This slow cooker 5-ingredient smoked sausage dish is the kind of budget-friendly, filling supper that earns a permanent place in a family recipe box. It leans on smoked sausage, canned beans, and a few pantry staples to create a hearty, savory meal with very little prep, and it has the same practical Midwestern comfort-food spirit that made these slow cooker suppers so popular for feeding a crowd without fuss.
Serve it with warm cornbread, buttered toast, or a simple green salad to round out the meal. If you want to stretch it even further, spoon it over white rice, mashed potatoes, or baked potatoes, and keep a bottle of hot sauce or a dish of sliced onions on the table for anyone who likes a little extra bite.
Slow Cooker 5-Ingredient Smoked Sausage Elliott
Servings: 7
Ingredients
2 pounds smoked sausage, sliced into rounds
2 cans (28 ounces each) baked beans
1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 cup barbecue sauce
Directions
1. Slice the smoked sausage into bite-size rounds and thinly slice the onion.
2. Add the baked beans, kidney beans, sliced sausage, onion, and barbecue sauce to the slow cooker. Stir well so everything is evenly coated.
3. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours, until the onions are tender and the sauce is hot and bubbly.
4. Stir once more before serving, then ladle into bowls and serve hot.
Variations & Tips
Make it sweeter: If you like a sweeter pot of beans, use a honey or brown sugar barbecue sauce, or stir in a spoonful of brown sugar during the last hour of cooking.
Add a little heat: For a spicier version, use smoked sausage with jalapeño or add a few dashes of hot sauce or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes before cooking.
Stretch the meal: This recipe is easy to bulk up with an extra can of beans if you need to feed a few more people. You can also serve smaller portions over rice or baked potatoes to make it go farther.
Watch the salt: Smoked sausage, baked beans, and barbecue sauce can all bring plenty of seasoning, so taste before adding any extra salt at the end.
Prep ahead: Slice the sausage and onion the night before, then refrigerate them separately so you can dump everything into the slow cooker quickly the next day.