An easy one-pot sausage and lentil casserole, with apple cider and puy lentils, it is a simple, rustic casserole dish that is pure hygge on a winter night.
An easy and delicious one-pot sausage and lentil casserole
This has been an amazingly tiring couple of weeks with work. Anyone who is a teacher can probably appreciate this, especially anyone who also holds some leadership roles, but there have more than a couple of 12+hour days of work. Nonetheless, the week is done, and the weekend beckons. Weekends have clearly turned into my days of cooking, and last weekend was no exception.
On Saturday, D and I took full advantage of a beautiful fall day to go for a walk. Luckily for us, there is Wrest Park which is a great old estate near our house that is perfect for walking. One of the great benefits of the UK is that houses like this (although not always as grand) are dotted around the place. (check out English Heritage or National Trust to find out more).
Coming back to the house, we were both in the mood for comfort food. To use the now trendy term, we wanted some ‘hygge’ food. Something we could enjoy and then relax for the evening. Now, a couple of weeks ago I told Rachel (A Beer Girl Cooks) that I would post a bit more about using beer/cider with food, so here we go! For this relaxing meal, we turned to a dish I first made years ago; Apple cider sausage and lentils.
Sausage and lentil casserole with apple cider sausage and puy lentils is a great little one-pot dish. All it requires is a good quality cast iron casserole dish, or at least a big pot. First, you fry some top quality sausages. These aren’t your run of the mill breakfast sausages, you need some big ones. We went for some juicy all pork ones. After removing these from the pan, you fry some bacon, onion, garlic, and carrot. Then you tip in the lentils.
What kind of lentils should I use in a casserole?
I wouldn’t suggest using your average red or green lentils. Instead, use puy lentils (or lentils verte). They are slightly bigger and hold their shape a lot better. However, they need to be cooked longer. So, you tip them in the pan, stir to coat and hit them with ½ bottle of apple cider. Then, and this is important, drink the rest of the bottle. I used a good dry cider, very tasty. Let it boil for about 5min, and then top up with some chicken stock. Just before the lentils are down, place the sausages back in. Lid on, cook for 5min.
What type of sausages should you use with lentils?
In short, good quality ones! I really like using a Toulouse style sausage, with a high pork content (about 85-90%) and some red wine. If in America, I would strongly recommend using a high-quality sausage, with at least 85% pork. Avoid breakfast sausages, they won’t work!
How do you serve sausage and lentil casserole?
Place the lentils in a bowl first, with sausages on top. Try to get a bit of everything on your fork. Get a good chunk of bread to help soak up the cider liquid in the bottom of the bowl. Apple cider sausages and lentils, pure hygge and deliciousness in one.
What dish is best for making a casserole?
For this dish, I’d really suggest using an enameled cast iron pot. This one from Le Creuset could be a great option.
Also, I’ve added this to FiestaFriday! Quality recipe ideas every Friday!
Pairings
Drinks
We had this with some delicious English cider, Aspall Cider to be exact. Worth the taste.
Music
This was ‘wind down from your hike’ food, and ‘get ready to relax’ food. Sticking with the hygge theme, on D’s iPhone we had To Build a House by The Cinematic Orchestra playing, matched the mood well.
Sausage and puy lentils
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 4-6 Good quality pork sausages. Such as cumberland sausages
- 1 Chopped carrots
- 1 small brown onion finely chopped
- 1 clove of garlic finely chopped
- 1 cup of Puy Lentils
- 1.5 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups apple cider
- 1 bay leaf
- 125 g bacon lardons
- 1 Tbs chopped parsley
- 1 Tbs chopped thyme
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook the sausages in a deep frying pan, until nice and golden and cooked throughout. Remove from the pan, and wipe out.
- Fry the bacon, until crispy. Using a slotted spoon, take the bacon out. Drain the grease, but leave about 1TB in the pan.
- Heat the pan again and add the garlic, onion and carrots. Fry for about 5min, then add the bay and lentils. Stir to coat, then add the cider. Let it boil, and add the stock. Lid on, and let it cook for 20min.
- After 20min, add the sausages and herbs to the pot. Lid back on and cook for 5 more minutes. The lentils should be cooked, but have a little bite to them. Season with salt and pepper and remove the bay. Plate the lentils with sausages placed on top. Drizzle a bit of the leftover juices on top, and serve hot.
Oh this sounds like an amazing Fall dinner, Matt! Sounds like you’ve had a long few weeks here, but hopefully everything is moving along well. I miss my days teaching! Oh, and I had to go google ‘hygge’ as I wasn’t familiar with that one. Pretty cool word. And even cooler meal here with the cider sausage and the puy lentils. That looks like a pan I need in my kitchen next weekend!
Thanks David. It’s a pretty cool term, definitely in vogue in the UK at the moment. As for teaching, as you know some times it gets difficult for a few weeks but its always fun to teach students!
This is a beautiful dish Matt. Perfectly browned sausages over nicely flavored lentils that don’t look all mushy. Comfort food to me! Thanks for introducing me to the word hygge, too. Cool definition.
I loved visiting London and touring around in a rental car. We hit up Bath and Oxford and just some country road driving. So scenic. I would love to have some cool old estates to walk around. For that I need to go up in the mountains an hour from us to Mt Laguna with the dogs. Cheers!
Way to go driving on the other side of the road Kevin! It prospect of doing that scared me at first. Mt Laguna looks amazing, much better views in my opinion!
What a hearty, comforting dish Matt! My husband Tom loves lentils and we both love sausage, so I can’t wait to try!
Thanks Mary Ann!
I am a HUGE fan of lentils and holy sausage batman, these look AMAZING! Love the flavors going on in here! Definitely adding this rustic, comforting dish to my list of must make immediately! Cheers and thanks for sharing the YUM!
Thanks Cheyenne, it’s worth it. English sausages are brilliant (usually!)
I could eat this for breakfast right now! It looks absolutely amazing. pinned.
Would be quite a savoury breakfast but do give it a go!
Love the dish, and just love the British sausages, there’s nothing quite like the taste. Here in the USA, they just aren’t the same, so whenever I visit family in England, they know to serve those for breakfast when I arrive 🙂 Love the pairing of the lentils, it is a complete meal. Great dish!
I know what you mean, although I prefer American sausages for the BBQ! Thanks for the comment!
This looks very tasty! Also, congrats on being featured on Foodgawker’s Instagram. I’m dreaming of the day they choose one of mine.
Thanks Jamie, was surprised but happy they did. I think both of our photo skills have improved since we started blogging (god knows mine looked hideous when I first started).
Love the use of lentils with the sausage. Looks delicious and thanks for sharing on Fiesta Friday!
Thanks Zeba!
I can buy a number of flavored sausages and that’s what I thought your recipe used at first. But the apple cider as a sauce must make this dish very flavorful. Lentils are always good with sausage 🙂
The Cider really does make a lovely sauce. If you can find some smoked sausages, that would probably add a great flavour dimension too!
Oh this sounds absolutely delicious, comfort, and earthy, Matt! I’ve tried incorating apple cider in my cooking first time ever recently, and I did like the results. It introduces a lovely subtle aftertaste. I bet cider works fantastically with sausage and lentils.
Thanks Ben, I agree with you on the flavour ciders can impart.
SCRUMPTIOUS! I found this recipe on foodgawker and knew I had to make it right away. Absolutely delicious – I love the hard cider. It really gives the broth a nice savory twang and goes perfectly with the sausage.
Thanks Caitlin!
Always love your dish, Matt. You did a great job!
Thanks Sabrina!
It looks tasty, Matt! It’s great to find your page. How lucky I am. I’m from Asian country and I love your cooking style. Simple but looks stunning.
It is the testy and delicious.Who they like the light breakfast, It is the perfect for that. Thank you to share your recipe.
What a delicious meal! Love the flavours – so warming and comforting. I might have to try tonight for my family – they’ll love it!
Thank you! It is definitely one of my family favourites, especially in the autumn!
Talk about a deliciously hearty dish! This is right up my alley – love the combo of sausage and lentils and I know hubby would too! Seriously making me hungry right now and would totally eat for breakfast 😉
This is my kind of dish Matt! So nice and hearty and comforting! And we love our lentils!
I love what you did here. Apples, their juice, cider, the actual apples – they’re so perfect with pork or sausages, especially this time of year. And I think you picked the best lentils to use. Le Puy really hold their shape.
It is probably one of my favourite wintery dishes!