (highly recommended!) and a drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy!
More easy sausage recipes
Vegetarian Sausage Mushroom Sweet Potato Pie
Quick Vegetarian Christmas Stuffing.
Easy Sausage and Cannellini Beans Casserole
Ingredients
- 6 sausages I used Cumberland
- 1 can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 120 g soft prunes halved
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 5 tablespoons white wine
- 1/3 - 1/2 cup water
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Freshly chopped parsley and lemon zest for garnish
Instructions
- You will need a large pan or casserole dish with a lid. Heat up 3 tablespoons of oil, add the bay leaf and sausages and brown them a little for a couple of minutes over a medium heat.
- Add the garlic and onion and continue frying for 2-3 minutes stirring often. Add the beans, prunes and wine and fry for 2 more minutes.
- Season, add some of the water, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes stirring occasionally. Ensure the prunes don't stick to the pan and add more water if necessary. Score the sausages half way through cooking if you like to release more juices.
- Garnish with parsley and lemon zest, drizzle with a little olive oil and serve.
Nutrition
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Hi, I am Monika, welcome to Everyday Healthy Recipes! This blog is all about creatively simple recipes with a healthy twist, old classics with a modern take, and an occasional Polish dish thrown into the mix - all easy to make, healthy and delicious, perfect for everyday cooking. 
What a brilliant, quick mid-week dinner. I always seem to be in a rush in the evenings so something like this is perfect. Like you, we worry a bit about the fat content in sausages so tend to eat chipolatas but don’t add extra to the plate to make up for the fact they’re smaller.
Thanks Charlotte! Quick dinners are the only type of dinners I seem to be doing these days, I am always in a rush too:)
Ooooh Monika! I love the idea of adding prunes to this dish. This is a must try, you are certainly filling my list! Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Thank you Kirsty! Prunes work so well in this recipe I am going to start using them a lot more in my cooking.
Beans and sausages is a quite common dish in Italy and I do love it very much. The addition of prunes it is a great idea, I will try it very soon! Thanks for being at FF!
Thanks! I do think prunes work really well in this dish. Thanks for stopping by:)
Looks like an interesting flavor combination
These flavours are not commonly used together both they work really well in this dish. Thanks for stopping by:)
This dish looks like the perfect comfort food for a chilly day!
Thanks! I’ll be making this a lot for the next few months! No hope for warm days any time soon.
A delicious recipe Monika, I love the idea of the prunes with the Cumberland sausages.
Thank you Sarah! They do taste great together:)
What a great recipe! I haven’t used prunes in a long time, but this post is making me want to try them again! This looks like a recipe my family would really enjoy–thank you for sharing it!
Thank you! I don’t use prunes very much and often forget about them, but they work really well in this recipe. Thanks for stopping by:)