Slow cooked beef sausage and lentil stew in a tomato base

There’s nothing quite as comforting as a hearty stew. Slow-cooked beef sausage and lentil stew with carrots and potatoes in a rich tomato base warms you from the inside out and is the perfect family meal for chilly days.

Ingredients

• 450g of beef sausages, sliced into rounds
• 200g of dried lentils, rinsed and drained
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 can (400g) of diced tomatoes
• 1 litre of beef stock
• 2 tablespoons of tomato purée
• 2 teaspoons of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Method

1. Slice the beef sausages into rounds, chop the carrots and potatoes, and finely chop the onion and garlic. Rinse the lentils thoroughly under cold water.
2. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage slices and brown them on all sides. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Once browned, transfer the sausages to your slow cooker.
3. In the same frying pan, add the chopped onion and garlic. Sauté for about 3-4 minutes, or until the onions are translucent and fragrant. Add the tomato purée and continue to cook for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Transfer the sautéed onions, garlic, and tomato purée to the slow cooker. Add the chopped carrots, potatoes, rinsed lentils, and canned diced tomatoes. Pour in the beef stock and stir to combine all the ingredients.
5. Add the paprika, dried thyme, dried rosemary, bay leaf, and a good pinch of salt and pepper to the slow cooker. Stir everything together to ensure the spices are evenly distributed.
6. Cover the slow cooker with its lid and set it to cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-6 hours. The stew is ready when the lentils and vegetables are tender.
7. Before serving, taste the stew and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Remove the bay leaf and discard it. Ladle the stew into bowls and garnish with freshly chopped parsley.