Tuscan Sausage and White Bean Pasta

A rustic Italian pasta dish featuring savory chicken sausage, cannellini beans, and spinach in a light tomato and herb sauce.

• Prep: 15 min
• Cook: 25 min
• Total: 40 min
• Servings: 5
• Cuisine: Italian
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $3.79/serving

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• Egg-Free
• High-Protein
• High-Fiber

Tags

• quick
• comfort food
• savory

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound Italian chicken sausage (casings removed)
• 1 yellow onion (medium, diced)
• 3 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can cannellini beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 0.5 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 0.5 cup chicken broth
• 5 ounce fresh spinach
• 12 ounce penne pasta
• 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
• 2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese (grated, for serving)
• 5 ounce arugula
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinaigrette

Instructions

1. Cook penne pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water, and set aside.
2. While pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add Italian chicken sausage (casings removed) and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove sausage from the skillet and set aside.
3. Add yellow onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
4. Stir in diced tomatoes, cannellini beans, dried Italian seasoning, and optional red pepper flakes. Pour in chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
5. Return cooked sausage to the skillet. Stir in fresh spinach until wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Add the drained cooked penne pasta to the skillet, tossing to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until desired consistency is reached. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
6. In a separate bowl, toss arugula with red wine vinaigrette to make a simple salad.
7. Serve pasta immediately, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese if desired, alongside the arugula salad.

Notes

Spicy Italian chicken sausage can be used for an extra kick. Fresh basil or parsley can be stirred in at the end for added freshness.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 590
• Protein: 37.1 g
• Carbohydrates: 65.5 g
• Fat: 19.8 g
• Fiber: 12 g
• Sodium: 1200 mg
• Saturated Fat: 5.9 g
• Sugar: 7.2 g
• Cholesterol: 70 mg