Hairy Bikers Vegetarian Sausage Casserole
This warming one-pot wonder teams vegetarian sausages with sweet peppers, onions, and butter beans in a rich tomato gravy spiked with smoked paprika and thyme. The Hairy Bikers give it their classic hearty touch—proper comfort food that feels like a hug. It’s naturally vegetarian, ready in under an hour, and clocks in at around 380 calories per generous serving. Perfect for weeknights, meal prep, or feeding a crowd. I’ve lost count of how many times it’s turned a cold day around!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 35
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Ingredients
Vegetarian Sausages
- 8 good-quality vegetarian sausages (choose ones that hold their shape when cooked)
Fresh Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 red pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
- 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
Pantry Staples and Spices
- 1 heaped tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 400g tin butter beans, drained and rinsed
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 700ml vegetable stock
Instructions
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in your casserole dish over a medium heat. Add the vegetarian sausages and cook for 5–6 minutes, turning regularly, until nicely browned all over. This step builds flavour and gives the sausages lovely colour—don’t rush it. Remove them to a plate and set aside.
In the same dish, add the sliced red onion and peppers. Cook for 6–8 minutes until softened and starting to catch at the edges. Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, thyme and bay leaves and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant. The kitchen will smell incredible—that’s the base of the gravy coming alive.
Pour in the chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock. Stir well, scraping up any sticky bits from the bottom. Add the drained butter beans and bring everything to a gentle simmer.
Nestle the browned sausages back into the sauce. Cover with a lid (or foil) and transfer to a preheated oven at 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5 for 25–30 minutes until the sausages are cooked through and the sauce has thickened nicely. The gravy should be rich and glossy.
Remove the bay leaves, taste and season with salt and pepper. Scatter with fresh parsley if you like. Done—comforting dinner in under an hour. The first spoonful always makes me smile.