Not every dish needs a casserole dish. This sausage lentil casserole was made in a deep-sided frying pan at Casa Adora, on an evening when the rest of Andalucía was tucking into salads and I was craving something considerably more substantial.

The daytime temperature had been hovering around 35°C, which is not ideal casserole weather. I made it before the football, left it to sit, and reheated it gently once the sun had gone down. Served with crusty bread and a glass of red wine, it was exactly what was needed.

Sausage and lentil casserole with chorizo — Casa Adora

The starting point was a handful of good-looking pork sausages spotted at the market, a jar of red lentils at the back of the store cupboard, and a small chorizo in the fridge. Everything else — onion, carrot, red pepper, garlic, chilli — was already to hand. This is the kind of recipe that rewards a well-stocked kitchen.

A note on the mirepoix: traditionally, it's a mixture of onion, carrot, and celery, used as a flavour base. I didn't have celery, so red pepper went in instead. It worked perfectly — a little sweeter, a little more Spanish, and entirely in keeping with the spirit of flexible cooking.

Sausage Lentil Casserole with Chorizo

Serves 2

For the mirepoix

• 1 medium onion, diced
• ½ red pepper, diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced

Ingredients

• 4 pork sausages, cut into large bite-sized pieces
• 1 small chorizo, thickly sliced
• 200 g red lentils, rinsed
• 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed, and roughly chopped
• 1 small red chilli, seeds removed and roughly chopped
• Warm chicken stock, enough to cover
• Bay leaf
• Rosemary
• Olive oil
• Extra virgin olive oil, to finish

Method

1. Heat enough olive oil in a deep-sided frying pan to fry the chorizo. Cook until caramelised on both sides, allowing it to release its paprika-rich juices. Remove and set aside.
2. In the same reddish-orange oil, brown the sausage pieces on all sides. Remove and set aside.
3. Remove any excess oil if necessary. Add the mirepoix — onion, red pepper, and diced carrot — and sauté until soft.
4. Add the sliced carrot, garlic, and chilli. Stir-fry for one minute.
5. Return the sausages and chorizo to the pan. Stir in the lentils until everything is well combined.
6. Pour over enough warm chicken stock to cover. Add a bay leaf and a sprig of rosemary. Cover and simmer gently for 25 minutes until the lentils have absorbed most of the liquid.
7. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil before serving. Crusty bread alongside is not optional.

This sausage lentil casserole recipe is part of my Pork Recipes collection — from Spanish classics to van life chops and everything in between.

This recipe is also part of the Slow Cooker & Slow Cooking Recipes collection — braised meat, one-pot casseroles, confit, and slow roasts from Casa Adora and the road, gathered in one place. Browse all recipes here.

Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef