Bratwurst Casserole with Lentils and Red Cabbage

Here’s What You’ll Need

You’ll need a large, shallow ovenproof casserole dish (braiser) with a lid – I use my Le Creuset 30cm cast iron casserole – plus a food processor with a slicing disc to make quick work of the cabbage, though a sharp knife works fine.

• Bratwurst: Fresh (raw) pork bratwurst. If your bratwurst is precooked, see the tip below – they need less time in the oven.
• Beer: A malty German lager such as a Märzen (Oktoberfest beer), Helles or Pilsner. It gives the sauce its gentle sourness and depth. Avoid very hoppy beers like IPAs, which turn bitter as they reduce.
• Red cabbage: Cored and finely shredded. I know it looks like a mountain at first but it cooks down dramatically.
• Garlic: It goes in with the spices so it does not burn.
• Apples: Two, grated. They melt into the cabbage and add natural sweetness – a tart-sweet eating apple works best.
• Leek, onion and Napa cabbage (Chinese leaf): Shredded along with the red cabbage. The leek and onion give a sweet, savory base, and the Napa cabbage melts into the sauce and lightens the mix.
• Canned lentils: Brown or green, drained and rinsed. They only need warming through, which keeps this recipe quick. You can use dried lentils instead – see Substitutions below.
• Warm spices: Star anise, a cinnamon stick, bay leaves, a pinch of ground cloves and dried thyme – the same spices I use in my Braised Red Cabbage at Christmas.
• Cranberry sauce and brown sugar: This adds a tangy sweetness that balances the vinegar. Redcurrant jelly works too.
• Apple cider vinegar: Keeps the cabbage a vivid purple-red, echoes the apples and balances the richness of the sausages.
• Stock (broth): Hot chicken or vegetable stock.
• To serve: Chopped fresh parsley, dill or fennel fronds, and a pot of German or whole grain mustard.

9. Return to the oven uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes, until the bratwurst reach 160°F (71°C) in the center and most of the liquid has reduced.
10. Take out the cinnamon stick, star anise and bay leaves, scatter with fresh herbs and serve.

Serving Suggestions

Beer braised bratwurst and cabbage is a complete meal on its own, but something to soak up the juices never goes amiss.

• Mashed potatoes: My Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes free up the stove, or you can go all in with buttery Colcannon.
• Crusty bread: A slice of Guinness Bread or my No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread for mopping up the sauce.
• Roast potatoes: Crisp Goose Fat Roast Potatoes turn it into a cozy Sunday dinner.
• Mustard: A pot of German or whole grain mustard on the table is a must.

Serve the Cabbage as a Side Dish

The spiced braised red cabbage and lentils are good enough to make on their own. Follow the same recipe without the bratwurst: Soften the vegetables in the oil, braise for an hour, then stir in the lentils and return to the oven uncovered for 20 minutes.

Serve it as a hearty side with grilled or pan-fried sausages (as in the photo below), pork chops, roast pork or my Braised Ham Hock with Maple Mustard Glaze. It also makes a lovely vegetarian main with vegetable stock and a dollop of sour cream.

Substitutions and Variations

• Dried lentils: Simmer 7 oz (200g) dried brown or green lentils in water or stock for about 20 minutes, until just tender, while the cabbage braises. Drain and add them at the same point as canned lentils. Puy or black beluga lentils hold their shape best.
• Other sausages: Brats and cabbage are a classic pairing, but any good-quality pork sausage works, as do Italian sausages. Smoked kielbasa is already cooked, so add it with the lentils.
• No beer: Use the same amount of extra stock plus 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, or a non-alcoholic beer.
• Vegetarian: Use vegetable stock and your favorite veggie sausages, browned separately and added for the last 15 to 20 minutes only.
• Slow cooker: For the slow cooker method, first brown the bratwurst and soften the cabbage mixture on the stove as above, then transfer everything except the sausages and lentils to a slow cooker with the liquid. Cook on Low for 6 hours or High for 3 hours, adding the lentils and bratwurst for the last hour.

You’ll Also Love…

• Braised Red Cabbage: The festive side dish that’s the base for this casserole, with the same warm spices.
• Bigos (Polish Hunter’s Stew): Another hearty pot of sausage and cabbage, slow-cooked with sauerkraut.
• Braised Ham Hock with Maple Mustard Glaze: A cozy braise with a sticky glaze, perfect for cold-weather weekends.
• White Bean and Sausage Soup: If you love sausages and legumes together, this soup is a quick weeknight version.
• Sausage and Peppers (Greek Spetzofai): A one-pan sausage dinner from my Greek kitchen, rich with peppers and tomatoes.