Italian Sausage, Beans, and Greens

~ White House Red Door

A friend and I were recently chatting, and the conversation turned to food. Is it me, or do all conversations inevitably lead to food? It may just be me, but it’s one of my favorite topics, and eating is something we all have in common. Anyway, she was looking for some new dinner ideas… but there were parameters- suggestions had to be kid friendly, accommodate allergies, and be on the table quickly. Immediately, one of my favorite go to meals came to mind, Italian Sausage, Beans, and Greens.

There are several reasons why this dish ticks so many boxes in the “pro” Raw sausage, bunch of kale, bunch of chard, cannellini beanscolumn. It’s delicious, done in 30 minutes, needs only a few basic ingredients, and is so flexible in terms of those ingredients. The basics include Italian sausage, cannellini beans, and greens. I make this with Italian pork sausage, but feel free to use chicken sausage or turkey sausage. The beauty of using Italian style sausage is that it has all the seasoning you’ll need- other than any salt and pepper added to taste at the end. Cannellini beans are easy to have on hand, I usually have a few cans in the pantry. The greens I use depend on what’s available; kale, chard, spinach, arugula, rapini, mustard greens, and dandelion greens all work really well. Stick with one type or combine your favorites. Even the measurements are just guidelines.  Add more or less of the sausage, beans, or greens.  There is plenty of room to play in order to suit your tastes.  It’s all good!

My friend declared this a hit in her home, and has made it multiple times since. Now she’s looking for more new ideas… 🙂

Do you have favorite recipes that immediately jump to mind when someone asks, “What are you making for dinner?” What makes a dish one of your “go to” meals?

Italian sausage, beans, and greens in a bowl

Italian Sausage, Beans, and Greens

  • Servings: 4-6
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Ingredients:
4 Italian sausage, about 1lb total (I used 2 sweet and 2 spicy)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 bunch kale, rinsed, stems removed and leaves chopped
1 bunch swiss chard, rinsed, stems removed and leaves chopped
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan for passing

loaf of crusty bread (optional)

Instructions:
In a large saucepan, parboil the sausage links, about 5 minutes. While the links are parboiling, I carefully prick them to release the liquified fat that has accumulated under the casings. Remove from the water, cool slightly and slice crosswise into ½-inch pieces.

Heat olive oil in large sauté pan over medium heat. When oil is shimmery, add sliced sausage. Be careful! There will be some splattering. Sauté sausage on both sides until brown, approximately 5 minutes. Remove sausage and set aside.

Return sauté pan to burner, lower heat to medium low and add greens. Stir to coat in any oil or sausage bits remaining in pan. Cover and cook until wilted, 2 minutes.

Add cannellini beans to wilted greens and stir to combine. Add sausage back to pan and heat everything through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve immediately with crusty bread, passing parmesan for grating.

Parboiling the sausage in a saucepan.
Parboil the sausage. Carefully prick them with a fork to release liquified fat under the casings.
Heating olive oil in large sauté pan
In large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
Adding sliced sausage to sauté pan.
Add sliced sausages to sauté pan. Be careful, they will splatter!
Sautéing sausage on cooktop
Continue to sauté sausage until brown on both sides, 5 minutes or so. When brown, remove sausage and set aside.
Adding greens to sauté pan
Add greens to sauté pan, stirring to coat with any oil or sausage bits left in pan. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and cook for approximately two minutes, or until greens are wilted.
Adding cannelloni beans to wilted green
Add cannellini beans to the wilted greens and mix well.
Adding sliced sausage to wilted greens and beans.
Add reserved sausage and heat everything through. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with crusty bread and parmesan for passing.

36 thoughts on “Italian Sausage, Beans, and Greens”

  1. Love this Jean! I may try it tonight. I’ve already made your Chili Con Carne twice. The family loves it and I love that this recipe and the Chili are gluten free!! One of my favorite recipes that I find easy to make is Ina Gardner’s Mac-n-Cheese. To make it gluten free I use the Barilla GF noodles, sprinkle with GF bread and bake for 30min. It’s quick, easy to make and everyone finds it tasty. I served it on Christmas Eve with the ham and noone new it was GF.
    In fact I think I’ll be making your chili and Ina’s Mac-n-Cheese for the Pats game on Sunday!! GO PATS!!!

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    1. Thanks, Kim! So glad you like the chili! I never thought to make Chili Mac, but that is a fantastic idea (especially if you found a gluten free version that you like). Hope the Italian Sausage, Beans, and Greens is met with the same success!

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      2. You are killing me! I almost just spit my drink on the keyboard… unfortunately, only tea at the moment. Just 4:15pm here, and the other moms may start talking if I show up in the carpool line with a to go cup. 😉

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  13. Simple yet delicious! What’s not to love?
    Interesting question! Since I moved from Manhattan, I haven’t met a friend who is into cooking yet! Can’t say that food really comes up in our conversations! 😉

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