Sausage and cider casserole with apples and sage (2024)

Home > Best sausage casserole recipes > Sausage and cider casserole with apples and sage

• Published:3 Jan 19
• Updated:18 Mar 24

• Test kitchen approved

Pork, cider, apples and sage is a classic flavour combination for a reason, with both sweet and salty notes. It’s a real winner. This recipe uses eating apples, and you can freeze it in batches, too.

We’ve got a similar recipe too, take a look at this sausage, apple and potato one pan roast – an all in one dish, so you don’t need to worry about a side dish to go with it.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 8 British outdoor-reared pork sausages (at least 70 per cent meat content)
• 200g smoked bacon lardons
• 50g butter
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 small parsnips (about 350g), chopped
• 3 large celery sticks, chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 300ml medium or dry cider
• 300ml fresh chicken stock
• 8-10 fresh sage leaves, chopped, plus a few leaves fried in a little oil until crisp (optional)
• 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• 2 small eating apples, such as cox
• A squeeze of lemon to serve (optional)

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole (with a lid). Add the sausages and brown them all over, then transfer to a plate.
2. Add the bacon lardons to the casserole and fry for 5 minutes until the fat is crisp and brown. Transfer to the plate with the sausages.
3. Drain off all but 1 tbsp of the oil from the casserole, add half the butter and, when melted, add the onions and garlic. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft and lightly browned.

Recipe continues after advertising

Advertisem*nt

4. Take off the lid, stir in the parsnips and celery and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in the tomato purée and flour, then gradually stir in the cider and stock and bring to the boil.
5. Return the sausages and bacon to the casserole, then stir in the sage and mustard. Cover, put in the oven and cook for 40 minutes.
6. When the casserole is ready, melt the remaining butter in a non-stick frying pan. Quarter, core and slice the apples into wedges. Add them to the pan and fry gently for 2-3 minutes until golden all over and just tender. Season with a little salt and pepper.
7. Remove the casserole from the oven, stir in the apples and season to taste (add a squeeze of lemon if you think it needs it). Sprinkle with the fried sage leaves, if using. Serve with baked potatoes or mash and greens.

Nutrition: per serving

Subscribe

Fancy getting a copy in print?

Subscribe to our magazine

Rate

You must be logged in to rate a recipe, click here to login.

Reviews

Related collections