Slow cooker

Not suitable for freezingGreat for batch cookingRecommended for a 3.5 litre slow cooker

Slow cooker Sausages Family dinner One-pot Cannellini beans Orzo Pork Freezer friendly without pasta

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Slow cooker

Tags: Slow cooker, Sausages, Family dinner, One-pot, Cannellini beans, Orzo, Pork, Freezer friendly without pasta

Slow Cooker Sausage, Cannellini and Roasted Pepper Orzo

Name: Slow Cooker Sausage, Cannellini and Roasted Pepper Orzo
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 390 min
Total time: 410 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil; 8 British pork sausages; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 2 red peppers, deseeded and sliced; 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 1 teaspoon sweet paprika; 400 g tin chopped tomatoes; 500 ml chicken or vegetable stock, made with 1 stock cube; 1 tablespoon tomato purée; 2 x 400 g tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed; 175 g orzo; 60 g baby spinach; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped; ½ teaspoon fine salt, plus extra to taste; ¼ teaspoon black pepper, plus extra to taste

A hearty slow cooker sausage supper finished with orzo, cannellini beans and sweet roasted peppers. The pasta cooks in the rich tomato sauce at the end, making this a satisfying one-pot family meal without needing a separate side dish.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 6 hr 30 min
Total: 6 hr 50 min
Servings: 4

Slow Cooker Sausage, Cannellini and Roasted Pepper Orzo recipe photograph

Equipment

Slow-cooker size: 3.5 litre

3.5 litre slow cooker
Large frying pan
Wooden spoon
Ladle

Ingredients

1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
8 British pork sausages
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 red peppers, deseeded and sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
400 g tin chopped tomatoes
500 ml chicken or vegetable stock, made with 1 stock cube
1 tablespoon tomato purée
2 x 400 g tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
175 g orzo
60 g baby spinach
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
½ teaspoon fine salt, plus extra to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper, plus extra to taste

Substitutions

Pork sausages → Chicken sausages (Use fully thawed sausages and check the packet cooking guidance.)
Orzo → Small pasta shapes (Use a similar quantity and cook until tender, adding a little extra stock if needed.)
Baby spinach → 150 g frozen peas (Stir in the peas with the beans and orzo so they heat through.)
Cannellini beans → Butter beans (Drain and rinse the beans before adding them.)

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the sausages for 5–6 minutes, turning regularly. They do not need to be cooked through. Transfer them to the slow cooker and cut them in half if you prefer smaller portions.
Add the onion and sliced peppers to the same pan and cook for 4–5 minutes until beginning to soften. Stir in the garlic, oregano, paprika and tomato purée for 30 seconds, then tip everything into the slow cooker.
Pour the chopped tomatoes and stock into the slow cooker. Add the salt and black pepper, then stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours 30 minutes.
Stir in the drained cannellini beans and orzo. Cover and cook on low for a further 25–35 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the orzo is tender. Add a splash of boiling water if the sauce becomes thicker than you would like.
Turn off the slow cooker and stir through the spinach, lemon juice and parsley. Leave for 2 minutes until the spinach has wilted, then check the seasoning and serve piping hot.

Storage and leftovers

Freezer friendly: Not suitable for freezing

Suitable for batch cooking

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within two hours in a covered container. Keep for up to 3 days. The orzo will continue to absorb the sauce, so loosen it with a little water when reheating.

Reheat portions in a saucepan over a medium heat or in the microwave until piping hot throughout. Add a splash of water or stock and stir several times, as the orzo thickens during storage. Only reheat leftovers once.

Spoon leftovers into a baking dish, top with grated mature Cheddar and bake until bubbling and golden. Alternatively, loosen with stock and serve as a thick sausage and bean soup.

Allergen information

Sausages and stock may contain cereals, gluten, milk or sulphites; check the labels. Orzo is made from wheat and contains gluten. For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free sausages, stock and gluten-free pasta.

Always check ingredient packaging and labels if you or someone you are cooking for has an allergy.

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the sausages for 5–6 minutes, turning regularly. They do not need to be cooked through. Transfer them to the slow cooker and cut them in half if you prefer smaller portions.

Add the onion and sliced peppers to the same pan and cook for 4–5 minutes until beginning to soften. Stir in the garlic, oregano, paprika and tomato purée for 30 seconds, then tip everything into the slow cooker.

Pour the chopped tomatoes and stock into the slow cooker. Add the salt and black pepper, then stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours 30 minutes.

Stir in the drained cannellini beans and orzo. Cover and cook on low for a further 25–35 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the orzo is tender. Add a splash of boiling water if the sauce becomes thicker than you would like.

Turn off the slow cooker and stir through the spinach, lemon juice and parsley. Leave for 2 minutes until the spinach has wilted, then check the seasoning and serve piping hot.

Swaps and substitutions

Pork sausages → Chicken sausages

Use fully thawed sausages and check the packet cooking guidance.

Orzo → Small pasta shapes

Use a similar quantity and cook until tender, adding a little extra stock if needed.

Baby spinach → 150 g frozen peas

Stir in the peas with the beans and orzo so they heat through.

Cannellini beans → Butter beans

Drain and rinse the beans before adding them.

Storage and leftovers

Freezer friendly

Not suitable for freezing

Batch cooking

Suitable for batch cooking

Storage

Reheating

Leftover ideas

Spoon leftovers into a baking dish, top with grated mature Cheddar and bake until bubbling and golden. Alternatively, loosen with stock and serve as a thick sausage and bean soup.

Allergen information

Always check ingredient packaging and labels if you or someone you are cooking for has an allergy.

Ingredients

Recipe serves 4

Adjust servings

Cooking time may not change in direct proportion to serving size.

1 tablespoon rapeseed oil

8 British pork sausages

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 red peppers, deseeded and sliced

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

400 g tin chopped tomatoes

500 ml chicken or vegetable stock, made with 1 stock cube

1 tablespoon tomato purée

2 x 400 g tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

175 g orzo

60 g baby spinach

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped

½ teaspoon fine salt, plus extra to taste

¼ teaspoon black pepper, plus extra to taste

Slow Cooker Sausage, Cannellini and Roasted Pepper Orzo

Equipment

Ingredients

Substitutions

Instructions

Storage and leftovers

Allergen information

Slow Cooker Sausage, Cannellini and Roasted Pepper Orzo

Instructions

Equipment needed

Swaps and substitutions

Storage and leftovers

Allergen information

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