Slow-cooker sausages with lentils

A hearty slow cooker meal that is simple to make and satisfying to eat, especially on a cold day!

Serves: 6

Time to make: 8 hrs

Hands-on time: 15 mins

Ingredients

More weights & measures

4 good quality spicy sausages (or more if you wish)

1 large onion, chopped

2 fat cloves garlic, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 capsicum, deseeded and chopped

2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 heaped tablespoons basil pesto

1 ½ cups brown lentils, uncooked

2 cups diced pumpkin

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 teaspoon sugar

2 cups beef stock

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Instructions

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1 In a large frying pan brown the sausages. Toss in the onion, celery and capsicum and cook until beginning to soften. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and 1 tablespoon of the pesto, then heat until simmering.

2 Remove the sausages from the pan and cut them into chunks before returning them to the mixture (if the sausages are fresh rather than dried, cut them at the end of the cooking).

3 Pour the mixture into the slow cooker, add the lentils, vegetables, stock and sugar and stir.

4 Cook on high for 6 hours or on low for 8 hours. When cooked, stir in the additional tablespoon of pesto and serve in warmed bowls with crusty bread.

HFG tip

Use whatever well-flavoured sausages you like; the spicier the better. If using a fresh sausage, you will need to cut them up just before you serve them; dried or semi-dried can be cut into chunks before going in the slow cooker.

Nutrition Info (per serve)

Calories 349 cal

Kilojoules 1460 kJ

Protein 20.8 g

Total fat 13.1 g

Saturated fat 5.1 g

Carbohydrates 37.7 g

Sugar 10.1 g

Dietary fibre 9.2 g

Sodium 730 mg

Calcium 90 mg

Iron 6.1 mg

Note: This nutrition analysis is a guide only. Nutrition composition will vary depending on the exact ingredients used. See our guides on your optimal daily nutrition intake, and supermarket shopping.