There is something especially comforting about a supper that asks very little of the cook and still comes out hearty enough to please everybody at the table. This vintage-style slow cooker sausage supper leans on the kind of practical pantry cooking many Midwestern home cooks have trusted for years: a package of raw ground pork sausage, a few simple vegetables, and a can of soup to bring it all together into a rich, savory meal. It is the sort of no-fuss crock pot dinner that feels right at home on a chilly evening, when you want the kitchen to do the work for you while the day carries on.
This supper is especially good with warm buttered bread, fluffy biscuits, or a scoop of mashed potatoes to catch the creamy sauce. If you want a little brightness on the plate, serve it with green beans, a simple side salad, or buttered corn. For a true old-fashioned family meal, set out applesauce or pickled beets alongside and let the slow cooker be the star of the table.
5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Vintage Sausage Supper
Servings: 6
Ingredients
1 pound raw ground pork sausage
Directions
1. Lightly grease the slow cooker crock if desired. Spread the raw ground pork sausage across the bottom of the slow cooker, breaking it into large chunks so it can cook evenly.
2. Layer the sliced potatoes, onion, and carrots over the sausage. Spread the vegetables out as evenly as you can so they cook at the same pace.
3. Spoon the condensed cream of mushroom soup over the top. Use the back of a spoon to spread it lightly across the vegetables. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the sausage is fully cooked and the vegetables are tender.
4. About 30 minutes before serving, open the slow cooker and gently stir to combine the sausage, vegetables, and sauce. Break up the sausage into bite-size pieces if needed, then cover again and finish cooking.
5. Spoon the hot sausage supper into bowls and serve right away.
Variations & Tips
Add a little seasoning: Pork sausage brings plenty of flavor on its own, but a dash of black pepper, a pinch of garlic powder, or a spoonful of chopped parsley at the end can freshen things up nicely without changing the old-fashioned character of the dish.
Swap the soup: If cream of mushroom is not your favorite, cream of celery or cream of chicken both work well here. Each gives the supper a slightly different flavor while keeping that creamy vintage casserole-style finish.
Make it heartier: For a larger family meal, add an extra potato or a handful of sliced cabbage during the last couple of hours of cooking. Just be sure not to overfill the slow cooker, and allow enough time for the added vegetables to soften.
Brown for deeper flavor: Though this recipe is built for convenience, you can brown the sausage in a skillet before adding it to the crock if you want richer color and a slightly more roasted flavor. That little extra step can make the finished dish taste even more old-fashioned and savory.
